Bhutan’s first AI startup is seven college kids in a dorm

NoMindBhutan, founded by college students Ugyen Dendup and Jamphel Yigzin Samdrup, is described as Bhutan's first AI startup making and deploying chatbots. The company has eight clients, including Bhutan National Bank, Drukair, and the National Digital Identity program, and its seven-member student team works from a dormitory without drawing salaries. Dendup says the company's growth is limited by no access to international payment platforms or cloud servers, while Phub Dorji, CEO of Nyingnor, argues Bhutan should focus on cloud infrastructure and AI literacy instead.