RxNotify
A medication reminder and adherence tracking system for patients and caregivers in Nepal, built to reduce missed doses in outpatient settings.
Partner: Healthcare provider
Exposure for Innovation.
Companies need innovation. Students need opportunity.
Every year, thousands of Nepal's brightest students graduate without ever working on a real company problem. They have the skills, the curiosity, the drive — but nowhere to apply it.
Meanwhile, companies across Nepal and beyond are looking for fresh perspectives on hard problems. The innovation gap is real — and it's growing.
The talent exists. It just needs a stage.
We're building the bridge.
Real companies. Real problems. Real outcomes.
Students are matched with real companies facing actual challenges. No toy projects. No hypotheticals. You work on something that matters — with full access to company stakeholders.
Every project follows a structured research and innovation workflow. You learn how to frame problems, design experiments, gather evidence, and present findings — skills that transfer everywhere.
Weeks 5–7 shift from research to building. Teams prototype, test, and deliver a working solution or actionable strategy deck to the partner company by the final showcase.
Uunchai is not a workshop or a certificate program. It's a working sprint — structured like a real work environment with deliverables, deadlines, and direct accountability to a company that actually cares about the outcome.
Partner companies are not just logos on a page. Students work directly with them — attending meetings, getting feedback, and presenting results. Mentors are practitioners with battle-tested experience, not just advisors.
Every decision — from project selection to mentor matching — is made with Nepal's context in mind. We're not importing a foreign model. We're building something new, here, for here, that could work anywhere.
Teams are deliberately mixed — different majors, different colleges, different backgrounds. The best innovations happen at the intersections. We engineer those intersections on purpose.
At the end, every participant has a documented case study — a real project, a real outcome, a real recommendation acted upon. That's worth more than any credential when you're talking to a future employer.
A medication reminder and adherence tracking system for patients and caregivers in Nepal, built to reduce missed doses in outpatient settings.
Partner: Healthcare provider
Research into Nepal's urban water market — mapping informal vendors, pricing dynamics, and access inequities across Kathmandu Valley neighborhoods.
Partner: NGO
A visual storytelling platform showcasing Nepal's regions, cultures, and communities through student-produced editorial illustration and data journalism.
Partner: Media company
Mapping air quality and pollution exposure across Kathmandu using low-cost sensors, with a community dashboard for real-time environmental health awareness.
Partner: Environmental agency
Designing a structured wellbeing curriculum blending traditional Nepali yoga practices with modern evidence-based mental health frameworks for urban youth.
Partner: Wellness startup
An end-to-end machine learning pipeline prototype for a construction-tech startup — from data ingestion through model training to deployment monitoring.
Partner: Construction tech
An introductory research brief on quantum computing applications in emerging economies, with a focus on what's feasible for Nepal-based organizations in the next decade.
Partner: Tech institute
Evaluating post-quantum cryptography readiness for Nepal's financial sector — threat modeling, algorithm comparison, and a migration roadmap for SME banks.
Partner: Financial institution
A precision agriculture prototype for smallholder farmers in the Terai — soil sensors, mobile crop advisory, and direct-to-market logistics coordination via SMS.
Partner: Agri cooperative
A platform connecting Nepal's garment artisans with global conscious-fashion buyers — digital portfolio tools, quality certification workflows, and fair-price discovery.
Partner: Fashion export company
Everything you need to know before applying.
Eligibility
Anyone studying grades 8–12 or in their gap year is eligible. You must not have enrolled in a Bachelor's program. Students need a computer and stable internet. Contact us if you want to join but can't meet this requirement.
At least 13 hours per week. The more time you invest, the more you'll get out of it. Working hours are flexible but weekly team meetings are required.
Program
Yes — absolutely no cost. Uunchai is fully funded and free for all participants.
Fully virtual. All communication happens via video calls, so you can join from anywhere in Nepal.
Week 1 is onboarding — teams meet, plan, and start the project immediately. Weeks 2–6 are focused sprint work with mentorship. Week 7 wraps with a project showcase for distinguished guests. Mentors then recommend participants to internship partners.
Not at all. Projects span natural sciences, engineering, economics, humanities, design, and more. If you're curious and driven, there's a place for you.
Selection
No strict cut-offs. We evaluate holistically and look for work ethic, creativity, and ambition — not just grades.
All applications are considered holistically. Every part of your application matters. No priority is given to high schoolers over gap year applicants — it's purely merit-based.
Projects & Why Apply
You're assigned to projects based on interests and skills shown in your application. We match you with something you'll genuinely care about.
You'll work on real problems with smart, motivated peers. Build relationships with mentors from top universities. Your project stays in active use after the program — and gives you something real to show for it.
Contact
Email uunchai1@gmail.com or message us on Instagram @uunchaii.
SECOND APPLICATION CLOSED
Second application has been closed. Follow us on Instagram for upcoming updates.
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