JAKARTA - Three full days, M Bloc Space, South Jakarta, transformed into a center of gravity for the Indonesian UMKM ecosystem. MitMe Fest 2026, which took place on April 24-26, 2026 with the theme "Local Stories, Nusantara Works", was officially closed with tremendous enthusiasm from business actors, communities, to national stakeholders.
This festival introduces a new format that does not merely pursue commercial transactions - but focuses on strengthening the capacity, technology literacy, and overall business ecosystem of MSMEs. In the context of Indonesia, which now has around 64 million MSMEs as the backbone of the national economy, the urgency of empowerment like this cannot be delayed.
Government Calls for Digital Cooperation
The most crucial moment of MitMe Fest 2026 came on the closing day: a Strategic Dialogue with Tiar N Karbala, Special Staff to the President of the Republic of Indonesia for MSME and Digitalization. This session is not just a mere ceremony - the exhibition becomes an open dialogue space that brings together the policy perspectives of the state with the harsh reality faced by millions of business actors in the field.
Tiar opened the discussion by unraveling the paradox of Indonesia's digitalization: although internet penetration has reached 77-80 percent to the corners of the country, the digital literacy index of business actors in general is still stagnant at the middle level.
This condition raises a real risk - the adoption of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to widen the gap between large corporations with strong capital and micro entrepreneurs who are still minimally literate, even afraid to just try.
"The government cannot stand alone to handle so many problems from Sabang to Merauke. There must be a spirit of mutual cooperation where these programs cannot be done alone, but must collaborate collectively with young talents, communities, to the private sector," said Tiar N Karbala, Special Staff to the President of the Republic of Indonesia for MSME and Digitalization.
This statement was met with strong resonance from the audience in attendance - UMKM actors, strategic partners, and communities who have been working on the front lines of local economic empowerment. Tiar emphasized that the digital divide is not just an infrastructure problem, but an ecosystem problem: it requires synergy between the state, digital platforms, and communities to really raise UMKM to a higher class.
More than an Exhibition: Real Interventions for MSMEs
MitMe Fest 2026 was designed from the beginning as a solution-based platform - each program has a measurable strategic goal. Throughout the event, MSMEs are facilitated with business level assessments to map their business position and competence needs. A free strategic consultation corner is open to anyone, including an in-depth session of 1.5 hours with coffee roastery business actors who dissect the strategy of adapting technology to the completion of halal certification.
"For us, MSMEs should not only be used as a business object, but must be empowered so that they grow faster and we can together build local stories," said Adhitya Noviardi, Founder of the Mitme.id Ecosystem.
The free halal certification facilitation program is also present as a concrete step to boost the competitiveness of local products. Creative workshops such as flower arranging and DIY keychains strengthen the experiential dimension of this festival, making it inclusive for various segments - from families to young generations who are hungry for experiences based on creativity.
Cross-Sector Collaboration as a Real Proof
As a concrete manifestation of the spirit of mutual cooperation voiced by Tiar, MitMe Fest 2026 received full support from strategic partners across sectors who sent representatives from Wondr By Bank BNI, Bank Mandiri, Jamkrindo, InJourney Airports, JNE, and Waringin Hospitality. This synergy ensures that the assistance to MSMEs is integrated - from financing solutions to expanding the distribution network.
The reach of the festival's publication is also strengthened by a network of national media across provinces: Trenasia.id, GAC Media, Soul of Jakarta, Potretpriangan.co, Jatengaja.com, Jogjaaja.com, Soloaja.co, Eduwara.com, Halojatim.com, Halopacitan.com, Balinesia.id, Floresku.com, Sumatrakini.co, Kabarsiger.com, Kabarminang.id, Potretutara.com, Ibukotakini.com, Makassarinsight.com, Starbanjar.com, Sijori.id, Wongkito.co, and Lyfebengkulu.com. Not Just An Event - A Sustainable Movement The MitMe founder emphasized that MitMe Fest is not the end point, but rather the starting point of a larger long-term strategy.
"We see that MSMEs not only need a stage, but also direction and access. MitMe Fest is designed to answer that - connecting needs with solutions directly," said MitMe Founder, Adhitya Noviardi.
Post-implementation, MitMe is committed to continuing a series of mentoring programs, business education through digital applications, and social media utilization - ensuring that the impact does not stop on the closing day, but continues in the real and measurable business growth for each UMKM involved.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
