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About Ascend

Ascend is a go-to hub for aspiring and budding entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into action. Ascend is a safe space for entrepreneurs to launch, develop and grow their business ideas. Ascend seeks to bring compassion, collaboration and creativity by building a community of determined individuals.

Misson

We help passionate and budding entrepreneurs transform their ideas into strong, scalable & successful startups.

Our Pillars
  • Empathy
  • Inclusivity
  • Collaboration
  • Ingenuity
  • Connectivity
What We do?
  • Pre-Incubation Program
  • One-One mentorship & Workshops
  • Community Workspace

Ventures Incubated

Dakshya Sewa

On-Demand Home Service Platform providing various repair, maintenance, and installation of home-based problems.

Gokul Prasad Neupane

Krishna Prasad Neupane

Walking North

Consumer Durables & Apparels

Roshni Murarka

Paras Mani

Clean ALL

Cleaning Services Provider

Ramesh KC

Pragya Neupane

Him-Aid

Banshaj Paudel

Nadika Poudel

Mahima Dhakal

Krishbin Paudel

Saha Yatri

Suban Shrestha

Yunika Bajracharya

Anju Chhetri

Ashmit Rajaure

Rujal Acharya

Wallstreet Investment

Deepak Lamichhane

Birat Khadgi

Buttercup Events & Sounds

Aasis KC

Meal Box Pvt. Ltd

Sabin Thapa

Mihir Sharma

Pasang Syangtan

ArchArtificer

Devraj Magar

Himanshu Shrestha

Lend Your Style

Sadikshya Shrestha

Sofina Humagain

Mount Zero

Bhim Tamang

Dikchhyanta Bajracharya

Sonil Bajracharya

Saral Lagani

Fin-Tech Company

Prajwal Shrestha

Yaman Raj Mishra

Khuwam

Online Food Delivery Company

Rishav Lal Shrestha

Sudeep Amatya

Bishal Adhikari

Diwas Sapkota

Healthy Harvest

Selling Ready-to-Cook Food

Avisekh Maskey

Ashish Chhatkuli

Mentors for Pre Incubation Program

Mr. Tenzing Samdup Bajracharya

Co-Founder, ACT360 Pvt. Ltd.

Mr. Deepak Sharma

Investment Director, Business Oxygen Pvt. Ltd.

Mr. Suman Shakya

Founder, Tangent Waves

Ms. Sujana Koirala

Corporate Lawyer & Legal Consultant-Unilever & Carlsberg Group

Bibek Bhandary

Mr. Bibek Bhandary

(Certified Professional Sales Leader)

Co-Founder - Ascendifly,

Founding Member - Sales Hacker

Prajwal Gadtaula

Co-founder, Business Brainz

Module: Setting up Key Metrics

Yogesh Satyal

Management Educator

Module: Presenting your Business

Binisha Nepal

Economist

Module: Accounts and Book keeping

Ultha Niroula

MD Digital Gurkha

Module: Digital Marketing

Pankaj Kumar Tiwari

MD, Arrow Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd.

Module: Unique Value Proposition, Competitive Advantage, and Marketing your Product

Aashish Adhikari

Former Founder-CEO, Red Mud Coffee

Module: Identifying Customers

Diwas Thapa

Founder, Talent Connects

Module: Building the Foundation

Shaurab Lohani

Assistant program Quality Director for District 41, Toastmasters International

Module: Preparing Oneself

Shraddha Pant

Investment Management Professional

Module: Creating a Strong Finance Base

Mr. Amun Thapa

Founder and CEO
Sasto Deal

Module: Preparing Oneself

Mr. Diwash Thapa

Founder and Managing Director
Talent Connects

Module: Building the Foundation

Mr. Ullekh Niraula

CEO and Co-founder
Digital Gurkha

Module: Digital Marketing

Mr. Aashish Adhikari

Former Founder-CEO
Red Mud Coffee

Co-Founder
Dropout Creation

Module: Who is Customer, Focus on the Problem, Your Solution, Test Your Solution and Validate Your Solution.

Mr. Ujaya Shakya

Founder and Managing Director
Outreach Nepal

Module: Unique Value Proposition, Competitive Advantage, Connecting with the Customer

Mr. Prajwal Gadtaula

Co-Founder
Business Brainz

Module: Setting up Key Metrics and Overview of the Lean Canvas

Ms. Shradha Pant

Manager - Research & Investments at Muktinath Capital Ltd.

Module: Understanding the Finance

Mr. Bibek Risal

Assistant Professor
Kathmandu University

Module: Finance and Accounting

Mr. Ashish Tiwari

Principal and Director
Ace Institute of Management & Ace International Business School

Module: Culture that Sticks

Ms. Sujana Koirala

Corporate Lawyer & Legal Consultant, Unilever & Carlsberg Group

Module: Legal Aspect in Business

Mr. Avishek K. Karky

Associate Director
Ace Institute of Management

Director
Ascend Startup Center

Module: Presenting Your Business

Mr. Suman Shakya

Founder / Director
Tangent Waves Pvt. Ltd. / SmartPaani

Module: BDP Framework for Business

Mr. Tenzing Samdup Bajracharya

Co Founder / Managing Partner
ACT360 Pvt. Ltd.

Module: Digital Marketing

Ms. Shradha Pant

Manager - Research & Investments
Muktinath Capital Ltd.

Module: Understanding the Finances

Mr. Prajwal Gadtaula

Co-Founder
Business Brainz

Module: Setting up Key Metrics

Ms. Sujana Koirala

Corporate Lawyer
Carlsberg Group

Module: Legal Aspects in Business

Bibek Bhandary

Mr. Bibek Bhandary

Co Founder / Digital Product Head
Ascendifly / GrowthAcad

Module: Presenting your Business

Mr. Tenzing Samdup Bajracharya

Co-Founder, ACT360 Pvt. Ltd.

Module: Digital Marketing

Mr. Suman Shakya

Founder, Tangent Waves

Module: BDP Framework for Business

Ms. Sujana Koirala

Corporate Lawyer & Legal Consultant-Unilever & Carlsberg Group

Module: Legal Aspects in Business

Bibek Bhandary

Mr. Bibek Bhandary(Certified Professional Sales Leader)

Co-Founder - Ascendifly,

Founding Member - Sales Hacker

Module: Presenting your Business

Ascend Testimonials

Mr. Bibek Bhandary

As a mentor, I had the opportunity to work with several promising young entrepreneurs, each with unique ideas and approaches to problem-solving. It was inspiring to see their passion and dedication towards building their startups, and I was privileged to be a part of their journey. The program was well organized, with clear structure and timeline that helped keep the aspiring entrepreneurs on track.

Mr. Bibek Bhandary

Co Founder / Ascendifly

Ms. Sujana Koirala

Working as a trainer for the Ace Startup incubation program has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Over three batches, I’ve enjoyed sharing my knowledge and learning from young entrepreneurs who are passionate about their ideas. The program’s commitment to providing high-quality training and support is impressive, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to take their business to the next level”

Ms. Sujana Koirala

Corporate Lawyer/Carlsberg Group

Mr. Suman Shakya

Ascend-Ace Start-up Center is a fantastic initiative that is worth emulating. It allows participants to apply their theoretical knowledge in a real business environment approach. As a mentor and coach, I’ve enjoyed working with ideators and entrepreneurs to support the development of both their businesses and their ideas.

Mr. Suman Shakya

Founder/ Director at Tangent Waves Pvt. Ltd./ SmartPaani

Ms. Shradha Pant

I have been mentoring the teams in Ascend program for over two years now. It has been wonderful discovering all the promising entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds in the program with unique business models/solutions. Their curiosity to learn and passion to drive their start-ups toward success have been inspiring.

Ms. Shradha Pant

Research & Investments at Muktinath Capital Ltd.

Mr. Tenzing Samdup

It was a privilege to coach the various teams for this cohort at the Ace Ascend Startup Center, and I am excited to see how their ideas take off into real ventures in the near future.

Mr. Tenzing Samdup

Co-Founder, ACT360

Ascend Pre-Incubation Program

Our flagship program at Ascend is the Pre-Incubation program, which is a 3 months long program to lay the groundworks for selected companies to be market-ready. To do this, we are relying on a tailored curriculum, along with a group of insightful instructors, numerous guest speakers and other hands-on activities.

During the program, you will:
  1. Learn how to evaluate startup ideas and execute the idea into a successful business.
  2. With guidance from experts and professionals, you will cover all aspects of starting a venture, ranging from developing a product/service that customers will pay for, to marketing it, creating a sustainable financial model and learn how to manage a business.
  3. Set business milestones and/or goals to track the growth and progress of your venture.
  4. Learn a range of relevant skills to apply to your business through workshops regarding: goal setting and team management, digital marketing, etc.
S.N. Module Activities No. of Sessions Faciltator
1 Orientation Session Introduction of Ascend 1 Ascend Team
Overview of the Pre-Incubation Program
Expectations from the Startups
Introduction of Startups and Faciltators
2 Workshop 1: BDP Framework for Business Evaluate Startup Idea BDP Framework 2 Suman Shakya
Founder & MD
Tangent Waves
Analyze the Feasibility and Potential of the idea
3 Who is your Customer? Identify your customer and segment them 5
Creating Customer Persona
4 Explore Customer Problems and Find Solution Find the customer problem and needs- survey
Identify solution- Product
5 Test and Valiadate Solution, Design Prototype Market Research and Customer Feedback
Expolre existing solutions
Prototype and test selected concepts with customers
6 Develop Business Model What is business model and its importance? 2
Nine blocks of Lean Canvas
Customer Value Proposition
7 Workshop 2: Digital Marketing Understanding Marketing in the Digital Age 2 Tenzing Samdup
Co Founder / Managing Partner
ACT360 Pvt. Ltd.
Social Media
Using Web to your advantage
8 Workshop 3: Understanding the Finances Types of costs 4 Shradha Pant
Senior Investment Analyst
Revenue Stream
Building a Financial Model
9 Workshop 4: Setting up Key Metrics Understanding your key performance metrics 2 Prajwal Gadtaula
Co-Founder
Business Brainz
How to measure them?
10 Workshop 5: Legal Aspects in Business Registration and Legal Requirements 4 Sujana Koirala
Corporate Lawyer
Carlsberg Group
Filing Taxes and tax issues
Intellectual Property, contract, confidentiality
11 Workshop 6: Presenting your Business Business Plan Framework 2 Bibek Bhandari
Co Founder / Digital Product Head
Ascendifly / GrowthAcad
What makes a great pitch?
Speak with Impact
12 Demo Day 1 Ascend Team

Eligibility Criteria

Idea Eligibility
Ascend welcomes an incredibly wide variety of ideas, across almost any industry. We look for ventures that demonstrate the following:
  • A clear understanding of a problem that they wish to solve, and a solution that has the promise of impact in the market
  • Feasible in the Nepalese market
  • Potential for business growth
  • Team composition and their motivation to learn
There are certain types of ventures we will not accept:
  • “One-offs” – ventures that exist to plan for a single event or outcome
  • Charity and advocacy groups.
Team Eligibility
To apply to the Ascend Pre-Incubation program:
  • A team must have at least one member who is a current student or an alumnus of Ace Institute of Management. Students from bachelors and masters level are eligible.
  • A team may submit only one (1) application.
  • Individuals may not be part of multiple teams.
  • No individual participation will be allowed and the maximum number of members in a team will be three (3). Under special circumstances, up to 4 members can be allowed.
Ascend reserves the right to disqualify any application that we, in our sole and absolute discretion, determine does not fit within our application.
Team Application Form
Program Fee

The participation fee for the 3-month long program is NPR. 15,000 per team. It includes coach fees, stationery items, a dedicated workspace for each team, community dinner programs, guest speeches, and workshops.

You will have to deposit the fees only if you are selected for the pre-incubation program. You will have an option to pay for the fee in two equal installments.

FAQ

What are the facilities provided by Ascend?

Ascend provides the following services:
Pre-Incubation Program: This is the flagship service provided by Ascend, a comprehensive and intense course to launch, develop and grow your business ideas.

Community Workspace: Ascend will provide common workspace for individuals and teams to use for their needs. Based on membership, you will get a desk that you can rent as and when you need to. c. Mentorship Services: Either you are a solo entrepreneur or someone who is planning to start a business, Ascend helps you get in touch with relevant mentors to guide you through your queries and concerns.

During the program, you will:
  • Learn how to evaluate startup ideas and execute the idea into a successful business
  • With guidance from experts and professionals, you will cover all aspects of starting a venture, ranging from developing a product/service that customers will pay for, to marketing it, creating a sustainable financial model and learn how to manage a business.
  • Set business milestones and/or goals to track the growth and progress of your venture.
  • Learn a range of relevant skills to apply to your business through workshops regarding: goal setting and team management, digital marketing, etc.

To apply to the Ascend Pre-Incubation program:
  • A team must have at least one member who is a full-time student at Ace Institute of Management or is an ace alumni. Students from undergraduate and graduate level are eligible.
  • A team may submit only one (1) application.
  • Individuals may not be part of multiple teams.
  • No individual participation will be allowed and the maximum number of members in a team will be three (3).
  • For individual applicants, a “speed-dating” event will be organized to help you find potential partners.
Ascend reserves the right to disqualify any application that we, in our sole and absolute discretion, determine does not fit within our application.

Ascend welcomes an incredibly wide variety of ideas, across almost any industry. We look for ventures that demonstrate the following:
  • A clear understanding of a problem that they wish to solve, and a solution that has the promise of impact in the market
  • Feasible in the Nepalese market
  • Potential for business growth
  • Team composition and their motivation to learn
There are certain types of ventures that tend not to fit well within this rubric:
  • “One-offs” – ventures that exist to plan for a single event or outcome
  • Charity and advocacy groups.

The ideas will be selected in two phases -
  • First Phase: Shortlisting through Application Forms. The form is a crucial part of your shortlisting. So, please fill it with dedication and be as specific as possible.
  • Second Phase: Business idea pitching in front of a panel of jury followed by Questions and Answers.

Yes, but it's not compulsory. Normally, teams will apply with their ideas. However, if you do not have an idea, you can attend a “speed-dating” event to find a team or an individual you would want to partner with and vice-versa. Ascend will only act as an intermediary, but will not decide the team members for any team applying for the program.

For the Pre-Incubation program, Ascend is only looking for companies in the ideation stage or companies that have recently started their business (under 12 months)

5 – 7 startups will be selected for each cohort depending on the quality of the applications.

The duration of the Pre-Incubation program would be of around 3 months, There will be 2 – 3 classes each week, which would be of 2 hours each depending on the topic. The classes will take place in the afternoon, after regular academic routine. To graduate, the participant will have to complete the full program.

The Pre-Incubation program ends with a demo-day where the startups will showcase their business in front of an audience consisting of business experts, investors, faculty members and mentors.

After the demo-day, the team will be associated with the incubation center for another six (6) months for a ‘hand-holding’ phase. As they enter the market, Ascend will provide mentorship and required guidance to the teams. However, this is an option which a team can opt out of.

Yes, there is a fee for participating in the program. The participation fee for the 3-month long program is NPR. 15,000 per team. It includes coach fees, stationery items, a dedicated workspace for each team, community dinner programs, weekly guest speeches, workshops and industry tours.

Ascend offers early stage funding to deserving startups, which are evaluated during the Pre-Incubation program. Similarly, Ascend will also create a network of angels and seed-investors to support potential businesses.

The application date will start on April 1, 2020 and will be open for three weeks.