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Gelephu Mindfulness City · Bhutan
Gelephu Investment and Development Corporation (GIDC) is the investment and development arm of the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), Bhutan’s Special Administrative Region. We invest alongside partners in the businesses and infrastructure that will anchor the city’s economy, with a focus on sustainable, long term value.
Start here
See the ways to invest alongside GIDC and the projects in our current portfolio, then tell us what you are looking for.
The GIDC mark
The GIDC mark is made of nine diamonds. The eight outer diamonds stand for the eight economic clusters that drive Gelephu’s growth. The central diamond is GIDC itself: the core that connects them.
Explore
Our Royal Charter, mandate, ownership and leadership.
Read moreA Special Administrative Region with its own laws, planned around eight economic clusters.
Read moreAll eight economic clusters, beginning with energy and capital.
Read moreHydropower and AI data centre projects with our partners.
Read moreWays to partner, and the steps from first conversation to agreement.
Read moreThe investor deck, company profile, projects booklet and news.
Read moreLatest
A framework with Korea Water Resources Corporation covering renewable energy including hydropower, water infrastructure, urban planning and knowledge sharing for GMC.
An eight month test of GPU computing in GMC, from July 2026 to February 2027, supported by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
AI data centres and renewable energy infrastructure, in three phases beginning at 10 MW.
Get in touch
Tell us who you are and what you are looking for, and the right person at GIDC will be in touch.
Who we are
Gelephu Investment and Development Corporation (GIDC) was established by Royal Charter on 10 February 2024, on the same day as the Gelephu Mindfulness City Special Administrative Region and its Authority. GIDC is wholly owned by the Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority (GMCA) and is mandated to support the long term economic development of Bhutan.
Our mandate
Commercial and investment activities within Bhutan and internationally, and the management of a diversified portfolio of companies and assets.
Development projects across Bhutan, including within the GMC Special Administrative Region.
Promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and business growth through venture capital, institutional support and the incubation of emerging industries.
Establishing subsidiaries, affiliates and joint ventures, and making strategic investments and partnerships that advance Bhutan’s economic growth.
In all its functions, the Corporation must consider economic growth, investment promotion, and the prosperity of the Bhutanese people.
Investment
Under its Royal Charter, GIDC can raise capital, invest at home and internationally, and extend loans and guarantees to its portfolio companies. It acts as a holding company, a provider of venture capital and an incubator of emerging industries. Its dual mandate pursues developmental impact and long term financial sustainability with commercial discipline, drawing on sovereign holding companies such as Temasek and Khazanah.
Development
GIDC originates, structures and leads the development projects that turn the Mindfulness City from masterplan into reality. Its current work concentrates on the enabling infrastructure of a new economy: clean hydropower for long term, low cost renewable energy, and AI data centre capacity to anchor GMC as a regional digital hub. It advances these through joint ventures and partnerships with established international players.
Ownership and governance
Where partners take part
Accountability flows from management to the Board, and from the Board to the GMC Authority as sole owner. Joint ventures are governed through their own boards, with GIDC nominating directors in proportion to its holding.
Leadership
GIDC is governed by a Board of up to seven Bhutanese and international directors. The initial Board was appointed by His Majesty The Druk Gyalpo. The Board sets strategy, approves major investments and holds management to account.
Group
Milestones
Why Gelephu
Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC) is a Special Administrative Region in southern Bhutan, announced by His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in December 2023. It operates under its own legal and regulatory framework and is positioned as an economic gateway between South Asia and Southeast Asia.
GMC has its own laws and regulations, separate from those of the rest of Bhutan. Companies register with the Gelephu Corporate Registration Office.
The city is master planned by Bjarke Ingels Group and grounded in Bhutan’s development philosophy of Gross National Happiness.
Growth is organised around Spirituality, Health & Wellness, Education, Green Energy & Technology, Finance & Digital Assets, Agri-Tech & Forestry, Aviation & Logistics, and Tourism.
Clean energy and digital infrastructure sit at the core of early development. GMC’s electricity demand is forecast to exceed 760 MW by 2035.
GIDC is the city’s investment and development arm. We help partners understand the opportunity, structure their investment and set up in GMC.
Where we invest
GIDC’s mandate spans the whole economy of the Mindfulness City. Our work begins with Green Energy & Technology and Finance & Digital Assets, the energy and capital foundations, and will extend across every cluster as the city develops.
Tap a cluster to find its diamond in the GIDC mark.
Green Energy & Technology
Hydropower development secures long term clean energy for GMC, and AI data centre development establishes GMC as a regional hub for sustainable digital infrastructure. Each underwrites the other: expected computing demand already shapes the order of the hydropower pipeline.
Finance & Digital Assets
GIDC issued the GMC Nation Building Bond, listed on the Royal Securities Exchange of Bhutan in 2025 and the first of its kind in the country. Its proceeds are deployed under a framework agreed with the GMC Authority.
Working in another cluster? We want to hear from partners across the whole economy of the city.
Register interestProjects
Our current portfolio centres on two workstreams that reinforce each other: hydropower to secure long term clean energy for GMC, and AI data centres to establish GMC as a regional hub for sustainable digital infrastructure.
Showing 7 projects
One of Bhutan’s most significant strategic energy projects and critical enabling infrastructure for GMC. GIDC is supporting a comprehensive update of the Detailed Project Report and the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, in close collaboration with Indian partners.
A basin wide screening of the Punatsangchhu and Mangdechhu rivers assessed twelve configurations and identified four priority projects: Pinsa, Kago-I, Jongthang and Wangdigang. Together they form the foundation of GMC’s future hydropower portfolio.
The portfolio’s largest near term opportunities, advancing under a memorandum of understanding with Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water) for preliminary feasibility studies.
A run of river development within the Special Administrative Region, expected to generate roughly 261 GWh a year.
A phased GPU data centre programme. A proof of concept runs in GMC from July 2026 to February 2027, supported by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, to test computing performance, power, cooling, connectivity and the regulatory framework. A 2 MW first phase at Jigmeling is planned for 2027 to 2028.
A memorandum of understanding signed in April 2026, structured as a build out in three phases beginning at 10 MW. Bitdeer’s operations at Jigmeling already rank among Bhutan’s largest digital infrastructure investments.
A joint venture between GIDC and LS Corp of the Republic of Korea, held in equal shares and set up to pursue electricity infrastructure opportunities.
Interested in one of these projects, or in bringing a new one to GMC?
Register interestHow to work with us
We work alongside partners from Bhutan and around the world, with a focus on lasting value for the city and for the Bhutanese people.
How we partner
In projects and operating companies.
With experienced sector partners.
For institutional and qualified investors.
Guidance on setting up and licensing within GMC.
GIDC is wholly owned by the GMC Authority, and no other party holds equity in GIDC itself. Partners take part at the level of subsidiaries, projects and joint ventures.
The process
Tell us about your organisation and what you are looking for, through the register interest form, by email or at an event.
Where detailed information needs to be shared, both parties sign a confidentiality agreement.
We review your proposal, track record and financing, and you review the opportunity.
The main terms are set out in a memorandum of understanding, term sheet or heads of agreement.
Major investments are approved by the GIDC Board under its Delegation of Authority. Some activities also need approval from GMC regulators.
Definitive agreements are signed, and any new company is registered with the Gelephu Corporate Registration Office.
The venture begins operating. Joint ventures are governed through their own boards, with GIDC nominating directors in proportion to its holding.
Establishment support
Companies entering GMC register with the Gelephu Corporate Registration Office under the GMC Companies Act. GIDC can guide partners on setting up and licensing within GMC, and the GMC Authority publishes the city’s laws.
Ready to start a conversation? The investor deck sets out who we are and how we partner.
Resources and news
Download the investor deck and our two page company profile, and read our latest announcements.
Investor deck
Thirteen slides on who we are, Gelephu Mindfulness City, our current portfolio and how to partner with us.
Documents
News
Cooperation on renewable energy including hydropower, water infrastructure, urban planning and knowledge sharing for GMC.
A proof of concept for AI data centre operations in GMC.
AI data centres and renewable energy infrastructure.
Korea JoongAng Daily
Questions
No. The Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority holds 100 per cent of GIDC’s shares, and no other party holds equity in GIDC. Partners take part at the level of subsidiaries, projects and joint ventures.
GIDC’s mandate spans all eight economic clusters of the Mindfulness City. Our current work centres on hydropower and AI data centres, the energy foundations of the city.
Register your interest with a short description of your organisation and proposal. We review every submission and reply with next steps.
GMC has its own legal and regulatory framework, separate from that of the rest of Bhutan. The GMC Authority publishes the city’s legislation.
Companies register with the Gelephu Corporate Registration Office. GIDC can guide partners on setting up and licensing within GMC.
GIDC is wholly owned by the Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority and governed by a Board of up to seven Bhutanese and international directors. The initial Board was appointed by His Majesty The Druk Gyalpo.
GIDC is registered in Gelephu Mindfulness City and has an office at Dabtong House in Thimphu.
Vacancies are posted on the GIDC website at gidc.bt. You can also register your interest and tell us about yourself.
Write to us at gidc@gidc.bt and we will point you to the right person.
Register interest
Share a few details and the right person at GIDC will be in touch.
Received
Your interest is registered. A member of the GIDC team will reply within two working days.
Take GIDC with you
Emailgidc@gidc.bt
OfficeDabtong House, Thimphu
RegisteredGelephu Mindfulness City
Websitegidc.bt