The Nepal Private Equity Association (NPEA), with the support of the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), on Friday announced the launch of Agora—a web platform connecting entrepreneurs in emerging and frontier markets with investors and experts, fostering collaboration and driving economic growth.

NPEA and UNCDF had agreed to jointly support the launch of Agora in July before the platform became live in October.

NPEA will leverage the Agora platform to advance the association’s mission of promoting access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises in support of innovation, job creation and entrepreneurship.

“Today’s announcement will commence a call to action among NPEA’s members, which includes investment firms, fund managers and financial services providers, to leverage the Agora platform in advancing the strategic objectives of the Association,” reads the statement issued by the UNCDF.

With the NPEA’s deployment of Agora, the association will support Nepal in becoming one of the inaugural countries to officially deploy the Agora platform in the country.

“We are pleased to have this partnership with UNCDF. Agora will complement our deal-sharing platform and provide access to our entrepreneurs and investors to a much wider perspective,” said Siddhant Raj Pandey, the NPEA chairman.

“As Nepal Private Equity Association strives to enhance the alternative investment ecosystem in Nepal, partnerships such as this help expedite innovation.”

Agora is a global public good that can be leveraged to provide the best total service to the Nepali enterprise ecosystem, whether they are SMEs or larger, said Xavier Michon, Deputy Executive Secretary of UNCDF.

“Agora will bridge the information gap that prevents investment finance from reaching promising projects in the world’s emerging and frontier economies.”

“By bridging this gap, Agora will help deliver critical lifelines of capital to the businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities in Nepal that have been underserved by the global financial architecture,” Michon added.