# 🇧🇹 E-Bhutan: Digital Nation in the Himalayas

Bhutan, the Himalayan kingdom known for its **Gross National Happiness**, has already embraced the digital age—**mining Bitcoin** and investing in public digital infrastructure. Now, it’s taking the next leap: building the core tools of a **borderless digital economy**.

## 🎯 Tracks

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The eBhutan Hackathon will focus on **three critical digital infrastructure tracks**. Each is designed to deliver a functional prototype and demonstrate how it can create long-term economic and sovereignty benefits for E-Bhutan.

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### **Bitcoin-Backed Currency**

**GOAL:** Develop a prototype of a **stablecoin or digital currency** backed by Bhutan’s Bitcoin reserves.

**Technical Focus:**

* Multi-sig treasury wallets.
* Transparent reserve dashboards.
* Pegging and stabilizing mechanisms.
* Open-source smart contracts.
* Global wallet interoperability.

**National Benefit:** A Bitcoin-backed currency provides Bhutan with a **globally trusted and tradable asset**, enhancing **international trade**, attracting digital users, and offering monetary resilience.

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### eResidency Platform

**GOAL:** Create a digital eResidency system allowing anyone in the world to become a **digital resident of Bhutan** from anywhere, online. Bhutan can position itself as the **Delaware or Singapore of the digital era**, attracting **millions of global companies** to incorporate there, increasing **national income** and establishing **Bhutan as a trusted business hub**.

**Technical Focus:**

* KYC/AML onboarding.
* Cryptographic identity credentials or NFTs.
* &#x20;Legal formation workflows to register and **incorporate legal entities** in Bhutan **.**
* Integration with tax and incorporation systems for digital certificates and tax ID issuance.
* Compliance&#x20;

**National Benefit:** Inspired by Estonia’s eResidency program (100,000+ users, €100M+ impact), Bhutan can attract **millions of remote entrepreneurs**, drive **new tax revenue**, and **digitally globalize its economy**—without physical migration.

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### Sovereign AI

**GOAL:** Prototype an open-source **Sovereign AI system** fine-tuned for Bhutanese law, language, values, and government use.

**Technical Focus:**

* Fine-tune open-source LLMs.
* Integrate Dzongkha and multilingual support.
* Build agentic public service tools.
* Ensure transparency, safety, and audibility.

**National Benefit:** Sovereign AI enables Bhutan to:

* Preserve cultural and policy autonomy.
* Avoid digital colonialism.
* Deploy AI agents as digital civil servants.
* Train local talent in next-gen technologies.
* Become a leader in ethical, nation-specific AI.

AI is not just a tool—it is the new **digital labor force**. Bhutan must build its own to protect its sovereignty.
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## 🏆 Prizes

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This isn’t just another hackathon.\
**It’s a launchpad for real-world impact.**

### 💰 Build & Win

* **$10,000 in prize money** for the top projects.
* **Exclusive swag** for all participants.
* Opportunity to **co-create tools real governments could adopt.**

### 🛠️ Long-Term Value

* Your project becomes part of a **global open-source library** powering digital governance.
* Continue building with support from **Draper Nation’s ecosystem.**
* Gain visibility, credibility, and real-world deployment opportunities.

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## 📦 Deliverables

To be eligible for judging and publication, teams must submit the following by the deadline:

### ✅ Prototype / Proof of Concept

A tangible solution that addresses a core challenge within your selected track.

* Can be a **visual prototype** (with validated feasibility)
* Or a **working prototype** (bonus points for functionality!)
* Should clearly demonstrate the intended **user experience and impact**

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### 📂 GitHub Documentation

As part of Draper Nation’s open-source mission, all submissions must be checked into our **public GitHub repository** and include:

* **🧩 Problem Statement**\
  What specific challenge does your solution address within the theme?
* **🧠 Solution Overview**\
  How does your prototype approach and solve the identified problem?
* **🛠️ Tech Stack**\
  A brief overview of technologies, frameworks, and tools used.
* **📁 Assets**\
  Include all project files, code repositories, relevant links, and supporting resources.

📣 *Remember: What you build here could power real governments.*\
Document it well. Share it proudly. Let it live on.

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## 📝 Apply

Ready to build something that outlives the weekend? \
👉 [Apply Now](https://forms.gle/EztAsYeFtcQJLbgH7) and **build for impact!**

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## Venue: Draper Startup House

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The E-Bhutan Hackathon will be held at Draper Startup House (DSH), which builds startup societies globally through community, investment, and education.&#x20;
