DIGITAL BRIDGES 4 NEPAL

What DIGITAL BRIDGES 4 NEPAL does

Digital Bridges 4 Nepal (DB4N) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 (originally as Altruistic Odyssey, rebranded in 2022) and headquartered in Jackson Heights, New York, with operational headquarters in Kathmandu, Nepal. Its core product is the Collaborative Learning Environment Center (CLEC) — a purpose-built physical learning space combining laptops, smart boards, reliable internet, and custom-designed collaborative furniture (octagonal tables, wheeled tables, mobile podiums) with a proprietary pedagogical methodology called Co-Inception Leadership that shifts teachers from lecturers to facilitators. Supporting products include Mini CLECs for ward offices, the BTRM Community Center CLEC for civic governance, and accredited teacher training through Kathmandu University School of Education (KUSOED).

DB4N installs CLECs directly through partnerships with rural Nepali municipalities (Palikas) under a co-funding model in which DB4N and local governments share investment roughly equally (e.g., Triyuga Municipality co-funded 49.93% of the largest installation). The organization supports 20 active CLEC sites across 10 regional hubs in 4 provinces, serving 2,500+ enrolled students with 1,700+ alumni and 104+ trained teachers; it has a published goal of 100 CLECs by 2030 reaching 100,000 students and training 3,000 teachers. Revenue is sourced entirely from charitable donations (tiered from $25 to $2,500), individual donor contributions, diaspora giving, and small grants (e.g., $5,200 matched grants in 2021 and 2025 from Craig Frischling). The team of 6 employees operates across US and Nepal, with leadership combining corporate executives (former Delta Air Lines, Sodexo MAGIC, NewYork-Presbyterian, Lipo Chemicals) and Nepal-based field practitioners.

Name

DIGITAL BRIDGES 4 NEPAL

Legal name

Digital Bridges 4 Nepal

Website

https://digitalbridges.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Digital Bridges 4 Nepal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that installs Collaborative Learning Environment Centers (CLECs) — technology-enabled, furniture-designed learning spaces with proprietary pedagogy — in rural Nepali schools, co-funded with local municipalities. It serves 2,500+ students across 20 active sites in 4 provinces, partnering with Kathmandu University for accredited teacher training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Infrastructure Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Educational technology infrastructure
• Collaborative learning environments
• Teacher training programs
• Rural education services
• Digital literacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: DB4N operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 47-5248950) funded primarily through charitable donations from individuals, diaspora communities, and supporters. Donation tiers range from $25 (Plant a Seed) to $2,500 (Fuel the Network - full CLEC installation).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Digital Bridges 4 Nepal (DB4N) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds Collaborative Learning Environment Centers (CLECs) — purpose-built physical learning rooms equipped with laptops, smart boards, internet connectivity, and collaborative furniture — in rural Nepali schools and community centers. The CLECs are co-designed with local communities and municipal governments (Palikas) and paired with structured teacher training programs and accredited university credit courses through a partnership with Kathmandu University School of Education (KUSOED). All offerings are delivered free of charge to schools and communities; the organization is funded entirely by charitable donations and grants.

Product overview

Digital Bridges 4 Nepal operates a unified product-and-service portfolio centered on the Collaborative Learning Environment Center (CLEC) — a purpose-built, technology-enabled learning space installed in rural Nepali schools and community centers. The core CLEC product consists of laptops, smart boards, internet connectivity, and collaborative furniture, co-designed with local communities. Supporting services include structured teacher training programs and accredited university credit courses through Kathmandu University. The organization also offers the Donor's Journey experiential program and is piloting the e-Village initiative to scale the CLEC model municipality-wide. The portfolio is architecture of one: a single physical product (CLEC) supported by training services and partnerships, with no software platform or add-on modules — all technology is hardware-based equipment installed in physical learning spaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Collaborative Learning Environment Center (CLEC) Purpose-built physical learning spaces equipped with laptops, smart boards, reliable internet connectivity, and collaborative furniture (octagonal tables, wheeled tables). Co-designed with local schools and communities, CLECs transform traditional classrooms into technology-enabled environments that support student-centered, collaborative learning for rural Nepali students from early childhood through Grade 12. Deployed through partnerships with local municipal governments (Palikas) and schools.
• Teacher Training Programs Structured and need-based training programs for teachers and community education leaders in rural Nepal. Training focuses on strengthening pedagogical skills, digital literacy, classroom innovation, and collaborative teaching methods to improve learning outcomes. The Co-Inception Leadership pedagogy shifts teachers from lecture-based delivery to facilitation.
• Kathmandu University Credit Courses Recognized professional development opportunities through Kathmandu University's credit course system. Teachers earn accredited qualifications through one-credit professional development courses on CLEC methodology developed in partnership with KUSOED's Continuing Professional Education Center. The training is practical, hands-on, and tailored to real classroom needs.
• Mini CLEC / Ward CLEC Community-level CLECs housed in ward offices, designed for virtual municipal meetings, digital skills training, and participatory local governance. Equipped with SMART Board, laptop, octagonal table, and seating for eight. Used by youth groups, women's groups, and farmers' groups for digital literacy and community learning.
• BTRM Community Center CLEC Central civic hub installed in Bhimsenthapa Rural Municipality administrative building, linking all 8 wards, 35 schools, women's groups, youth clubs, and farmers' groups. Serves as governance and civic learning space with 9 laptops, Smart Board, sound system, and reconfigurable furniture for town halls and skills training.
• Donor's Journey Experience Annual guided trip to Nepal offering donors exclusive visits to active CLEC sites, meetings with students and teachers, cultural experiences, and guided tours. Designed to convert donors through immersive experience and deepen engagement with the CLEC mission.
• e-Village Initiative Municipality-wide vision to connect all schools and ward offices through CLECs, enabling digital inclusion and virtual learning across rural communities. Bhimsen Thapa Rural Municipality is the pilot with 12 schools and 8 ward offices targeted by April 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of students reported increased interest in studying after CLEC access
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and historical.

• Kathmandu University School of Education (KUSOED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal Memorandum of Understanding signed November 2019. KUSOED serves as DB4N's core academic and research partner - functioning as a national research hub, demonstration space, and teacher training center. KU research assistants study peer learning dynamics and digital tool integration. Partnership includes accredited credit courses for educators in CLEC methodology. New MoU signed with Dean Bal Chandra Luitel in 2022.
• Bhimsen Thapa Rural MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey municipal partner with e-Village vision to install CLECs across all 35 schools and 8 wards. Municipality provides co-funding and hosts Community CLEC in municipal building. Chairperson Lok Prasad Banjara is a champion of the model.
• Kaligandaki Rural MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for first CLEC installation in Syangja District. Chairperson Khim Bahadur Thapa and Vice-Chairperson Sabitra Koirala led coordination on co-funding and sustainability.
• Kepilasgadhi Rural MunicipalitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner for CLEC installations in Khotang District. Signed 5-year monitoring MoU demonstrating long-term commitment.
• Triyuga MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for largest CLEC installation (1,252 students). Municipality co-funded 49.93% of project cost - highest municipal co-investment in DB4N history. Mayor's vision is to make Triyuga the 'Silicon Valley of Nepal'.
• Biratnagar Metropolitan CitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban partnership catalyzed by Somnath Ghimire of Build Better Biratnagar and Mayor Nagesh Koirala. CLEC upgraded in 2025.
• Ghyalsumdo Sewa Sanstha (GSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiaspora organization that co-funded the CLEC in Nason/Manang - DB4N's first community co-incepted project. Local champion Rapke Lama led the effort.
• Lions Club of Baltimore NepalesemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported CLEC installation in Gorkha District. Mr. Ganesh Lamichhane, President, attended handover ceremony at Shree Siddhakali.
• Janahit Ex-Student Association (JESA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization that connected DB4N with Shree Janahit Secondary School in Mustang. Nabin Sherchan (NY-based entrepreneur) and Bikal Sherchan (alumnus) facilitated partnership.
• Build Better BiratnagarmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization led by Somnath Ghimire that catalyzed Biratnagar partnership with municipal government.
• Altruistic OdysseyhistoricalOthersOriginal 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Ed Antoine after 2015 earthquake. In 2022, Altruistic Odyssey became Digital Bridges 4 Nepal.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Worldreader: Worldreader delivers digital reading and learning to underserved communities in developing countries, sharing DB4N's model of pairing technology infrastructure (e-readers in Worldreader's case) with educational content and impact measurement. Both target similar donor types (international development funders, institutional philanthropists) and operate in similar geographies with field offices and government partnerships.
• Bibliothèques Sans Frontières (Libraries Without Borders): Libraries Without Borders deploys mobile libraries and digital learning tools (Ideastore Boxes, IdeaWagons) in crisis-affected and underserved regions - similar in deploying physical technology infrastructure for education in developing contexts and partnering with local communities for installation.
• One Laptop Per Child: One Laptop Per Child deployed low-cost laptops to children in developing countries, pioneering the technology-enabled education model that DB4N's CLEC builds upon. Both organizations focus on bridging the technology gap for rural students in low-income countries through hardware-based infrastructure paired with educational content and pedagogy.
• BuildOn: BuildOn builds schools and delivers adult literacy programs in developing countries, partnering with local communities and governments on infrastructure that requires local buy-in. Both organizations emphasize community-led adoption and the integration of physical infrastructure with educational outcomes in low-resource settings.
• Room to Read: Room to Read is a leading international nonprofit that partners with governments and schools in low-income communities to deliver literacy, girls' education, and school infrastructure programs - structurally very similar to DB4N's direct partnership model with municipal governments and rural schools. Both organizations combine physical infrastructure with educational programming and aim to scale through local government co-investment.

Broad incumbents

• Pratham Education Foundation: Pratham is one of the largest NGOs in India, focused on affordable quality education through diverse programs (vocational training, remedial learning, digital literacy) at scale. Comparable to DB4N in mission (educational uplift in low-income communities) and partnership approach with state/local governments, but with substantially greater scale and program breadth.
• Save the Children Education Programs: Save the Children operates one of the world's largest education programs, including digital learning initiatives in low-income countries. Comparable through the combination of teacher training, school infrastructure, and ICT-enabled learning. The organization's Nepal programs and EU/USAID-funded development work overlap with DB4N's target geographies and donor landscape, and several DB4N team members (including M&E Lead B.N. Dhital) have direct prior experience at Save the Children.
• UNICEF Education Programs: UNICEF's education programs implement large-scale learning initiatives (digital learning, teacher training, school infrastructure) across low-income countries globally, often in partnership with national governments. Comparable through mission and government partnership model, though DB4N operates as a much smaller, locally embedded nonprofit.

Emerging players

• Code.org: Code.org delivers computer science education and digital literacy curricula to schools worldwide, with similar focus on expanding ICT access in underserved schools. Both target teachers and students with technology-enabled learning content, though Code.org is software-only while DB4N pairs content with physical hardware infrastructure.
• Schools for Nepal: Schools for Nepal is a Nepal-focused education nonprofit that delivers school infrastructure and supplies to rural Nepali communities - directly comparable in geographic focus (rural Nepal), donor base (Nepali diaspora), and mission (educational infrastructure for underserved mountain communities).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjU4dM-ahsi22Co_pIlpLxw
• Facebookfacebook.com/DigitalBridges4Nepal
• Instagraminstagram.com/digitalbridges4nepal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/altruistic-odyssey

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DIGITAL BRIDGES 4 NEPAL