On 18 November 2025, Impact Hub Kathmandu hosted the graduation ceremony of the Building Entrepreneurial Access Models (BEAM) incubation program, an event that marked the culmination of a year-long journey.
The ceremony celebrated the graduation of 11 entrepreneurs whose journeys over the past year exemplified resilience, innovation, and perseverance in the face of structural and social barriers. The event brought together a diverse cross-section of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including entrepreneurs, private sector representatives, government officials, development practitioners, and ecosystem enablers, reflecting the collective responsibility required to advance inclusive entrepreneurship.
The program commenced with a vibrant gallery walk, which showcased the entrepreneur’s products, business models, and personal journeys. The immersive experience allowed guests to engage directly with the entrepreneurs, gaining insight into both the innovation behind their enterprises and the lived realities that shape their work.
Speaking at the event, Shova Kharel, Department Head at the Women, Children, and Elderly Citizens Section, highlighted the importance of initiatives like BEAM in advancing conversations around inclusion beyond policy rhetoric. She emphasized that meaningful inclusion requires intentional design, sustained effort, and collaboration across sectors. Echoing this sentiment, Ankeet Rajbhandari, Senior Manager and Head of Marketing & Communications at MetLife Nepal, congratulated the entrepreneurs on their achievements and commended the BEAM team for designing a holistic incubation model that places inclusion, accessibility, and dignity at its core.
Reflecting on the year-long incubation journey, I shared insights into the learnings, challenges, and outcomes of the program, highlighting how inclusive entrepreneurship requires not only access to capital and skills, but also trust, safe spaces, and ecosystem-level support.
The emotional peak of the event came with the official premiere of BEAM in Motion, a documentary capturing the lives, identities, and entrepreneurial journeys of the BEAM graduates. Produced by Suraj Shakya, the film deeply moved the audience by offering an honest portrayal of resilience, transformation, and self-belief. Rather than presenting polished success stories alone, the documentary amplified the voices of entrepreneurs navigating the complex realities of disability, gender, social identity, and systemic exclusion.
Following the certificate distribution ceremony, Er. Umesh Kumar Gupta, Executive Director of the Industrial Enterprise Development Institute, congratulated the graduates and shared insights into upcoming opportunities and institutional support mechanisms available to emerging entrepreneurs. His remarks reinforced the importance of bridging incubation programs with broader public-sector pathways to ensure sustainability beyond project timelines.
Closing the event, Padmakshi Rana, PhD, Executive Director of Impact Hub Kathmandu, reminded the audience of a fundamental truth: inclusion is not a one-time intervention, but a continuous commitment. She emphasized that true inclusion demands consistent effort to ensure equal access to opportunities, dignity, and support, regardless of gender, disability, background, or circumstance.
While the graduation ceremony formally marked the conclusion of the BEAM project, it was clear that this moment represented a beginning rather than an end. The event reaffirmed why initiatives like BEAM matter within Nepal’s entrepreneurial ecosystem: they model what inclusivity and accessibility look like in practice, through intentional design, representation, and accountability.
Beyond celebrating enterprises, BEAM brought forward powerful testimonies of resilience and perseverance. Impact Hub Kathmandu expressed deep gratitude to the entrepreneurs who entrusted the program with their stories and allowed their voices to be amplified. BEAM in Motion stands as a collective reflection of their aspirations and a reaffirmation of the shared commitment to recognizing potential beyond barriers.
Special appreciation was extended to the MetLife Foundation, MetLife Nepal, the Impact Hub Network, program consultants, and the Impact Hub Kathmandu team for making the journey possible. A heartfelt acknowledgement was also made to Suraj Shakya for capturing these stories with integrity, depth, and respect.
Some glimpse of the magical evening!
One month following the graduation ceremony, the BEAM team convened a learning showcase that featured a Pecha Kucha presentation, a distinctive storytelling format that relies on powerful visuals and disciplined narration. The structure was intentionally simple yet impactful: ten images, each accompanied by a concise story delivered within a strict time limit. Through this format, Impact Hub Shanghai, Dhaka, and Kathmandu, convened by Impact Hub Jakarta shared learnings and amplified key messages that emerged from the BEAM journey. Impact Hub Kathmandu also presented the BEAM documentary on an international platform, extending the reach of the entrepreneurs’ stories beyond national boundaries.
Dear readers, you can access IH KTM’s BEAM video here for your reference.
For those questioning whether their enterprise has a place in the ecosystem, the message from BEAM is clear: yes, it can. As the program closes its chapter, the BEAM of success continues to shine, brightly and endlessly, lighting the path toward a more inclusive future for entrepreneurship in Nepal.
