One to Watch Nepal Pvt. Ltd.

Choosing the right route

• Tech or tech-enabled SMEs in Nepal: the NIIC 2 page has an Apply Now link to a registration form.
• Established, growing SMEs looking for investment: the SME Fund is an investment route, not a grant. Read the criteria first.
• Businesses wanting advice before investment: business development services are offered alongside the funds.

How to apply

• Use the Apply Now link on the NIIC 2 page. The page does not state a closing date.
• Other programmes on the site are closed. Watch the site or contact info@onetowatch.nl to ask about future rounds.

What reviewers look for

• A strong management team with a clear strategic vision.
• A proven track record of growth and stable financial performance.
• A problem big enough to create real market demand, and the potential to scale.
• A business model that goes beyond CSR and creates jobs or lasting impact as part of its core activity.

One To Watch is an impact investment and business development organisation that works with small and medium enterprises in Nepal. It is based in Lalitpur, Kathmandu Valley, with a second office in the Netherlands, and it was set up to close what it calls the missing-middle gap in finance and business support for entrepreneurs in frontier markets.

One To Watch both invests in SMEs and supports them before and during investment. Its work falls into three parts: investment funds, business development services with mentors, and time-limited accelerator projects funded by development partners. The organisation describes its investors as a community of private investors from the Netherlands, several of whom also sit on its governance and support its pipeline companies.

How the programmes work

The investment side runs as funds rather than open application rounds. The NIIC 2 facility is designed to scale tech and tech-enabled SMEs in Nepal, and it works in two stages: debt through local banks, with technical assistance, followed by a separate equity fund for a smaller group of companies. The SME Fund invests in companies that create a measurable positive impact alongside profit.

The business development side gives growth-stage SMEs tailored support and access to a network of local and international mentors. This support runs alongside the funds and helps build a pipeline of investable businesses.

Accelerator projects are shorter and tied to a donor or partner. The USAID Business Accelerator for Clean Air was a multi-year programme for ten enterprises working to reduce air pollution in Kathmandu Valley. The U.S.–Nepal Startup Weekend Challenge is a three-day event for early-stage founders and students, with a pitch competition at the end.

Who can apply

Most of One To Watch's work is for businesses based in Nepal. The NIIC 2 facility is aimed at tech and tech-enabled SMEs. The SME Fund looks for strong management teams, a track record of growth, scalable demand, new products or approaches, and a business that generates impact as part of its core model. Earlier BDS and accelerator projects were aimed at growth-stage businesses and early-stage founders respectively.

Locations

The Nepal office is at Sanepa Heights Rd, Lalitpur 44600. The Netherlands office is in Kedichem.

Scale

The organisation's home page shows 15 investments made and 2,738 people trained. These are self-reported figures and the page does not give a date for them.

Who runs it

The team is led by its founder, Willem Grimminck, with Suman Joshi as Managing Director and Biswa Giri as General Manager. A group of local and international mentors supports its business development work.