{"id":3997,"date":"2022-01-03T06:06:23","date_gmt":"2022-01-03T06:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nepal.communitere.org\/?p=3997"},"modified":"2022-01-03T07:09:47","modified_gmt":"2022-01-03T07:09:47","slug":"our-journey-to-become-impact-hub-kathmandu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nepal.communitere.org\/our-journey-to-become-impact-hub-kathmandu\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Journey To Become Impact Hub Kathmandu!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Nepal Communitere became an officially registered Nepali not-for-profit organization 6 years ago on December 31, 2015 under the premise that a disaster can be a catalyst for innovation. Through that vision, we accomplished immense success within our small hub in Pulchowk. On our sixth year anniversary, we are now joining a global network of over 100 like-minded hubs as the official Impact Hub Kathmandu! All we can say is WOW\u2026 What started as an exploratory conversation with the amazing Beate Weinzinger, Growth Lead at the Impact Hub Network<\/a> back in April, has resulted in Kathmandu hosting Nepal\u2019s first Impact Hub today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To honor our story of origin, we\u2019re going to take a moment to reflect and celebrate all our wonderful accomplishments over the past 6 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 Kathmandu Mini Maker Faires<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We hosted two amazing Kathmandu Mini Maker Faires<\/a> in 2016 and 2018 bringing together over 60 Nepali makers and loads of international makers to co-create innovative solutions. We hosted the very first Humanitarian Maker Faire with the challenge to \u201cDesign the Future\u201d for education and health. Our 2018 Maker Faire seeded the idea that maybe Nepal is ready for its first fully equipped Fab Lab<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Launch of Fab Lab Nepal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It took us over two years to finally usher in Fab Lab Nepal<\/a> in March 2021with loads of state-of-the-art digital fabrication equipment based in our inclusive and wheelchair accessible hub. Now community members, entrepreneurs, innovators, designers, and even students can get their hands on 3D Printers, CNC cutters, digital embroidery machines, vinyl cutters and loads more. They also get support from our stellar and skilled Fab Lab team. This had to be the most challenging and painful process ever to get the necessary government approvals to import all this equipment without being a private industry or a university. Partners such as Field Ready Nepal<\/a> and MIT\u2019s Center for Bits and Atoms<\/a> along with Fab Foundation<\/a> are helping us to bridge the digital divide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Establishing the I-Cube Business Incubation Program AND\u2026Seed Funding!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, we\u2019ve supported nearly 100 different startups, initiatives and campaigns through our co-working space. Providing a collective environment for changemakers to organically build partnerships and use one another as thought partners to strengthen their bold ideas was powerful, but not enough. The ask from our users was, \u201cWe need business support services. We need some simple tools and skills to convert our ideas into sustainable startups.\u201d This is when Nepal\u2019s entrepreneurship ecosystem also recognized this gap, and we were able to launch the I-Cube Business Incubation Program<\/a>. Our success includes\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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