The ICT Award 2022 has announced online nominations for the South Asia startup category allowing the regional ventures to participate in Nepal’s prestigious ICT award fair. The decision allows IT and digital companies from the neighboring countries to apply for their recognition.
The online nomination for ‘South Asia Startup ICT Award 2022’ opened on Wednesday, 28th July. Meanwhile, ICT Award 2022 nominations have already opened for online nomination in 11 categories.
It is the first time the organizers of the award have opened it up for South Asian startups. The ICT Awards started in 2016 AD with the purpose to honor and recognize contributions in the information communication and technology field. It is the award’s seventh edition in the making.
The ‘Award’ is being organized by Living with ICT in collaboration with various national and international organizations.
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Eligibility for South Asia Startup ventures in the ICT Award 2022
To begin with, the organizers have set accommodating criteria for South Asia startup ventures for their nomination. For this award category, any South Asian startup that has been established for over 4 years can register their nominations.
With this, startups from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Maldives can apply for their nomination for this year’s ICT Award.
In addition, the organizers will have a separate selection committee with experts from different countries to determine the winner.
Since its inception in 2016, the award has seen several refinements and expansions to be more competitive and inclusive.
Razan Lamsal, Chairman of the organizing committee, talked about the decision to add the new award category. He shared that the regional startup award will develop the overall startup ecosystem in the international arena from this year.
Mr. Lamsal added that the new category “will create an environment for more cooperation among the South Asian countries in the days to come”.
Including the South Asia Startup category in the award does correspond with the rigorously advancing field of ICT in the region.
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ICT Award 2022 categories
Among the 11 other categories, three concern startup, and innovation. The list includes – Startup ICT Award (Nepal), Product ICT Award, and Rising Star Innovation ICT Award.
Likewise, there are other categories – Pioneer ICT Award, Entrepreneur ICT Award, Nepali Diaspora ICT Award, and Woman Icon ICT Award. Deserving individuals with a distinct contribution in the field of ICT receive these recognitions.
Similarly, government and private organizations also get the accolade for their services through technology. The categories for such recognition include – Digital Education ICT Award (Public Sector), Digital Education ICT Award (Private Sector), Digital Governance ICT Award, and Digital Services ICT Award.
Candidates can register their nominations online at ictaward.org. Besides, they can also nominate others for a fitting category.
The Grand Finale of the ICT Award 2022 will take place in the last week of December. Organizers will put the nominees through more than five different selection processes for 6 months. This will follow more than 25 jury meetings. There is a 12-expert jury committee and 13 special advisory committees.
Programs like Startup and Idea Fest will reportedly take place before the award finale.
Benefits for the winners
Besides the recognition, the winners will receive multiple services and facilities with special honors. The Startup winners will receive concessional loans and investment opportunities. At the same time, the winners and the best among the categories will have a chance to participate in the World Summit Award.
The ICT Award 2022 is supported and coordinated by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MoCIT), Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA), NAST, FNCCI, and other private sector corporate organizations.
How delighted are you with the ICT Award 2022 opening nominations in the South Asia Startup category? Do share your opinion on this inclusive decision in the comments below.
