Innovest Marks One Year as a Bridge Between Bhutanese Entrepreneurs and Global Capital
Thimphu, February 21, 2026
In just one year since its incorporation, Innovest Private Limited has positioned itself as a key enabler in Bhutan’s evolving entrepreneurship and foreign investment ecosystem, helping local startups scale up and guiding foreign investors through Bhutan’s regulatory landscape.
Founded on December 17, 2024, Innovest was established to support Bhutanese entrepreneurs beyond traditional financing and to create a professional bridge between investors, regulators, and businesses, particularly in the emerging Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC).
Co-founded by Sonam Choden (Socho) and Jigme Tenzin, Innovest combines regulatory expertise with first-hand entrepreneurial experience.
Socho brings over a decade of experience working with foreign direct investments (FDIs) during her tenure as Manager at Thimphu TechPark from 2012 to 2022.
Jigme is the founder of housinng.bt and a beneficiary of the Jabchor equity financing programme. Their common belief that Bhutanese entrepreneurs need more than loans to scale became the foundation of Innovest.
“Innovest was created to help entrepreneurs become investment-ready and confident in engaging with investors, while also helping investors understand Bhutan’s regulatory and business context,” said Jigme Tenzin.
Accelerating Businesses, Not Just Registering Them
Innovest operates across two core verticals: a Business Accelerator and a Corporate Service Provider (CSP).
As a business accelerator, Innovest supports local startups by connecting them with domestic and foreign investors, providing investment readiness support, and offering post-investment handholding in areas such as business management, valuation, and governance. In 2025, Innovest served as a technical implementing partner to the Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship (DoEE) under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE) for Jabchor 2.0, Bhutan’s flagship equity financing programme.
The company also provides physical and virtual co-working spaces for startups and FDIs, fostering a collaborative environment where early-stage businesses can focus on growth.
As an empanelled Corporate Service Provider under RGoB in 2024 and GMC in 2025, Innovest assists both local and foreign investors with business registration under the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) and GMC frameworks. Beyond incorporation, the firm offers business consulting and management services, including Expression of Interest (EoI) development, mergers and acquisitions advisory, immigration and visas, payroll, and office spaces.
Acting as an Interface Between Investors and Regulators
One of Innovest’s defining roles is acting as an interface between regulatory authorities and clients. The firm aligns business proposals with RGoB FDI and Corporate Regulatory Authority (CRA) rules, as well as GMC’s Gelephu Corporate Registration Office (GCRO) requirements, ensuring compliance while helping clients navigate complex procedures.
According to Jigme Tenzin, “In many cases, we translate regulations into practical business guidance for clients, and at the same time present investor proposals to regulators in a way that aligns with national priorities.”
Tangible Impact in the First Yea
Innovest, since its establishment, has facilitated the incorporation of eight companies under GMC and eleven companies under RGoB. The firm also provided acceleration support to 27 startups, collectively facilitating investments worth Nu. 1.7 billion. Currently, two startups operate from Innovest’s physical co-working space, while two FDIs use its virtual office services.
Looking ahead, Innovest Pte Ltd under GMC aims to provide registration services to all Bhutanese companies planning to enter the GMC market. The company also hopes to attract Bhutanese professionals abroad to return home as associate analysts and project coordinators, contributing to a growing professional services ecosystem.
As Bhutan moves toward a more diversified, innovation-led economy, Innovest’s first year reflects a growing shift from dependence on traditional financing to a more structured, investment-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“Our goal is to be the most dependable go-to partner for anyone building a business in Bhutan or through the GMC,” states Socho. “And a core part of that is bringing our brightest minds home. We are actively seeking Bhutanese professionals from around the world, associate analysts, and project coordinators to join us in this nation-building exercise.”Entrepreneurs and investors seeking support can reach Innovest at hello@innovest.bt or visit www.innovest.bt to book a discovery call.
