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A Three-Day Bootcamp at Laya Middle Secondary School
Impact Hub Thimphu recently conducted a three-day Student Entrepreneurship Bootcamp at Laya Middle Secondary School, aimed at nurturing entrepreneurial skills among students. This initiative, funded through the Alumni Engagement Grant under the Australia Awards, focused on humanitarian assistance, disaster risk reduction, and economic recovery. The boot camp addressed local challenges such as climate change, modernization, and rural development, empowering students to become proactive problem-solvers contributing to community resilience and sustainable development.
The boot camp, facilitated by Mr. Tashi Wangdi, Founder of Impact Hub Thimphu, and Mr. Jigme Thinley, Senior Program Officer at the Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship, provided an immersive learning experience over three days. The facilitators, both alumni of the Australia Awards Short Course and active members of the Bhutan Australia Alumni Association (BAAA), brought valuable expertise to the program.
Day 1: Ideation
The first day focused on ideation, where students identified community challenges and brainstormed innovative business ideas. Workshops on creative thinking and opportunity recognition were conducted, and each group was given Nu. 500 as seed capital to develop their ideas.
Day 2: Business Model Development
On the second day, students were introduced to essential business tools, including SWOT analysis, the Lean Canvas, and the Business Model Canvas. These tools helped them refine their ideas, focusing on aspects such as pricing and business viability.
Day 3: Pitch Preparation and Presentation
The final day was dedicated to preparing and delivering business pitches. Students received training on effective pitching techniques and presented their business ideas to judges and evaluators, receiving valuable feedback.
The event saw participation from 45 students (13 male and 32 female) from grades 6 to 10. They formed teams and pitched 10 innovative business ideas:
The winning idea, “Guest House with Tourist Hotel,” was selected for its creativity and potential impact, while the first runner-up, “Layap Cap Netting,” demonstrated a strong understanding of local needs.
Impact and Sustainability
The boot camp’s direct beneficiaries were the students of Laya Middle School, with indirect benefits extending to their families and the broader Laya community. Emphasizing gender equality, disability inclusion, and social inclusion, the program ensured equal opportunities for all participants. To ensure sustainability, the program focused on building partnerships with local stakeholders and providing capacity-building training. This includes exploring diverse funding sources such as earned income, corporate sponsorships, and crowdfunding. Engaging program alumni as mentors and advisors is also crucial, leveraging their networks and experiences to support current participants.
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