To build socially and environmentally responsible businesses and ventures, the Bhutan Youth Development Fund (YDF) in collaboration with the Institute for Learning Solutions launched Innovate Bhutan (iBhutan) in Thimphu today. iBhutan will serve as a centre for social and business innovation where young entrepreneurs will connect, ideate and transform their ideas into tangible businesses or projects.
The iBhutan centre located at the Nazhoen Pelri Complex in YDF, Thimphu will offer a common platform for young people to connect and transform their ideas into tangible assets.
“It is a place for young entrepreneurs and innovators; we call them INNO-PRENEURS. And it is also a place for investors and policymakers. Here, we will be creating social businesses or social enterprises. We are not going to teach young entrepreneurs to create businesses to make money only. Of course, it is business and profit is necessary but not at the cost of environment and your own employees. It will socially create jobs and address social problems too,” said Kinley Tenzin, the Chief for Social Enterprise at the YDF.
The centre is also expected to work as an intermediary connector between various programs and platforms related to entrepreneurship.
“There are lots of things happening and programs on entrepreneurship and innovation. Ministry of Labour is giving similar training; Tech is also organising such event, education sector and other CSOs too. So, we hope that iBhutan will try to connect all these dots, connect all these sector actors and then consolidate our efforts to create these young social business leaders in future,” he added.
Besides social entrepreneurship education and training, the centre will also provide ecosystem support of finance, technology, working space, mentorship and social venture creation.
For now, 32 young aspiring participants will undergo a week-long Social Entrepreneurship Training at the centre from next week. They were selected based on their employment status, business ideas and their willingness to learn business skills.
Passang Dorji
