DTG 2025 celebrates Bhutan’s entrepreneurial spirit through two days of inspiring talks, founder stories, and startup showcases. Centered on the theme “Community First, Entrepreneurship for All,” the program fosters collaboration, learning, and community-driven growth among leaders, changemakers, and innovators shaping Bhutan’s future economy.
As Bhutan builds the vision for Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), innovation and youth-led initiatives are central to shaping its economic and social landscape. This session highlights how GMC is fostering an innovation-driven economy, exploring programs that empower young leaders to co-create solutions, promote entrepreneurship, and integrate sustainable development into the city’s growth. Panelists will share insights on leveraging technology, policy, and community engagement to turn GMC into a model of mindful, inclusive innovation.
Ujjwal Deep Dahal is the Chief Executive Officer of Druk Holding & Investments (DHI), Bhutan’s sovereign investment company. He holds an EMBA from the Quantic School of Business & Technology and studied Technology Policy Management at MIT. His background is notable for blending engineering, innovation, and public investment: he is not a traditional banker or career bureaucrat, but an engineer by training who helps lead Bhutan’s push into digital infrastructure, green energy diversification, and technology-enabled ecosystems. Under his leadership, DHI has forged collaborations with the MIT-Bhutan Super Fab Lab and entered strategic areas such as digital assets, climate markets, and renewable energy. In recognition of these efforts, AsianInvestor named him among Asia’s top ten sovereign-wealth-fund executives. He plays a key role defining DHI’s vision to balance commercial value creation with national development, leveraging Bhutan’s unique strengths in environment, technology, and governance
Phub Dorji is the CEO of Nyingnor, a strategic communications firm based in Thimphu. With experience consulting for organizations like WHO and FAO, Phub also serves on the boards of the Loden Foundation and the Royal Society for Protection of Nature. His work focuses on integrating digital tools to support people with disabilities and contributing to Bhutan's digital transformation.
Getting funded is a milestone—but it’s not the destination. True success begins after the investment, when founders and investors must work together to turn vision into value. This panel brings together entrepreneurs who have navigated the realities of post-investment growth. They’ll share authentic stories of building trust, managing expectations, and sustaining alignment with their investors through both challenges and milestones.
It’s an honest conversation about what it really takes to nurture a partnership that lasts—where capital becomes a catalyst, not the goal.
Bishal Dhakal is a software engineer and founder of Light WebX Private Limited, a technology company building SaaS products like BillsToTrack and Sencill AI. With years of experience in software development, he focuses on building scalable and impactful digital products. I’m passionate about innovation, and I aim to build global products from Bhutan that empower people around the world.
As a serial social entrepreneur, she founded and leads a portfolio of initiatives at the nexus of entrepreneurship, climate, gender, education and youth; spanning private and public sectors at local and international levels. She founded Centre for Sustainability Studies, a knowledge consultancy firm; Bhutan Tours and Travels, an impact travel company; and READ Bhutan, a global community development non-profit organisation. She is an Echidna scholar with the Brookings Institute and the Founding Curator of Global Shapers Thimphu Hub. She holds an Executive Certificate in Strategic Decision Making from Wharton, MPA from University of Hawaii, Manoa, and BA in Economics from Beloit College, Wisconsin.
Jigme Tashi Namgyal is the CEO and co-founder of Jaggle AI Private Limited, a Bhutan-based AI solutions company. With global experience spanning the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland, he has led cross-functional teams and developed AI, fintech, and blockchain products for firms such as Coala Pay, Selise, Pingpon, and Oddiyana Ventures. Jigme began his tech career at 19, becoming the youngest software engineer at SELISE Bhutan. He later served as Technical Lead in Japan, Senior Blockchain Developer in South Korea, and Product Lead in the U.S. He is a recipient of several accolades, including Bhutan’s National Student Entrepreneur of the Year, a Royal Certificate from His Majesty the King, and multiple national hackathon wins. Jigme and Jaggle AI were also selected for the prestigious K-Startup Grand Challenge in South Korea.
This session changes the usual pitching format. Instead of entrepreneurs pitching to investors, funding and support agencies will take the stage to share what kind of entrepreneurs and projects they want to support. It’s about building understanding, trust, and collaboration between founders and agencies—not just funding.
Agency Pitches – 15 minutes each
Each agency will have 15 minutes, with slides if needed, to share:
As a serial social entrepreneur, she founded and leads a portfolio of initiatives at the nexus of entrepreneurship, climate, gender, education and youth; spanning private and public sectors at local and international levels. She founded Centre for Sustainability Studies, a knowledge consultancy firm; Bhutan Tours and Travels, an impact travel company; and READ Bhutan, a global community development non-profit organisation. She is an Echidna scholar with the Brookings Institute and the Founding Curator of Global Shapers Thimphu Hub. She holds an Executive Certificate in Strategic Decision Making from Wharton, MPA from University of Hawaii, Manoa, and BA in Economics from Beloit College, Wisconsin.
As a development innovator and social entrepreneur, Mr. Sangay Thinley has led transformative initiatives at the intersection of agriculture, rural development, and sustainable tourism in Bhutan. His work bridges communities, markets, and policy—advancing inclusive growth and local empowerment. He founded Jigmechu Ecotourism and Pachu Community Tourism in Chhukha District, pioneering community-based tourism models that integrate conservation and livelihood generation. He also initiated the Agricultural Marketing Aggregator Network, linking farmers with buyers through market-driven and technology-enabled systems. Currently serving as Chief Agricultural Marketing Officer with the Royal Government of Bhutan, he brings over a decade of experience in agri-business development, cooperative formation, and local economic planning. His contributions reflect a deep commitment to innovation, sustainability, and community well-being aligned with Bhutan’s vision of Gross National Happiness.
Tashi currently serve as a Program Officer at the Entrepreneurship Promotion Division (EPD), Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship (DoEE), Ministry of Industry Commerce and Employment (MoICE).He had the privilege of overseeing and managing the Startup Center at Changzamtog, Thimphu for more than a year. Throughout his tenure, he have spearheaded various initiatives, including organizing and facilitating startup trainings, events, and programs aimed at nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Bhutan. His commitment lies in designing inclusive and impactful programs that empower entrepreneurs and startups to thrive. Prior to his current role, he pursued a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration (PGDPA) from the Royal Institute of Management (RIM). His educational journey also includes a degree from Lovely Professional University (LPU), Punjab, India preceded by high school studies at Jigme Sherabling Central School, Khaling, Trashigang. He is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of entrepreneurs and contributing to the sustainable development of nation's entrepreneurial landscape. He firmly believes that Bhutan can one day produce its “First Unicorn”.
Simplifying and Enabling Businesses through Integrated Service Delivery
Sithar Norbu is a civil servant and digital transformation practitioner dedicated to advancing citizen-centric governance in Bhutan. As Chief Program Officer at the Public Service Delivery Division, Prime Minister’s Office, he leads national initiatives like the Integrated Service Center, GovBiz and Public Service Contact Center to make public services more accessible and business-friendly.
Failure is often seen as the end—but for many successful founders, it’s where the real story begins. In this raw and honest session, the speaker shares personal experiences of setbacks, wrong turns, and tough lessons that ultimately became the foundation of future success.
This conversation offers a powerful reminder that growth often hides behind our most challenging moments, and that failure—when embraced with reflection and resilience—can become our greatest teacher.
To normalize failure as a natural and valuable part of the entrepreneurial journey, encouraging participants to reflect, adapt, and rise stronger from their setbacks.
45-minute keynote presentation (with or without PowerPoint), followed by a 15-minute Q&A session.
The Art Of Being Broke As a child, I found joy in repairing discarded things: broken radios, old toys, anything others had given up on. That instinct—to find value where others don’t—never left me. Though I trained as an engineer, I walked away from that path in pursuit of something more creative, more human. I loved music, but in Bhutan, playing the music we loved wasn’t considered a profession. So I taught myself to be a radio DJ and founded Radio Valley—Bhutan’s first private FM station. Over 15 years, I mentored more than 50 young voices, giving them a platform to share their stories and the music they cared about. It wasn’t just a station—it was a movement of expression, creativity, and connection. Later, I created Mojo Park, Bhutan’s first live music venue, because artists—young and old—deserved a stage to jam, perform, and grow. Over 12 years, it became a creative hub and a livelihood for many, nurturing a generation of homegrown talent. I was a happy-go-lucky guy, chasing my passion—while my wife financed my livelihood with her small agency. When my wife got pregnant with our first child, I knew I had to change my attitude. I took over her business, and that’s how I first got introduced to the tourism industry. I’ve never seen myself as a businessman. I’m an artist at heart. Entrepreneurship, for me, has always been about building platforms—for music, for voices, and now, for meaningful travel. Tourism has become my newest canvas. It’s where storytelling, creativity, and community impact converge. And while we are able to give great joy and happiness to our guests through our authentic and immersive trips, through Breathe Bhutan, we’re not just offering travel—we’re fostering livelihoods, igniting pride, and helping culture thrive in its purest form. It’s incredibly rewarding! Today, I’m often asked to speak about leadership and entrepreneurship—not because I have all the answers, but because they like my self-proclaimed story of being the ‘Longest Struggling Entrepreneur in Bhutan’ and my desire to write a book titled ‘The Art Of Being Broke’. 🙂
Led by Tshewang RIGGS, this session blends leadership development with mindfulness and emotional intelligence practices. Participants will explore how to inspire vision, foster collaboration, and lead with integrity, while also cultivating self-awareness, emotional regulation, and focus.
Through practical strategies and introspective exercises, entrepreneurs learn to manage teams effectively, make purpose-driven decisions, and maintain personal and professional wellbeing in dynamic and uncertain environments.
Tshewang Ngedup is a Sr. Programme Officer at RIGSS.He is a certified Master Trainer for Neuroscience based Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence certified by Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute, founded at Google. He delivered Neuroscience-based Mindfulness and Emotional intelligence training to 2000+ public servants across Ministries, Corporate and Private sectors in Bhutan. He also topped the first Bhutan Civil Service Examination (B.Ed.),(2012). In the past, he was involved as a guest trainer for Institute for Excellence and Development(i-ED), Bhutan National Commission for UNESCO, Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy, Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Royal Civil Service Commission and i-BEST institute. He is also the RIGSS alumnus and cohort captain of Foundational Leadership Programme (FLP-2). At RIGSS, he designs and delivers transformative leadership training to public, private and corporate leaders. In addition, he teaches leadership of the Self at the Gyalsung Academies, Bhutan’s National Service Programme. Currently, he is also the 4th Kautilya Fellow at India Foundation, New Delhi centering on India’s foreign and Public Policy.
This session, led by Dr. Jamtsho, helps entrepreneurs transform their ideas into actionable business plans and turn concepts into viable products. Participants will learn how to define their value proposition, design user-centered products, and align their development process with real market needs.
Led by Mam’ Dawa, this session equips entrepreneurs with the skills to understand the market landscape—identifying target customers, analyzing competitors, and positioning products effectively. Participants will also explore branding, storytelling, and low-cost marketing strategies tailored for startups.