The Rise of a Nepali-led Global AI Innovator “Fusemachines”

A Nepali-led artificial intelligence company, Fusemachines Inc., has achieved a historic milestone by being listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in the United States. Founded by Columbia University professor Dr. Sameer Maskey, the company has grown from a small AI research team in Kathmandu to a global player on Wall Street all within a decade.

Dr. Maskey started Fusemachines in 2013 with a simple but powerful goal: to make AI accessible to everyone, not just to advanced economies. The company began as a small research group in Kathmandu focused on AI and engineering. Over time, it expanded to serve clients across North America while maintaining its main engineering base in Nepal.

Fusemachines now employs over 400 people across six countries, including Nepal, the US, Canada, Bangladesh, Rwanda, and the Dominican Republic. On October 23, 2025, it became the first Nepali-led AI company to go public on Nasdaq was proud moment for Nepal’s growing tech sector.

The company focuses on two main areas: building AI solutions for businesses and training new AI talent. Its platform helps organizations quickly design and scale AI models for images, language, and business automation. Fusemachines also provides full AI consulting and delivery services to sectors like finance, healthcare, retail, and government.

One of its most inspiring initiatives is the Fusemachines AI Fellowship a six-month free program that trains young people, mostly from underprivileged backgrounds, in AI and data science. Many graduates of the fellowship have gone on to secure jobs in global tech industries, contributing to Nepal’s rise as a source of digital talent.

Under Dr. Maskey’s leadership, Fusemachines has built an inclusive workplace. Around 40% of its Nepali team members are women, and 95% are local talents. The company believes that innovation grows stronger through diversity, and that technology should be both profitable and socially meaningful.

Fusemachines has shown that companies from developing countries can compete globally in cutting-edge fields like AI. It has become a benchmark for how entrepreneurship and social inclusion can move together. This success is also inspiring more Nepali innovators and investors to aim higher in the global tech space.

With its Nasdaq listing, Fusemachines plans to expand its AI products and training programs to more countries. The company will focus on developing AI tools for rural communities, local languages, and healthcare analytics. As Dr. Maskey says, “Our mission is to democratize AI to bring innovation, jobs, and opportunities to millions more people.”