The Prime Minister and UNDP Resident Representative Mohammad Younus launched the Bhutan Innovation Lab (BIL) today in Thimphu. Established as a strategic platform within the Prime Minister’s Office under the BOLD project in collaboration with UNDP, BIL aims to accelerate high-impact policy innovation and address systemic challenges as Bhutan pursues its 13th Five Year Plan and high-income country aspirations.

The Lab will serve as an open, interdisciplinary space for co-designing, prototyping, and testing solutions across critical sectors, including hydropower, tourism, financial services, and agri-processing. It will focus on evidence-based decision-making, inter-ministerial collaboration, and broad stakeholder engagement, including government agencies, the private sector, academia, and citizens.

Emphasizing function over form, the Prime Minister highlighted that business as usual is not enough in the face of urgent challenges such as youth emigration, private sector constraints, and emerging development risks. The BIL will provide a safe space for policy experimentation and act as a catalyst for fostering an entrepreneurial mindset in governance. By leveraging data, technology, and innovative tools, the Lab is positioned to help Bhutan overachieve the targets of the 13th Five Year Plan and realize the vision of His Majesty The King for the nation’s future. Launch of Bhutan Innovation Lab

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