Key Personalities in Nepali eCommerce
Getting eCommerce started in Nepal was no walk in the park. It took years of effort just to help people understand what online shopping even meant. Back then, most folks didn’t believe they could order real, good-quality products through a website. Gaining that trust across the country wasn’t quick, it took nearly two decades.
Today, online shopping has become part of everyday life for many Nepalis. But in this piece, we’re not just highlighting the big-name platforms that turned into multi-crore businesses. We’re here to shine a light on the people behind those platforms, the visionaries who took bold steps, faced tough challenges, and helped shape the future of eCommerce in Nepal.
Bala Ram Joshi (thamel.com)
His name might sound old-fashioned, but you’ll hear it everywhere when talking about Nepal’s tech and eCommerce scene. He’s been active since the early 2000s and has made major contributions to the growth of online business and technology in Nepal.
He was one of the early minds behind Thamel.com, Nepal’s first eCommerce platform. Today, he’s known as the founder of Leapfrog, and he's also on a mission to make digital payments easier for everyone. A proud product of Budhanilkantha School, Bala Ram later went to the US, worked with several companies, and then returned to Nepal to start his own ventures.
Though his background is in business, he’s always stayed updated with the latest in tech, a rare mix that helped him lead and innovate in Nepal’s growing digital world.
Amun Thapa (sastodeal)
Amul Thapa is one of those passionate returnees from the US who came back to Nepal with a strong desire to build something meaningful in his own country. With just NPR 50,000 in his pocket and a garage as his workspace, he started SastoDeal, which would later grow into a massive eCommerce company valued at over 200 crore.
Though SastoDeal was eventually acquired by IME Group in 2025 after facing some challenges, Amul’s decade-long journey was anything but easy. He began the company from scratch, using his own savings (bootstrapped), and later attracted investments from top venture capital firms in Nepal, like Dolma Fund.
Amul is known for his humble and friendly personality. Even after the tough phase with SastoDeal, he hasn’t stopped. He’s now gearing up for a comeback with his new startup Khalisisi.
In terms of contribution, Amul Thapa is seen as a pioneer of eCommerce in Nepal, a key figure who came slightly after Thamel.com and grew alongside platforms like Daraz.
Manohar Adhikari (Foodmandu)
Manohar Adhikari, the founder of Foodmandu, may not fall under the typical eCommerce category, but he definitely deserves recognition in Nepal’s online business scene. He is a true example of resilience and innovation. By 2025, Foodmandu has built a strong and loyal customer base. This success came from always delivering what they promised throughout their food delivery journey. Adhikari strongly believes in using technology to improve services, and he continues to bring new ideas to make service delivery better in Nepal.
Rajeev Amatya (Kyamu/Daraz)
Rajeev Amatya is a lesser-known but important name in Nepal's eCommerce journey. A graduate of St. Xavier's College, he went to Germany as a student and began working on a startup there. After returning to Nepal, he joined Kyamu, a platform that later became Daraz, which is now owned by Alibaba. Rajeev has witnessed Nepal’s eCommerce industry from the very beginning. Back in the early 2010s, there were many challenges, like payment issues, logistics problems, managing suppliers, and building trust among online shoppers. Rajeev faced and tackled all these hurdles during his time at Kyamu, helping lay the foundation for Nepal’s growing eCommerce industry.