Fusemachines Debuts on NASDAQ

On October 23, 2025, Dr Sameer Maskey, founder and CEO of Fusemachines, announced on LinkedIn that the company’s ticker was officially live on NASDAQ. The moment marked history: Fusemachines became the first company founded by a Nepali-origin entrepreneur to be listed on the US stock exchange, joining global tech giants such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Tesla. It was not only a corporate triumph but also a defining milestone for Nepal’s IT sector on the global stage.

Back home, IT and fintech experts hailed the NASDAQ listing as a modest step for the exchange but a giant leap for Nepal. They said it proved that Nepali tech talent is ready to compete internationally and that the achievement would strengthen investor confidence in Nepal-linked firms.

At the NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square, where the Fusemachines ticker lit up the LED display, Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Dr Biswo Nath Poudel extended his congratulations to Maskey.

“While returning to Nepal, I had the opportunity to meet Fusemachines’ founder, Dr Sameer Maskey, today at Times Square. As a pioneer, Nepalis will always honor Dr. Maskey,” he wrote on Facebook.

Reflecting on the company’s journey, Maskey posted on LinkedIn, “Today, we celebrate more than a business milestone; we celebrate a dream born in Nepal that now shines on the global stage. For every entrepreneur who starts with nothing more than an idea, a desk, and a chair, the dream of reaching an IPO often feels impossibly far away. When I started Fuse, it was not about going public; it was about seeing how the years I had spent learning, teaching, and working in AI could be used to make a difference and positively impact lives.”

Dr Maskey began his entrepreneurial journey in 2011 with Parakhi.com, a small IT firm operating out of a two-room office in Anamnagar, Kathmandu. His mission was to train Nepali engineers in artificial intelligence (AI) and data science, preparing graduates for careers in machine learning and natural language processing—fields that were then in their infancy in Nepal.

In 2013, he founded Fusemachines Inc. in the U.S., aiming to “democratize AI” by making the technology accessible worldwide. From his New York apartment, Maskey developed the company’s first product—a natural language dialogue system—while teaching at Columbia University. Fusemachines has since built AI-powered systems for clients including the City Government of New York and operates in Canada, Peru, Chile, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, and India, employing over 400 professionals worldwide—more than half of Nepali origin.

The Road to NASDAQ

The path to Wall Street was far from smooth. Early challenges included limited capital, product visibility, and building market trust. Maskey relied on personal savings and support from close associates before attracting venture capital, including Nepali PE/VC firms Business Oxygen and Dolma Impact Fund.

In 2024, Fusemachines entered a merger agreement with CSLM Acquisition Corp, a NASDAQ-listed company. Following the merger and rigorous compliance processes, Fusemachines Inc became a publicly traded entity under the ticker “FUSE”. Proceeds from the listing will support product development, customer expansion, and strategic mergers and acquisitions.

Deep Roots in Nepal

Despite its global footprint, Fusemachines has retained a strong connection to Nepal. Its back-office operations in Kathmandu continue to play a central role, and the company’s AI Fellowship Program has trained over 1,000 students and professionals from 12 countries in programming, mathematics, computer science, and software development.

Launched in 2017, the Fusemachines AI Fellowship Program offers full scholarships and has trained over 800 individuals in AI, machine learning, and software engineering. In 2019, it expanded its mission with the AI Shikshya for Nepal initiative, offering accessible courses to students across the country.

A Symbol of Global Recognition

Fusemachines’ NASDAQ debut represents more than business achievement; it symbolizes the vision, resilience, and global potential of Nepali entrepreneurs. From a modest startup in Kathmandu to a publicly listed AI firm on Wall Street, Dr. Maskey’s story showcases what Nepali talent can achieve with persistence and purpose.

“Small step at #NASDAQ, a huge leap for #Nepal,” wrote fintech expert Sanjib Subba on LinkedIn. “Moments like this remind us—Nepal’s tech talent is ready for the world!”

Gaurav Pandey, President of the National Association for Software and IT Services Companies (NAS-IT), said the listing strengthens investor confidence in Nepali-linked firms, while Santosh Koirala, Immediate Past President of NAS-IT, hailed it as “extremely bright news for Nepal’s IT industry”, noting that it demonstrates the country’s growing capacity to operate in global markets. With Fusemachines leading the way, Nepal’s IT ecosystem now has a new benchmark for ambition, signaling a promising future for startups and professionals determined to make their mark worldwide. 

This article was first published in the November 2025 edition of New Business Age magazine.