Kamal KC
The world today is gripped by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI). Machines can now understand languages, translate conversations, and even assist in decision-making processes. But the technological breakthroughs we see today are the result of decades of research, experimentation, and persistence.
Among the scientists contributing to this long journey of innovation is Nepali AI researcher and entrepreneur Sameer Maskey. For more than 25 years, Maskey has been working in the field of artificial intelligence, helping shape technologies that are now becoming part of everyday life.
Beyond research, he is also an entrepreneur. The company he founded, Fusemachines, has achieved a historic milestone by being listed on the Nasdaq. It is widely regarded as the first company founded by a Nepali entrepreneur to be listed on the global stock exchange—an achievement that has become a matter of pride for Nepal and Nepalis worldwide.
A Journey That Began in Thamel
Maskey was born and raised in the bustling neighborhood of Thamel in Kathmandu. Like many children growing up in the area, he spent his childhood playing traditional games in the narrow streets—rolling wheels and playing marbles with friends.
He studied from grade one to ten at St. Xavier's School and later completed his Intermediate of Science from Birendra Sainik Awasiya Mahavidyalaya.
While still studying in high school, Maskey had already begun planning his journey to study abroad. He applied to several colleges in the United States seeking scholarships. Eventually, he earned a full scholarship to study mathematics and physics at Bates College.
Although his passion leaned toward computers, the scholarship opportunity led him to pursue mathematics and physics when he moved to the United States in 1998.
Discovering AI
At the time, Bates College did not offer a computer science program. But Maskey’s fascination with computers had started much earlier. As a child, he was intrigued by scenes in movies where computers could talk to humans.
Fortunately, the scholarship program allowed him to study abroad at other institutions during his undergraduate years. In his first year, he spent a semester studying computer science at University of London.
During summer breaks, he began exploring artificial intelligence research. By his second year of college, around the year 2000, Maskey had developed an early Nepali text-to-speech system, enabling a machine to speak text typed in the Nepali language.
He recalls that even at the time, he was fascinated by the idea of building systems that could translate speech from one language into another.
“Back then, it felt like a dream,” Maskey once reflected. “Today, that dream has become reality.”
Research at IBM and Academic Career
After graduating from Bates College, Maskey joined IBM, where he worked with researchers at the renowned IBM Watson Research Center.
At IBM, he worked on advanced text-to-speech and language translation technologies. His research included converting multiple languages—such as Arabic, Chinese, and German—into English.
During that period, he also presented his Nepali text-to-speech technology at the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology. At the time, very few people in Nepal were familiar with artificial intelligence.
His growing interest in language processing and machine learning eventually led him to pursue a PhD in Natural Language Processing at Columbia University.
Today, he continues to teach at Columbia University and has published more than 20 research papers in international journals, along with several patents in AI technologies.
From Researcher to Entrepreneur
By 2013, Maskey was teaching at Columbia University while continuing his AI research. He had a successful academic career and a comfortable salary. But something still felt incomplete.
He wanted to transform his research into real-world applications that could impact millions of people.
At a time when AI was not yet a mainstream topic, Maskey was already thinking about how machines could work alongside humans to make life easier.
That vision led him to launch Fusemachines.
Fusemachines: Fusing Humans and Machines
The name “Fusemachines” comes from the concept of fusing machines with humans—building systems that seamlessly integrate into human life and make everyday work more efficient.
In the early days, many people doubted the idea. Some even thought he was taking an unrealistic risk.
Maskey started the company from his own room with very limited resources. What he had, however, was determination—and the support of his family.
Starting a company as an immigrant entrepreneur in a highly competitive global market was extremely challenging. There were moments when the path forward seemed uncertain.
But Maskey never gave up on his vision of integrating machines into human workflows.
Today, that perseverance has turned Fusemachines into a global AI brand.
The company employs more than 400 people and operates in eight countries, including Nepal, the United States, India, Canada, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic.
Taking Nepali Innovation to the Global Stage
Fusemachines now provides AI solutions to enterprises worldwide. Its products include AI Studio, Interview Agent, LenderIQ, and fraud detection systems designed for global markets.
Guided by the mission to “democratize AI,” the company reached a historic milestone when it was listed on Nasdaq on October 23, 2025—coinciding with the Nepali festival of Tihar.
Fusemachines trades under the ticker symbol FUSE.
Maskey recalls the moment as surreal.
“It felt partly like a dream and partly like reality,” he said. “That day I was with some of our early employees and family members. Listing on Nasdaq was a major milestone, but it also felt like the beginning of a new journey.”
Nasdaq currently hosts around 3,500 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of over $30 trillion, making the achievement even more significant.
The Role of Nepali Talent
Maskey credits much of the company’s success to the Nepali engineering team. A significant portion of Fusemachines’ technical workforce is based in Nepal.
According to him, the team has consistently demonstrated strong dedication and technical ability when working with international clients.
“It makes me proud when global companies recognize the skill and hard work of our engineers in Nepal,” he says.
Building the Next Generation of AI Talent
Beyond building technology, Maskey has also focused on developing AI talent through the Fusemachines AI Fellowship.
Launched in 2017, the fellowship program aims to train high-quality AI professionals capable of competing globally. So far, the program has trained more than 1,000 fellows across 12 countries.
The six-month program teaches artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, mathematics, programming, and practical project development.
Maskey believes Nepal has tremendous untapped potential.
“Nepal has a huge pool of talent,” he says. “With the right education and opportunities, Nepali youth can compete at the global level.”
Looking Ahead
According to Maskey, artificial intelligence will continue making human work easier and more efficient in the coming years.
“Training machines used to be extremely difficult,” he says. “But today it is becoming easier to teach machines how to understand and help us.”
His long-term goal remains clear: to build technologies that make human lives simpler and more productive.
From the narrow streets of Thamel to the global technology stage, Sameer Maskey’s journey is not just a story of personal success. It is also proof that world-class innovation can emerge from Nepal—and reach the world.
(Originally published in Nepali, This is the English translation. Click here for Nepali content. Parts of this text have been translated with the assistance of AI-powered tools.)
