Sherab Lhamo

After a four-year hiatus, the National Startup Weekend (NSUW) is set to return to Bhutan from March 12–15, 2025. Organised by the Bhutan Innovation and Technology Centre (BITC) under Thimphu TechPark Limited (TTPL), this year’s event will focus on the theme: “Cultivating Conscious Innovation: Merging Emerging Technologies with Mindful Development Practices.”

The programme aims to empower aspiring entrepreneurs with tools, mentorship, and resources to strengthen Bhutan’s startup ecosystem. It will adopt proven methodologies and engage networks to nurture innovation.

BITC, located at TTPL, is a business incubation facility equipped with a digital training room, digital lounge, AI lab, conference hall, and incubation space.

The four-day event will include a Startup Community Bootcamp (SCB) on the first day, followed by the three-day NSUW.

More than 130 participants, including tech graduates, students, trainees from Technical Training Institutes, and aspiring innovators, are expected to take part.   

Over 40 thought leaders, local mentors, and startup community leaders will participate in training sessions. The event will feature interactive workshops, pitch competitions, and expert-led sessions, providing participants with a comprehensive learning experience.

The programme’s structure includes team formation, where participants pitch ideas, form teams, and connect with fellow innovators, solution building, with customer validation and mentoring sessions to develop ideas and hone presentation skills, and Demo Day, where teams present their final projects to a panel of judges and the Techstars Network.

Techstars, a global platform supporting entrepreneurs and fostering innovation, is a key partner in this year’s programme.

Participants will explore emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Virtual Reality, Internet of Things, Robotics, and Blockchain, that can be applied in the fields of education, finance, green energy, health and wellness, agriculture, forestry, logistics, and tourism.

The top three teams will receive pre-seed grants and incubation support at the BITC.

The NSUW 2025 is supported by the Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship (DoEE) under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Employment, in collaboration with global facilitators like Techstars, Aim Ventures, and other stakeholders from Bhutan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.