DHARAMSHALA: Tibetan Entrepreneurship Program (TED), an initiative of the Department of Finance, Central Tibetan Administration, concluded the Pre-incubation program for its First batch of seven Entrepreneurs who will participate in the upcoming TED Business Plan Competition which is part of the next phase of the TED support. The seven entrepreneurs will continue to receive incubation and mentoring support which are part of the TED program. The entrepreneurs, even after the Business Plan Competition will continue to receive incubation and mentoring support from TED and also have the opportunity to utilize the TED network in connecting with potential investors.
The TED Business Plan Competition will be organized on the 23rd of June, and will be judged by three expert entrepreneurs coming in from different parts of the world. Three winners of the competition will be awarded prize money and the seven entrepreneurs will receive Seed Grant as per their requirement which will be judged by the jury panel. The announcement of awards for the Business Plan Competition will be made on the 25th of June which will be a public event.
The TED team, headed by Paljor Kalon, Mr. Tsering Dhundup today met with the seven entrepreneurs to conduct a performance appraisal of their Business Plan.
Mr. Tenzin Wangyal, TED Business Incubation Program Officer commented, “It is a very emotional moment today and we at TED are so very proud of all the 7 entrepreneurs. They have far exceeded our expectations. The level of improvement and the professionalism showed by them all are praise worthy. I can confidently say that all the 7 entrepreneurs will definitely make a mark in the history of Tibetan Entrepreneurship.”
Brief Profile of the Seven TED Entrepreneurs:
Tenzin Jigmey is the co-founder of the “Pain Free-Tibetan Physiotherapy Clinic”, which was established in the year 2013 however after joining the TED program, registered itself into a legal entity and a fully developed main stream social business. Jigmey is a specialized Physiotherapist with a post graduate degree and has started his career with a volunteer stint at Tsojhe Khangsar Charity Hospital. The aim of “Pain Free-Tibetan Physiotherapy Clinic” is to increase awareness and appreciation of the effectiveness of physiotherapy in the Tibetan community.
“Phayul Craft” is an Ecommerce business founded by Wangchen Phuntsok. His primary goal and vision was to preserve and promote the Tibetan Culture however being an entrepreneur he created a platform for Tibetan Artisans and artist to sell their Tibetan art and also has a wide list of traditional Tibetan products. After completing his Pre-incubation and legal support program from TED, Wangchen is ready to launch his new business.
Tsetan Dolkar is someone who you call an I.T maverick. She comes from a strong background in Web development and multimedia designing. Tsetan has co-founded “Tibetan I Tech” which is a unique and first of its kind in the Tibetan diaspora to offer a wide range of services and she believes in providing that opportunity for every Tibetan business to be heard and increase the presence of them in the main stream market.
Tenzin Rigthen is the co-founder of “City MOMO”, a one of a kind restaurant specializing in Tibetan Momo. Rigthen during his Hotel Management Studies in Hyderabad noticed the demand for good quality Tibetan Momo and the lack of good quality restaurants serving Tibetan Momos. Today Rigthen is in the final stages of completing his registration process through the TED legal support and will be the First Tibetan restaurant specializing in Tibetan Momos in Hyderabad.
Jampa Tsering along with his father founded the “DhangChu” water purification business in Mundgod and now with the business on a steady growth, Jampa Tsering is starting a water bottling business in Mundgod. After developing his business plan through the TED pre-incubation support, he is currently in the process of registering his business through the TED legal support. Jampa aims to supply clean and safe drinking water at affordable prices.
“Tibet Electricals” is the first of its kind business in the Tibetan Diaspora. Ngawang Phuntsok has a degree in Electricals, hopes to provide a solution to all the electrical challenges in the Tibetan community. He has completed his business plan development through the TED pre-incubation support and now is in the process of finding investment through the TED financial support.
Tenzin Choezin is the youngest among the first batch of TED entrepreneurs however she is also one of the brightest in the group. She has founded the “GurlsCloset”, an online garment business. She has completed her business plan development and almost done with the business registration through the TED support and is in the process of finding investments through the TED financing support.
TED is a recently conceptualised initiative of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) aiming to mobilise and amplify Tibetan entrepreneurship spirit by fostering, nurturing, accelerating value-add connections, and celebrating entrepreneurship. TED aims to affect the profound transformation of the Tibetan community in exile with its role as a mobiliser of the Tibetan entrepreneurial spirit to partake in global opportunities and contribute to the community’s economic well-being. In doing so, TED aims to support existing business’ expansion and sustainability, as well as convert high-potential youth business ideas into successful ventures.
