Finding, creating and sharing practical new knowledge is in SAFAL's DNA.

In recent past, SAFAL has done a survey of SMEs in Bangladesh for a DFID-funded project. Likewise, SAFAL developed a start-up valuation method of Nepal’s start-ups and young companies. It popularized a set of relevant due-diligence variables. In addition, in the course of research, SAFAL estimates sample sizes, uses quantitative and qualitative tools, conducts key informant interviews and focus group discussions (FDGs), and analyzes the drivers of entrepreneurial/small business ecosystem of players, policies and finance.

Furthermore, SAFAL undertakes research and offers courses on financial literacy, business literacy, social entrepreneurship and impact investment, corporate restructuring (operational, financial, HR, strategic) and board relations/ governance.

Almost all Nepali start-ups and young companies struggle with operational issues.

They tend to work without priorities. They do not get the best out of their team members. They have a hard time meeting their agreed-upon milestones. Their communications with investors and customers is often unsatisfactory. Their governance is poor. On top of all these issues, they struggle with cash flow management.

As a result, most fail to thrive and grow, thereby wasting investors’ time and money. With years of operational know-how, SAFAL Partners believes that unless invested companies focus on improving business operations, they cannot grow and scale, much less give a return to their investors.

SAFAL works closely with the management of the invested companies to assist them to improve internal business operations, instill financial and operational discipline, and increase revenues.

Raising funds for entrepreneurs is relatively the easy part. The really hard part is preparing and working with the entrepreneurs to deploy the invested capital for sustainable growth and scale.

SAFAL works with early-stage service, product and tech companies in and out of Kathmandu. SAFAL invests time and effort to mentor them to improve operations: product design and development, customer feedback, revenue model, team work, regulations, governance, financial management, marketing and sales.

This is the value-added difference that SAFAL brings to investors and entrepreneurs.

In addition to deploying the pooled funds to early-stage companies, SAFAL also provides mentoring sessions, manages relations between investors and entrepreneurs, and works closely with the companies to instill the practice of corporate governance.