We might have a problem…
We might have a problem…
Things are moving faster than we expected it to.
If you’re curious how we’re preparing for the Nepal–US Hackathon 2026 on March 27–29, I’ll break it down here.
But first, let me quickly run down what this newsletter will look like every week:
What’s coming up next this month, and
A behind-the-scenes look at what we’re building and why
Upcoming Events
1. Professionals Mixer - Boston
🗓 Date: Thursday, April 23
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET
📍 Location: 345 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA
👔 Dress Code: Business Casual (no hoodies, sweatpants, or flip-flops)
Looking to meet other Nepali students & professionals in Boston?
Our quarterly mixers are designed to help you connect, collaborate, and build real relationships within the community. Whether you’re new to the area or already part of the network, this is your space to find your people and grow together.
2. Professionals Mixer - New York City
🗓 Date: Thursday, April 30
⏰ Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET
📍 Location: Consulate General of Nepal, NYC; 228 E 45th St 4th Floor, New York, NY 10017
👔 Dress Code: Business Casual (no hoodies, sweatpants, or flip-flops)
Looking to meet other Nepali students & professionals in New York City?
Our quarterly mixers are designed to help you connect, collaborate, and build real relationships within the community. Whether you’re new to the area or already part of the network, this is your space to find your people and grow together.
Behind The Scenes
Today feels different.
We’re officially less than 10 days out from the Nepal–US Hackathon 2026…
…and it’s starting to get very real.
Last week was all about applications and selection.
This week, everything shifts to execution.
Right now, we have:
430 confirmed participants
80+ teams being formed in real time
44–45 mentors coming in to guide teams
8 judges across different industries
2 workshop leads
4 keynotes
participants joining from 10+ countries
prize sponsors: Joonkiri Project, ShresthaCPA, Kith Suppliers Inc.
40+ community partners
(If you’d like to support what we’re building and help us keep hosting initiatives like this, feel free to just reply to this email - happy to share more on sponsorship opportunities.)
And behind the scenes, it’s a lot.
We’re onboarding hundreds of people, matching teams, coordinating mentors across time zones, and making sure everything actually works before Day 1.
There are messages coming in every minute. People introducing themselves from different parts of the world. Teams starting to connect even before the hackathon begins.
Some things are smooth. Some things are not.
A lot of people have been asking what the actual timeline looks like.
Here’s how the next few days will play out:
March 20
Teams + mentor matching announced
→ meet your team
→ connect with your mentor
March 24 — Workshop (9:00 – 10:00 PM ET)
March 26 — 5:00 PM ET
Final deadline for:
→ team change requests
→ participation issues
After this, everything is locked.
March 27 — Opening Ceremony 8:00 PM ET
Keynotes from Dadhiram Bhandari, Sanjay Manandhar, Nabin Banskota, and Pukar C. Hamal, followed by the problem statement reveal
March 28 — Build Day
Teams go all in.
Mentors host check-ins throughout the day.
March 29 — Demo Day
10:00 AM — Final submissions
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM — Judging
2:00 – 3:00 PM — Winner announcements + live showcase
→ closing right after
We’re also kicking off our professional mixers right after this.
Boston — April 23
New York City — April 30
The NYC one is especially exciting since it’s our first event there.
Plus, the Consulate General of Nepal in New York is not only promoting it, but also providing the space to host it.
More on that soon.
Right now, though, all focus is here.
Making sure this hackathon comes to life.
More soon,
Shreyas K. Shrestha
Founder, Nepali Leaders Network
P.S. If you made it this far, you’re a real one. These newsletters might be my favorite way to stay connected to 2,400+ of you. See you back in a week!
