Kathmandu, November 8
Leapfrog Connect has concluded an intensive training program titled “AI-Assisted Software Engineering Training,” empowering local youth in Birgunj to design, build, and deploy functional software applications using modern artificial intelligence development workflows.
Organized under the CODE (Creating Opportunities for Youth in Digital Economy) project, the initiative is funded by the European Union and supported by Swisscontact, Restless Development, and the Robotics Association of Nepal (RAN). The Birgunj Chamber of Commerce & Industries (BCCI) hosted the sessions and served as the local ecosystem partner.
The cohort brought together 25 emerging developers and innovators from across the region, with balanced representation from marginalised communities. Led by Leapfrog Connect lead trainers Avinash Mishra, Ankur Sharma, and Anupama Rai, participants progressed through an accelerated Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Over the course of the bootcamp sprint, trainees transitioned from conceptual problem-solving to live production applications.
The curriculum immersed attendees in AI-driven market research, Product Requirement Document (PRD) creation, frontend architecture, rapid UI prototyping, automated test case design, and continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. Working in collaborative pods, participants tackled real-world challenges across healthcare, fintech, real estate, digital marketplaces, and digital accessibility.
The program also integrated specialised masterclasses from prominent technology leaders. Amit Agrawal, President of the FinTech Alliance, emphasised the strategic mindset needed in modern tech careers. Sunny K. Tuladhar, AI researcher and practitioner, alongside Avinash Kundaliya, AI software engineer and community pioneer, guided participants on leveraging generative tools for advanced engineering workflows. Akash Shrestha, Senior Talent Acquisition Expert, addressed career positioning and technical portfolio development in an increasingly AI-driven market.
“The participants were remarkably sharp and required minimal hand-holding,” said Avinash Mishra, Lead Trainer at Leapfrog Connect. “AI allowed them to iterate and move significantly faster, enabling complete, robust software products to be built while adhering strictly to sound engineering principles in a compressed timeframe. The depth of the ideas they tackled is truly impressive.”
Industry leaders echoed the transformative potential of practical AI education in regional tech hubs.
“In the era of AI, having a product mindset is the single most critical asset,” noted guest mentor Amit Agrawal. “Participants should cultivate the habit of building and shipping solutions from day one. Birgunj has a strong history of producing tech talent, and initiatives like this inspire the next generation to step forward onto the national and global stage.”
Speaking on the impact on local enterprise and youth development, Anup Agrawal, Joint Secretary of the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce & Industries and Coordinator of its Startup and Innovation Committee, emphasized the institutional value of the initiative:
“Such skill-based and technology-friendly programs encourage young people to embrace cutting-edge tools, innovate, and pursue entrepreneurship,” said Agrawal. “The Chamber remains committed to sustaining these practical engagements in the coming days, providing the necessary cooperation and resources to strengthen youth capacity in our region.”
For participants, the hands-on sprint proved both rigorous and transformative. “This training has been a beautiful journey of exploring, learning, and experimenting with AI,” said trainee Sana Hasan. “From understanding foundational workflows to engineering full software builds and deploying them live, every step was both challenging and deeply rewarding.”
The training culminated in a demo day where student pods pitched their functional, cloud-deployed products to a panel of distinguished evaluators. The panel included Anup Agrawal, Joint Secretary and Coordinator of the Startup and Innovation Committee at the Birgunj Chamber of Commerce & Industries; Rishav Raj, Researcher and Engineer at the Robotics Association of Nepal; Er. Shashi Bhushan Prasad from BiT College; and Er. Raghib Hossain, Past President of the Nepal Engineering Association (Birgunj).
Following the conclusion of the Birgunj cohort, Leapfrog Connect announced that the next edition of the CODE AI-Assisted Software Engineering Training is scheduled to take place in Pokhara next month.
