By Tenzin Menkyi
DHARAMSHALA, June 25: The Tibetan Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay today honored seven young Tibetan entrepreneurs the TED Award and winners of the TED’s first Business Plan Competition initiated by the Department of Finance of the Tibetan government in exile based here.
At an event held at the Nyatri Hall in the premiese of the Tibetan government, the winners were awarded certificates and prize money by the Tibetan PM.
An amount of Rs. 2,00,000 each for the seven entrepreneurs was announced with the three winners of the TED Business Plan Competition winning an additional prize money of Rs 15,000, Rs10,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively. TED Business Plan Competition was held on 23 June, wherein the young contenders were judged by three experts for their business plan presentation.
Tenzin Rigthen, Tenzin Choezin, Ngawang Phuntsok,, Tenzin Jigme, Wangchen Phuntsok, Tsetan Dolkar, and Jampa Tsering are the first batch of seven young entrepreneurs , who were selected out of 23 contenders
Four of the TED entrepreneurs went through pre-incubation and incubation program at O.P Jindals while three of them attended trainings at JSS Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Park, Noida. The young entrepreneurs will continue to receive incubation and mentoring from TED, according to the Department of Finance.
Tenzin N Kyizom, one of the three judges, was presented a token of appreciation by Sikyong for providing her expertise without charge. A Development Entrepreneur with the United Nations, Kyinzom’s key advice to the young entrepreneurs was to think big, build the right team and to compete with non Tibetan Business tycoons.
Addressing the gatheirng, Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay said, “TED programme coincided with His Holiness’ wish for millionaires and billionaires in Tibetan society. The collective positive premonition of His Holiness’ blessings, CTA’s plans and with the lucky seven award recipients, it seems, and I hope the business ventures will be sucessful.”
Finance Kalon, Tsering Dhondup said his dpeartment’s objective is not to collect some percentage of their business profit but rather to help them become successful and competitive entrepreneurs. “We really hope they not only become a social entrepreneur, but become capable of generating employment, create social impact and at the same time, expand their business beyond the community.”
