Blueprint: Blueprint: Mongolia

Many people travel to Mongolia to disconnect, to escape into the vast wilderness and switch off. But for Mongolians, connectivity is everything. The country has 3.5 million people and 5 million active phone numbers. Everywhere you look in the capital city Ulaanbaatar, people are glued to their phones. A vibrant startup scene in the city is driving innovation and diversifying Mongolia's economy beyond its mining roots, fueled by a young, ambitious, and entrepreneurial population. A new digital infrastructure is not only reshaping how people travel, live and shop here - but tackling some of the country's biggest challenges: congestion, pollution and climate change. Innovations first cultivated in the city are taking root in remote corners of the country, where 30% of the population still live nomadic lifestyles. Forget Silicon Valley, this is the Silicon Steppe, where homegrown startups are powering Mongolia's digital transformation.