Being Able to Build a Sustainable Entrepreneurship Ecosystem for 10 Years, Indonesia Wants to Learn from the Netherlands

Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs (Menkop UKM) Teten Masduki (left) and CEO of the World Startup Gerrit Jan Van 't Veen (right). Photo: Doc. Kemenkop UKM

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government through the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs (Kemenkop UKM) is exploring collaboration with the Dutch incubator institution, World Startup, to develop a startup ecosystem in the fields of agriculture, aquaculture and manufacturing.

"We want to learn from the Netherlands about how to promote innovative SMEs through the role of business and technology incubators," said Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs (Menkop UKM) Teten Masduki in a written statement, quoted Thursday, January 25.

Minister Teten said that Indonesia's wealth of natural resources could be a source of new economic growth to make Indonesia a developed country.

"With its abundant natural wealth, the Indonesian Government consistently encourages downstream programs. So, natural resource products are no longer sold raw," said Teten in his official statement, quoted Thursday, February 25.

Teten said that currently the government has placed export restrictions on Indonesian natural resource products through downstreaming.

To create a new economy in the downstream program, said Teten, digitalization exploration from upstream to downstream must be carried out.

For example, the use of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the development of domestic superior commodities.

"The digital economy for SMEs is not just on board e-commerce or creating digital literacy training. Starting from financial technology to procurement platforms for goods and services, the government must also encourage the digitalization of SMEs," he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs itself has implemented an entrepreneurial (startup) incubation program, partnering with 20 business incubator institutions spread throughout Indonesia.

Meanwhile, for 2024, the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs will explore collaboration with World Startup to optimize the process and results or output of the business incubation program.

On the same occasion, World Startup CEO Gerrit Jan Van 't Veen said, World Startup has succeeded in building a sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem for approximately 10 years.

"We are building inspiring conditions for prospective entrepreneurs and their partners to grow as entrepreneurs and accelerate the global transition towards a sustainable and just society through entrepreneurship programs," he said.

He also emphasized that he was ready to collaborate and exchange ideas to help develop entrepreneurship in Indonesia.

"Of course we can exchange ideas with the Indonesian government (Kemenkop UKM) regarding the entrepreneurial development that we have been carrying out so far," he added.