Kathmandu, Aug. 10 -- Ten years ago, Sarala Maharjan of Harisiddhi, Lalitpur, was told she had just two years to live. Diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour, she faced a grim prognosis. But instead of succumbing to fear, she began an urgent search for natural alternatives to the everyday chemical products she believed were making her condition worse.

"I was searching for natural alternatives for my survival," Maharjan said.

That quest led her to bioenzymes-organic catalysts that speed up chemical reactions-and to a journey of discovery that would eventually result in a thriving eco-startup.

At home, she began experimenting with extracts from 47 different plants, developing cleaning agents to replace conventional products containing...