Grab Tech Center, MSME Solutions To Transform And Grow Online

Inauguration of the Grab Tech Center (doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Grab Indonesia has officially launched a Tech Center which will become a center for digital talent innovation in the Southeast Asia region. According to the President of Grab Indonesia, Ridzki Kramadibrata, the Grab Tech Center is aimed at developing solutions for MSME players.

"This new innovation center will house the best technology talents in the country to build a series of solutions dedicated to addressing the needs of the Indonesian people as well as the people of Southeast Asia," Ridzki said in a virtual launch event, Tuesday, November 10.

The decision to build a new innovation center in Indonesia is also inseparable from the number of MSMEs which reaches 64 million. Where currently only 16 percent of MSMEs have entered the digital platform.

Therefore, with the establishment of the Grab Tech Center, Ridzki continued, it will focus on providing solutions to MSMEs, transforming their business to digital and accessing customers who have not been accessible before.

"Currently on the Grab platform in Indonesia, no less than 6 million MSMEs are already running their business through the Grab platform. The plan is that in accordance with our mission, we will add another 5 million MSMEs in the next five years," Ridzki said.

Occupying more than 12,000 square meters of land, Grab's innovation center is located at Gama Tower. The nine-story building, with 111 meeting rooms and collaboration areas will be the center for the development of a series of tools that can help MSMEs transform and grow online.

Grab Tech webinar (doc. Grab Indonesia)

BJ Habibie Hall

At the Grab Tech Center, Grab at the same time inaugurated a new hall named BJ Habibie Hall. This hall is intended to honor the Third President, BJ Habibie as an engineer and scientist who has presented many innovations.

Occupying an area of 429 square meters, this hall will function as a forum for education and collaboration for scholars and policy makers in the fields of technology, academia, and business.

"Hopefully this Grab Tech Center can become a center to help build a new generation of technology talent in Indonesia, in order to welcome and pick up industry 4.0, I believe that," said the Minister of Communication and Informatics, Johnny G Plate.

Furthermore, Managing Director of Grab Indonesia, Neneng Goenadi, said that the Grab Tech Center will focus on developing a series of easy-to-use and reliable tools to help MSMEs in the country transform and grow online.

"Indonesia is an ideal place for us to design, test and incubate these solutions, where there are more than 64 million MSMEs throughout the archipelago, with a density of up to 22 MSMEs per 100 people, and the Indonesian government is very supportive and highly committed to innovation. , "said Neneng.

"The solutions we have designed in Indonesia to answer the needs of local MSMEs, will then be applied to other countries in Southeast Asia to help MSMEs in these countries, which are faced with the same challenges as MSMEs in the country," he said. continue.

Grab itself has opened a research and development or R&D center in Jakarta since 2017. Along with that, Grab develops and improves technology capabilities in Indonesia, including in areas such as product design, analytics and software engineering.

"We are also investing in programs, such as Grab Ventures Velocity to develop the next generation of Indonesian unicorns," said Neneng.

In addition, Grab also has various initiatives to build the next generation of Indonesian leaders, through programs such as Internal Future Leaders aimed at Grabbers, a designation for Grab employees, and also Tech Future Leaders dedicated to local talents outside of Grab employees.

"The real meaning of Grab Tech Center Jakarta is our commitment to Indonesia, our belief that technology can bring goodness to improve the quality of life and income of millions of people. Our determination to build a prosperous future for all Indonesians," said Neneng.