Shark Tank did not start in Nepal, even after a year and a half of being in the limelight. The Nepali version of ‘Shark Tank’, which is known as a program to promote startup businesses and bring in investment, has been left out of the discussion. Even after a year and a half of talk of starting Shark Tank Nepal, the program has not been launched yet.
It was said that this television program running in different countries of the world will be broadcast in Nepal by Himalaya Television, which is taking a franchise. At the same time, a separate Facebook page was also opened for this program. After opening a separate Facebook page named ‘Shark Tank Nepal’ on September 11, 2020 (26 Bhadra 2077), information about various programs related to Shark Tank was coming from that page.
Even now, if you look at the Facebook page of Shark Tank Nepal, three months after opening the page (December 29, 2020), it seems that the program will soon be broadcast on Himalaya Television.
In this way, posts and videos were also published on the page saying that Shark Tank is coming soon. One of the posts mentions that 100 entrepreneurs will be able to present to the sharks in the first season.
If you look at that page, first of all, you can see that, through a post on January 28, 2022 (March 14, 2079), the application for Shark Tank will open in February 2079. After that, on May 23, 2022 (9 Jestha 2079), it was officially announced that the application was opened from that page. And, every day, posts with links to apply for Shark Tank started to be published. From May 2022 to January 2023, the application links are being posted.
While going to various startup events, I used to meet people from Shark Tank Nepal; after they told me, I applied,” says Sunil Yadav, founder of food delivery company Vojmandu. “I wanted to participate because I get investment and marketing and learn a lot of things. Well! It has been a year and a half, and now it is anonymous.
Yadav, who was excited to see India’s Shark Tank, was also shocked when he came to Nepal. Therefore, he suggested his close friends apply for the program as well. He says, “Right now, nobody even talks about the shark tank.
Similarly, Rajesh Das, the founder of ‘OK Journey’, is also worried about the anonymity of Shark Tank Nepal. “I applied hoping that branding would happen, networking would increase, and investment would come,” says Das, “but it doesn’t seem to be coming.”
It is said that the reason for not conducting the program is the current economic recession in Nepal and the fact that the Nepal Rastra Bank does not allow large investments in one venture. However, it cannot be said that this is the case,” he said.
Sunuwar said that the team is ready to go ‘on-air’ (broadcasting) this year (2024). “How many businesses have come into the market because there are so many gaps?
He says that since the team has already invested heavily in preparing the set of the program, promoting it, and other various technical works, it does not mean that the program will not come. He mentioned that he was not aware of the dispute with the National Bank and the Ministry of Finance.
According to Sunuwar, television will officially announce when the program will be broadcast. I hope they are discussing this show in Nepal. If Shark Tank Nepal is held in Nepal, most people will have a lot of opportunity to get involved.
I hope this show will be coming soon. If they were in agreement, this show must be coming. Even these shows were held in India’s countryside for people to see.