ICT Award 2026 Announces 50 Semifinalists in Four Categories

Kathmandu. The ICT Award 2026 has announced 50 semifinalists across four categories: Startup, Product, Social Innovation, and Rising Star Innovation. The selection is part of the 11th edition of the annual technology award organized primarily by Living with ICT.

According to the organizers, more than 700 online applications were received across 16 award categories after nominations opened in Shrawan 2083 BS.

More than 230 applications were submitted under the four startup and innovation categories. Following two rounds of evaluation involving 14 expert jury members and a 15-member distinguished advisory committee, 50 startups, products, and innovations were selected for the semifinal stage.

The selected semifinalists include 10 startups, 10 social innovations, 15 products, and 15 rising-star innovations.

ICT Award 2026: List of 50 Semifinalists

1. Top 10 Startup ICT Award Semifinalists

The following 10 companies have been selected under the Startup ICT Award 2026 category:

1. Aashirbad Care Pvt. Ltd.

2. Accelerated Komputing Pvt. Ltd.

3. Fueling Ambitions Pvt. Ltd.

4. Garudx Multipurpose Pvt. Ltd.

5. Gomygo Bookings Pvt. Ltd.

6. Lumino Technology Pvt. Ltd.

7. Reffero Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

8. SumX Inc.

9. Yoddha Lab Pvt. Ltd.

10. Zalient Company Pvt. Ltd.

2. Top 10 Social Innovation ICT Award Semifinalists

The following 10 initiatives have been shortlisted under the Social Innovation ICT Award 2026 category:

1. Barbardiya Agro-Meteorological Message and Advisory System

2. Kheldai Sikdai Kakshya

3. Kopila Valley School Maker Space

4. NidanEHR

5. Regen Nepal

6. Ride2Earn

7. SETU

8. Upscaling Smart Public Toilets for Better Sanitation

9. VayuDrishti - VayuSena

10. Waste Management System

3. Top 15 Product ICT Award Semifinalists

The following 15 products have been selected under the Product ICT Award 2026 category:

1. Aashirbad Care

2. BiteOut

3. Centronix - Central Monitoring System

4. Danta-Med

5. Eksana

6. IMS Digital Lending

7. IP Sewa

8. Kathmandu Sightseeing

9. Lekhnus

10. NepalHRM

11. ONEBNPL

12. OptERP

13. Pagoda Labs DMS

14. PDFMergely

15. VayuDrishti Atmos

4. Top 15 Rising Star Innovation ICT Award Semifinalists

The following 15 innovations have been shortlisted under the Rising Star Innovation ICT Award 2026 category:

1. DrishtiLabs

2. EvoMoE

3. Harit Pathsala

4. KiddiGuard

5. Life Line

6. Prediction of Prediction

7. Saksi

8. Setu

9. SkyTroop-P1

10. Suraksha360

11. Swar-Sathi

12. Synaptic

13. The Kairos Engine

14. Traffic Eye

15. Zalient Shop

Startup and Idea Fest and Grand Jury Session

The 50 shortlisted teams will participate in the Startup and Idea Fest, scheduled for the first week of Mangsir 2083 BS.

During the event, participating teams will showcase their startups, products, and innovations.

The semifinalists will also participate in the Grand Jury Session, where they will present their work before the jury members and take part in speed-dating sessions.

These activities form part of the next stage of the selection process.

Selection of the Top Five Finalists

Following the Startup and Idea Fest and Grand Jury Session, the organizers will select the top five finalists.

The shortlisted teams will advance toward the Grand Finale, with additional evaluation activities conducted before the final winners are determined.

According to the organizers, these activities will include field visits and public voting after the top five have been selected.

The final winners will be determined through the remaining stages of the award selection process.

Other ICT Award 2026 Categories

The selection process is also underway for the remaining award categories, including individual, institutional, and international awards.

Individual Awards (Category B)

The individual award categories include:

1. Pioneer ICT Award 2026

2. Entrepreneur ICT Award 2026

3. Nepali Diaspora ICT Award 2026

4. Professional Excellence ICT Award 2026

5. Professional Excellence ICT Award 2026 (Woman)

Institutional Awards (Category C)

The institutional award categories include:

1. Digital Education ICT Award 2026 (Public Sector)

2. Digital Education ICT Award 2026 (Private Sector)

3. Digital Governance ICT Award 2026

4. Digital Services ICT Award 2026 (Emerging Sector)

5. Digital Services ICT Award 2026 (Enterprise Sector)

International Awards

Two international award categories targeting South Asian countries are also included:

1. South Asia Startup ICT Award 2026

2. South Asia AI Innovation ICT Award 2026

The selection process for these categories is also underway.

ICT Award Selection and Evaluation Process

The ICT Award was launched in 2016 and has been organized annually, primarily by Living with ICT, in collaboration with various organizations.

The organizers state that the award's selection process involves multiple stages of evaluation to identify eligible and deserving individuals, companies, products, and innovations.

According to the organizers, approximately 25 rounds of jury committee meetings and presentation sessions will be conducted as part of the selection process.

The jury includes experts from Nepal and international members, supported by a 15-member distinguished advisory committee.

The organizers describe the process as one of the most extensive, impartial, and transparent among award programs held in Nepal.

Further Information

For additional information about ICT Award 2026, its categories, semifinalists, and selection procedures, visit the official website.

Official Website: https://www.ictaward.org

Published Date: October 30, 2026