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The Great Nepali Diaspora (TGND) and Momo VC hosted an invitation-only gathering on October 2 at the residence of Nepal’s Ambassador to the United States in Washington, D.C., bringing together professionals and students working in finance, development, policy, climate, and entrepreneurship.
Welcoming attendees, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Nepal, Sharad Raj Aran, thanked Momo VC general partners Preeti Adhikary and Sajan Gautam for organizing the gathering.
“I particularly appreciate your vision and your commitment to supporting the next generation of Nepali entrepreneurs and professionals by creating opportunities for them to connect, learn, innovate, and grow,” Aran said.
Aran described Nepal as being at an “important moment” in its economic development.
“We have a young and increasingly educated population, talented entrepreneurs, growing digital capabilities, and significant opportunities in technology, energy, tourism, infrastructure, agriculture, and innovation,” he said. “At the same time, Nepalis around the world have developed valuable expertise, businesses, professional networks, and access to global capital and markets. The opportunity is to connect these two strengths.”
He said Nepal’s government is increasingly focused on connecting the diaspora’s expertise and resources with the country’s development needs. Initiatives such as the Diaspora Expert Network and Knowledge Bank seek to align Nepali expertise worldwide with national development priorities. The government is also exploring greater participation by nonresident Nepalis in financial and capital markets, along with instruments such as a diaspora bond to mobilize long-term capital.
Aran said these efforts reflect a shift from viewing Nepal’s global community primarily as a source of remittances to recognizing it as a partner in “investment, entrepreneurship, innovation, knowledge, and global market access.”
He said Momo VC could contribute by connecting investors, entrepreneurs, professionals, and networks across countries, helping entrepreneurs access capital and mentorship while opening opportunities for Nepali businesses in international markets.
“And tonight, I would like to make a simple invitation to everyone here. Look at Nepal not only as the country we come from, but also as a country where we can build and invest,” he said. “If you are an investor, explore an opportunity in Nepal. If you are an entrepreneur, look for a partnership. If you are a professional, share your knowledge and experience. If you are a mentor, help a young Nepali take the next step. And if you have global networks, help connect Nepal with them.”
Investment can begin with a conversation, visit, partnership, or introduction rather than a large transaction, Aran said, adding that the embassy in Washington is ready to support those connections.
“We want to serve as a platform that connects investors and entrepreneurs with relevant institutions and opportunities in Nepal, while also listening to the ideas and concerns of our community here. Most importantly, let us keep the next generation at the center of this effort,” he said. “The greatest impact we can make is to create an environment where young Nepalis can build businesses, develop new technologies, create jobs, and compete in global markets.”
Adhikary and Gautam discussed why they established Momo VC, a U.S.-based venture capital fund that invests in early-stage technology startups. They also outlined four pillars connecting their individual and collective work over the past several years.
The partners said entrepreneurs need more than capital, including “mentorship, resources and support,” and described those needs as central to the fund’s purpose.
They said the gathering was not a fundraising event. Instead, it offered an overview of the fund’s structure, investments made through its first fund, and plans for a $25 million second fund focused more deeply on the intersection of artificial intelligence with life sciences, health care, and climate.
Adhikary told South Asian Herald, “Over the last four years, I’ve been building the Great Nepali Diaspora community. Through networking events and curated programs, we’ve connected our fragmented professional diaspora and created the foundational layer of a knowledge base, expert networks and resources. It is a personal endeavor to take our community along on the journey of Momo VC as startup founders, experts and investors.”
Adhikary said TGND, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit she founded in 2022, seeks to encourage connection, collaboration, and camaraderie among Nepali professionals living abroad. The community has a presence in major cities worldwide and has engaged with Nepal’s government, the U.S. State Department, and public and private organizations.
“Immigrant investors typically follow a recognizable progression: they start with retail businesses, move into real estate, and eventually diversify into alternative assets such as private equity and venture capital. We want to educate our Nepali diaspora on new asset classes and give them the opportunity to support entrepreneurs financially as well as through their domain expertise,” Gautam told South Asian Herald.
Gyami Shrestha, Ph.D., led a brief session on recent floods in Nepal, potential gaps in climate monitoring and mitigation, and the need for related investments. Kshitij Neupane, TGND’s Washington, D.C., chapter leader, served as emcee.
