Hult Prize 2025/26 at Khwopa College of Engineering (KhCE) successfully concluded its Grand Finale on February 15, 2026, at 11:15 AM in Hall 3, Block F&G. The five-hour programme brought together five finalist teams competing for the championship and the opportunity to represent the college at the national level, marking the culmination of months of innovation, learning, and entrepreneurial development.
Under the leadership of Campus Director Mr. Rohan Singh and the Event Management Team led by Sampada Kshetri, the Grand Finale showcased the remarkable journey of the Hult Prize at KhCE—from the initial orientation session in November 2025 through more than 15 events engaging over 120 participants within the college and reaching thousands externally through active digital outreach. Hosted by EMCEEs Lasata Tuladhar and Riya Shahi, the event provided a professional platform for finalist teams to present their refined startup solutions before a distinguished panel of expert judges.
The programme commenced with the National Anthem, followed by traditional Khada presentations honoring the judging panel and distinguished guests. The judges were formally introduced, highlighting their diverse expertise: Mr. Rabindra Lamichhane, Executive Director of Clean Up Nepal with nearly two decades of experience in environmental sustainability; Mr. Suman Shakya, Founder of Tangent Waves with over 25 years in business leadership and startup mentorship; Ms. Samidha Shah, Business Development Executive at Royal Hemp focusing on sustainable growth; Ms. Anuja Rajbhandari Shrestha, Co-Founder and CEO of Ekadesma preserving Nepal's textile heritage through ethical design; and Dr. Ramesh Marikhu, CEO and Founder of Almonds AI leading work in artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
Distinguished guests were also honored with Khada presentations, including representatives from TechAxis (Title Partner) and Royal Hemp (Sustainability Partner), Rtr. Annu Kafle (President of Rotaract Club of Pashupati Kathmandu), Rtr. Ashwin Khatiwada (Secretary), Ms. Samikshya Ghimire (Team Lead, Startup Coordinator, Hult Prize Nepal 2025), and Mr. Surendra Aryal, with his team from Hult Prize, at Saraswati Multiple Campus. The organizing committee expressed heartfelt gratitude for their continuous support throughout the journey.
Following acknowledgment of sponsors and partners, the EMCEEs presented an overview emphasizing the Grand Finale's significance as the culmination of the entire Hult Prize journey at KhCE. They traced the journey from the formation of the 25-member organizing committee through the successful orientation session, multiple student engagement initiatives, including help desks and college day stalls, and comprehensive learning sessions on Design Thinking, Business Model Canvas, Market Analysis, and Storytelling. After competitive proposal screening, 12 semifinalist teams competed in the Semi-Finals, from which the top five finalists emerged and participated in one-on-one mentorship sessions and hands-on content-creation training at Doers Academy.
The pitching session featured all five finalist teams—Team Selibi, Team Ember, Team Jormungandr, Team Fluxelle, and Team Xception—presenting their startup concepts before the judging panel. Each team delivered a four-minute pitch outlining their problem statement, proposed solution, business model, and intended social or environmental impact, followed by four minutes of question-and-answer interaction. The judges asked targeted questions to clarify implementation strategies, scalability, revenue models, operational feasibility, and competitive positioning. These structured interactions allowed judges to evaluate each team's depth of research, clarity of execution, adaptability under pressure, and critical thinking ability while ensuring fairness and consistency across all presentations.
During the judges' deliberations after the lunch break, an engaging entertainment session maintained audience energy with traditional Nepali song performances by Mr. Pranil Palikhel and Ms. Matina Awal, followed by an interactive "Guess the Word from Emojis" game led by Technical Lead Mr. Saharsha Shiwakoti. These activities fostered a strong community spirit while judges finalized their evaluations.
The Award Distribution and Closing Ceremony commenced with Deputy Campus Director Ms. Supriya Poudel acknowledging the dedication and growth demonstrated by all finalist teams. Team Fluxelle was announced as Second Runner-Up, receiving gift hampers and partner-sponsored rewards. A Token of Love ceremony honored the judges for their expertise and valuable feedback, with each judge receiving an appreciation token from Campus Director Mr. Rohan Singh. Team Xception was announced as the First Runner-Up and was awarded sponsored gifts, discount vouchers, and college merchandise. In the most anticipated announcement, Team Selibi was declared the winner of Hult Prize KhCE 2025/26 and will represent the institution at the National Round. The winning team received the championship trophy, along with comprehensive sponsored rewards, including merchandise, hosting vouchers, full-course scholarships, entertainment passes, and gift hampers. Additionally, Trizan Koju received the Best Presenter Award for demonstrating exceptional clarity, confidence, and impactful delivery. The remaining finalist teams received certificates and partner-sponsored benefits in appreciation of their performance.
A special Token of Love ceremony recognized the 25-member Organizing Committee, acknowledging the leadership members and all team leads for their months of dedication and behind-the-scenes coordination. Campus Director Mr. Rohan Singh delivered closing remarks, congratulating all teams for their creativity and commitment, reflecting on the overall journey and milestones achieved from orientation to the Grand Finale. Drawing from his own Hult Prize experience, he encouraged participants to continue developing their ideas beyond the competition, emphasizing that the entrepreneurial mindset, problem-solving skills, adaptability, and presentation confidence gained would benefit them throughout their careers. The programme concluded with a group photography session capturing the collective achievement and community spirit that defined the competition.
The Grand Finale successfully achieved its objective of identifying Team Selibi as the campus champion through a rigorous, transparent competition. Their Domyc project—transforming agricultural waste into high-performance materials using mycelium—demonstrated exceptional innovation, viable implementation potential, and significant social and environmental impact. The seamless execution reflects the dedication of the organizing committee, whose coordinated efforts created an inspiring event celebrating innovation, journey, resilience, and teamwork. The Hult Prize at KhCE 2025/26 has established a strong foundation for continued innovation and entrepreneurship, inspiring future generations of problem-solvers and changemakers within the college community.
