Tech solutions from Indonesia – Make-IT in Asia kicks off

A report by Elisabeth Hobl & Mira Fitria Viennita Zakaria

With the Ideation Challenge for tech-start-ups „Make-IT in Asia“ kicked off successfully in Indonesia. Young entrepreneurs from South-East Asia handed in their ideas in the field of environment and energy. The local implanting partner of the ideation challenge is the Impact Hub Jakarta, a co-working space and incubator.

The Sector Program Digital Development launched “Make-IT in Asia” on behalf of BMZ. The GIZ country office in Indonesia and the GIZ initiative NEXUS SEA, which fosters start-ups from the energy sector, support the initiative. The EZ-Scout Programme supported together with the OAV - German Asia-Pacific Business Association the implementation of the ideation challenge.

Digital solution for rural areas
Through outreach events in Indonesian second tier cities such as Batam, Bandung, Malang and Medan as well as other Southeast Asian countries, the Impact Hub Jakarta reached tech-start-ups from rural areas. They develop solutions for rural areas in the field of energy and environment. Around 100 proposals from Indonesia and about 40 proposals from Southeast Asia were handed in. The Make-IT Alliance Jury selected finalists from Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines: From the renewable energy sector: Energihub, FIBO, WeGen (Philippinen); from waste management sector WasteUp, Smash.id and agriculture and forestry sector Mycotech, Agro Eco Tech und Myanmar Innovation Life Sciences (Myanmar). The Jury was supported by local GIZ projects such as Policy Advice for Environment and Climate Change (PAKLIM), Forests and climate change programme (FORCLIME) and 1,000 Islands – Renewable Energy for Electrification Programme.

Make-IT Alliance Jury engages with tech-start-ups
After a three-day bootcamp including pitch-training and visits to the “unicorn” Tokopedia and the Jakarta Smart City Office, the finalists presented their ideas at an evening event. „The Good Times“ event took place within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Conference (1.-3. November 2018). In two rounds the young entrepreneurs presented their digital solutions to the Make-IT Alliance Jury and the audience. Part of the German-Indonesian jury were experts such as Amanda Katili Niode, Head of Expert Team, The Office of the President's Special Envoy for Climate Change, Clas Neumann, Head of SAP and Florian Moder, IT-Partner APLAC GIZ. The finalists were put in touch with the Make-IT Alliance members and will receive training through Impact Hub Jakarta and NEXUS SEA in order to develop their ideas further. The German Ambassador to Indonesia, Dr Peter Schoof stressed the importance of digital technology for Indonesia’s economy and the innovative potential of young tech-start-ups. The event was organized by GIZ together with the German Government and federal state pilot programme Startup AsiaBerlin, the Indonesian Agency for Creative Economy (BEKRAF), the German Accelerator, GTAI, Siemens and SAP.