Startup Stakeholders and RISTEK-BRIN Meeting Discuss RnD Problems

The Ministry of Research and Technology / National Agency for Research and Innovation (Kemenristek / BRIN) held a limited meeting with pioneering startup leaders and investor groups in Indonesia. In this meeting, the ministry wants to receive input and discuss the development of research and development.

The Minister of Research and Technology / Head of BRIN, Bambang Brodjonegoro, explained that the company’s development had been carried out by the ministry in the previous period. And during his leadership, the ministry will continue to push for accelerated research and technology.

He hopes the ministry’s support will have a greater effect on the domestic corporate ecosystem. Bambang explained that he took the initiative to invite two core groups, one of which is an investor who has entered many lines of companies in Indonesia, because of that reason.

Also, the ministry invited leaders or owners of other established technology-based companies. Bambang hoped that the two groups invited could provide insights on RnD issues in Indonesia and other related issues that hampered ecosystem development.

Encouraging Product Innovation in Indonesia through This Meeting

Bambang also said that discussions with leading company groups could produce a “quick win” to drive product innovation in Indonesia. Thus, he will continue to grow. According to him, with a two-way discussion like what was done, it could create various ideas from all inputs submitted by the stakeholders. These ideas include:

1. Short-term ideas

In the short term, the government is asked to facilitate the exposure of Indonesian researchers. Then, the results of research by young Indonesians can be easily accessed by entrepreneurs. Bambang also said that many entrepreneurs complained about this problem. They usually get limited information.

2. Long-term ideas

With ideas that are run in the short term, if they continue to be developed, they can be used for long-term ideas. That way the company can continue to survive and continue to provide innovations in the future.

This must continue to be done because Indonesia’s potential is enormous. As such, there should be more exposure to domestic researchers to corporate leaders and investors. “So our job as a government is to unite what researchers have done at universities and educational institutions,” he added.

“We got various ideas and some of them can be applied in the short term. Meanwhile, the rest needs to be prepared because one of the potential research and development in Indonesia is not yet known by the business world,” he said.

 “Many entrepreneurs criticize that they do not understand what has been done and discovered by researchers and innovators in Indonesia. They usually get limited information about the results of the research. Some are not even known by the business sector,” he explained.

Large Indonesian Technology Companies Attend the Meeting

Several Indonesian new tech-companies including Gojek, Grab, Traveloka, Bukalapak, and Tokopedia attended this meeting. While investors, such as Djarum, Kejora Ventures, Northstar, Skystar Venture, Alpha JWC, and GDP Venture also attended the meeting initiated by the Ministry of Research and Technology / BRIN.

Meanwhile, the development of companies in Indonesia is growing rapidly along with technological growth. However, the number of companies in Indonesia is still lacking compared to other countries. Bambang compared the number of companies in Indonesia with others in other countries. Although he did not mention which countries would be compared, he explained that Indonesia needed to increase the number of companies. 

He added that there were 30 new companies. According to him, support through funding can develop the companies. Bambang said that we must know how to improve the existing tech companies. Startup can be improved if they can get support from investors.