Indonesian Startups Win $4K in Green Energy Challenge

When GISACT presented their spatial intelligence platform at a Jakarta innovation hub last month, they walked away with $4,000 and a shot at going global. The young Indonesian startup team took first place at the MAJU:ON Final Demo Day, impressing judges with technology that helps everyone from disaster responders to farmers make better decisions using geographic data.

The competition marked the graduation of the first group of entrepreneurs in MAJU:ON, a program SK Innovation E&S launched in Indonesia last year to support young people building businesses in energy and environmental technology. Over 10 months, the initiative trained 460 young entrepreneurs and helped develop 130 startup teams through workshops, a hackathon, and mentorship from industry experts.

Ten finalist teams pitched their solutions to an audience of 200 people, including officials from five Indonesian government ministries and representatives from the Korean Embassy. Attendees participated in a mock investment session, allocating virtual funds to the startups they found most promising.

Second place went to AIGRA, which developed an AI system to prevent agricultural produce from spoiling. Third place winner Lifeguards created technology to keep fruits and vegetables fresh longer. Two additional teams earned special recognition for innovations in agriculture and wearable technology.

The prize money is just the beginning. All five winning teams will attend a Korea-Indonesia conference in September to network with entrepreneurs from both countries. They're also eligible for interest-free loans of up to 20 million Korean won (about $15,000) through a joint fund established specifically to help them grow.

The Ripple Effect

Eight regional universities partnered with SK Innovation E&S to identify promising young founders, creating pathways for students to turn classroom ideas into real businesses. Dr. Ir. Hariyanto from Indonesia's Ministry of Energy praised the program for preparing future leaders in the energy sector, noting that youth-driven innovation is essential for the country's transition to cleaner energy.

GISACT CEO Anjar Dimara Sakti says the experience transformed his team's abstract concept into a concrete business plan. The skills and connections gained through MAJU:ON are helping young Indonesian founders think beyond local markets and aim for global expansion.

SK Innovation E&S plans to launch a second round of the program, building on the success of this first cohort. For hundreds of young Indonesians with ideas about solving energy and environmental challenges, the path from inspiration to implementation just got clearer.