Sam Thapaliya
| Sam Thapaliya | |
|---|---|
 File:Sam Thapaliya 2026.jpeg | |
| Born | Sambhab Thapaliya June 28, 1998 Chitwan, Nepal |
| 🏳️ Nationality | Nepali |
| 🏫 Education | Menlo College |
| 💼 Occupation | Entrepreneur, investor, programmer |
| 📆 Years active | 2018–present |
| Known for | Founder of Zebec; Co-founder of ASMI |
| Title | Founder of Zebec |
| 🏅 Awards | Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award, Menlo College (2020) |
Sam Thapaliya (born Sambhab Thapaliya on 28 June 1998) is a Nepalese entrepreneur, investor, and programmer known for founding Zebec, a blockchain-based financial infrastructure company focused on real-time payroll and payment systems. He is also the co-founder of ASMI, an advertising technology startup that uses artificial intelligence and computer vision for digital media applications. Thapaliya has been associated with developments in Web3, decentralized finance (DeFi), blockchain-based payroll systems, and fintech innovation.
Early life and education
Thapaliya was born in Chitwan, Nepal, and grew up in the Bharatpur area during the period of the Nepalese Civil War. According to interviews, he developed an interest in computers and programming during his teenage years and began creating software applications while still in school.
Following his secondary education, he spent time developing software projects in Nepal, including accounting and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for local businesses. After moving to the United States, he enrolled at Menlo College in California, where he studied Computer Science and Information Management.
While attending Menlo College, Thapaliya became involved in entrepreneurship and startup development within the Silicon Valley ecosystem.
Career
ASMI
In 2018, while attending Menlo College, Thapaliya co-founded ASMI (Augmented and Segmented Media Interface Corporation) with David Thomas. The company focused on advertising technology, using artificial intelligence, computer vision, and behavioral analytics to improve digital advertising placement in streaming media environments.
ASMI developed technology intended to integrate product placement and purchasing capabilities into video content. Thapaliya was also associated with a U.S. patent relating to augmented reality-based in-video product placement systems.
In 2020, Menlo College recognized Thapaliya with its Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award for his work with ASMI.
Zebec
In 2021, Thapaliya founded Zebec Protocol (later known as Zebec Network), a blockchain-based financial infrastructure platform initially built on the Solana blockchain.
The company's early focus was on continuous settlement and streaming payments, allowing employees, contractors, and businesses to receive and transfer funds in real time rather than through traditional payroll cycles. Thapaliya described the concept as "money streaming," comparing it to streaming media services but applied to financial transactions.
Zebec's first major application was Zebec Payroll, a blockchain-based payroll platform designed to facilitate continuous salary payments using digital assets and stablecoins. The platform later expanded into treasury management, payment infrastructure, payroll services, and blockchain-enabled financial products.
According to industry reports, Zebec raised funding through venture capital investments and token sales. The company attracted support from organizations and investors active in the blockchain and fintech sectors, including firms associated with the Solana ecosystem.
Investment activities
In addition to his work as a founder, Thapaliya has been active as an angel investor and startup advisor. His investment interests include blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, fintech, private equity, and emerging technology companies.
Business philosophy
Thapaliya has frequently connected his entrepreneurial ambitions to his experiences growing up in Nepal, where he has said access to traditional financial infrastructure was limited. He has stated that these experiences influenced his interest in building more accessible and programmable financial systems.
He has publicly advocated for real-time financial settlement systems and has argued that blockchain technology can improve payroll efficiency, cross-border payments, treasury management, and financial accessibility.
In interviews discussing entrepreneurship, he has emphasized rapid execution, community development, and product-market fit as important factors for startup success.
Recognition
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award, Menlo College (2020)
- Founder of Zebec, which was described by industry publications as one of the rapidly growing Web3 payment infrastructure companies during its early expansion period.
- Contributor to the development of real-time payroll and streaming payment technologies within the blockchain sector.
Personal life
Thapaliya resides in San Francisco, California. He is multilingual and has been reported as speaking Nepali, English, Hindi, and Spanish.
See also
References
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