Banking News — Global IME Bank Limited has launched the Global IME AI & ML Hackathon 2026, a competition aimed at promoting innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).

The digital competition was formally inaugurated on Friday by the bank’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Surendra Raj Regmi, during a special ceremony.

After successfully organizing its first hackathon last year to encourage the adoption of advanced technologies in Nepal’s banking sector, the bank has introduced the second edition of the event this year.

The competition is targeted at students, startups, developers, engineers, data scientists, and researchers with an interest in AI and ML. According to the bank, 14 teams have been selected through an open application process to participate in the residential competition.

The hackathon will be conducted in two phases. The first phase consists of a 36-hour coding challenge, followed by an on-site hackathon in the second phase. Residential accommodation has been arranged for all participating teams throughout the competition.

Participants will develop innovative solutions focused on themes identified by the bank, with the objective of making banking services more secure, efficient, user-friendly, and technology-driven.

Speaking at the inauguration, CEO Regmi expressed confidence that the hackathon would help identify future opportunities in digital banking and generate practical solutions to emerging challenges in the financial sector. He also announced that the winning teams would receive cash prizes and opportunities for professional collaboration with the bank.

Global IME Bank noted that it has received several national and international recognitions for its technological innovation and customer service. The bank has won “Bank of the Year 2014,” “Best Internet Bank 2016,” and “Best Bank Nepal” for three consecutive years in 2024, 2025, and 2026. It has also been honored with the Euromoney Awards for Excellence in 2022, 2024, and 2025, as well as awards including Best Bank ESG Nepal 2024 and Best Employer.

Global IME Bank is the first private-sector commercial bank in Nepal to establish a branch network across all 77 districts of the country. It currently serves customers through more than 1,000 service points, including 344 branch offices, 368 ATMs, 147 branchless banking outlets, 69 extension and revenue collection counters, and three overseas representative offices.

In addition, the bank facilitates inward remittance through formal channels from several countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and India, contributing significantly to Nepal’s national economy.