Indonesia Explores Cooperation With The Netherlands, Interested In Developing SDG's Partnership Program For Startups

Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs (Menkop UKM) Teten Masduki (most left) witnessed the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) by the Deputy for Entrepreneurship Siti Azizah with the Chief Executive Officer of PUM in the Netherlands. (Photo: Doc. Kemenkop UKM)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government through the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs (Kemenkop UKM) is exploring opportunities for cooperation with the PUM Netherlands Senior Experts in the Netherlands regarding the business incubation program for novice entrepreneurs or startups.

This is done because PUM Netherlands Senior Experts has succeeded in creating a business climate for start-ups in 36 countries with a total project of 1,300-1,700 per year for 45.000 entrepreneurs.

"As our effort to optimize the process and results of the ongoing business incubation, we intend to explore the prospects for cooperation with the PUM Netherlands Senior Experts," said Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs (Menkop UKM) Teten Masduki in a written statement, quoted Wednesday, January 23.

Minister Teten said that the success of the PUM would be replicated through the Government of Indonesia program so that there would be greater opportunities for new entrepreneurs to be created.

"One of the interesting focal areas of what PUM is doing regarding partnership programs is the implementation of SDG's number 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)," he said.

Through the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) by the Deputy for Entrepreneurship, Siti Azizah, with the Chief Executive Officer of PUM, Minister Teten hopes that the collaboration that is expected to be realized will soon be realized.

Thus, it can encourage policies that are oriented towards the establishment of formal businesses and the growth of MSMEs through updating technology and innovation.

"It is hoped that the collaboration and synergy of this cooperation opportunity will be able to encourage global consumption efficiency and resource production. Furthermore, it can reduce the proportion of young people who do not work so that they have productive and decent job opportunities," said Teten.

Teten claims that the government also always increases the entrepreneurship ratio by establishing organizations that specialize in providing promotion and marketing services to Indonesian SMEs or known as Smesco.

These services include market information, marketing tools, product promotions, marketing networks, distribution as well as marketing consultations and marketing incubation. "Our goal is to equip SMEs with the skills and resources needed to develop both in the domestic and global markets," he said.

Since 2021, the Government of Indonesia through the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs has implemented an incubation program for novice entrepreneurs through partnerships with 20 business incubator institutions spread throughout Indonesia. These efforts have succeeded in incubating more than 350 start-ups.

"The majority of partners of this business incubator institution have collaborated and come from public and private universities. The rest come from the form of local governments in Indonesia," he added.