Understanding Demographic Bonus Momentum and Starting a Startup

Edition #TuesdayStartup this time is quite special because it also commemorates Youth Pledge Day. The theme raised was “Young Innovate: Start Your Startup Now” by inviting the Minister of Research and Technology/Head of BRIN Bambang Brodjonegoro sebagai keynote speaker.

Then, the Special Staff of the Minister of Research and Technology/Ka. BRIN Startup Networking Adrian A. Gunadi, Kiddo.id CEO Analia Tan, Mycotech CEO & Co-Founder Adi Reza Nugroho, Riliv Co-Founder Audrey Maximillian Herli, Kata.ai Co-Founder & COO Wahyu Wrehasnaya, and East Ventures Partner Melissa Irene.

Regarding the big theme, Bambang said that the demographic bonus that was happening in Indonesia should be interpreted as a golden opportunity to make the Indonesian economy more advanced by innovating by utilizing digital technology. This opportunity does not come twice because in 2045 this demographic bonus will be completed and move on to old age.

He encourages today's young people to become entrepreneurs, because the more entrepreneurs there are, the more productive a country's economy will be.

"But this is just an assumption, if the [demographic bonus] cannot bemanage properly, it becomes a demographic burden. So that this does not happen, it must be directed to give birth to technology-based startups that can create more jobs," he said.

Tips from founder startups and investors

To encourage more startups, DailySocial also ask for perspectives from the founder startup in a panel discussion session. Audrey, for example, encourages young people to never be afraid to start a new initiative. Even when you find a new idea, don't think that the idea is the only one in the world.

The idea should not be saved, instead shared with others so that it can develop and be realized as a real business. "If you just save the idea, it will not be able to develop, from the idea later it can be a solution," he said.

Meanwhile, from Analia's perspective, it is better to start the idea from what we like to make it easier to find problems. He gave an example when pioneering Kiddo, basically he likes education for children. Then he chatted with his friends who already have children.

Apparently, the root of the problem is that parents find it difficult to find good activities for their children. In terms of business actors, the business processes are still conventional for the administrative process. Kiddo finally took the opportunity by placing himself as a platform marketplace for children's activities.

"Many friends who support and open network finally inspired the idea to start Kiddo," added Analia.

From the investor's perspective, Melissa added that each investor has Key everyone in investing, whether technology-based or not because everyone has their own portion. The most important thing is that innovations created by young people must solve existing problems.

"Technology is only a tool so that the goal of solving the targeted problem is faster and can be solved.scale up. Don't get the wrong perception because these basics are used as benchmarks by investors for analysis," he said.

The consideration of investors when they are interested in investing actually sees many things. For example, is the startup really worth investing in by VCs, what is its market share, from a competition perspective, what kind of market is it? saturated or not, and much more.

Government assistance

Adrian continued to support the creation of more quality startups, Ministry of Research and Technology/BRIN continued its annual program called Indonesian Innovation Startups. According to him, this program is in line with the government's focus on advancing the digital economy, a strategy like this has been carried out by developed countries such as Singapore and the United States. That's why startups in both countries are growing rapidly.

"This program is not just talking about big cities, but how innovation can be more comprehensive throughout Indonesia because each of them has extraordinary potential," said Adrian.

This program makes three types of funding based on the scale of the startup, starting from pre-startup with a maximum grant of IDR 250 million, startup with a grant fund of up to IDR 500 million, and the highest is scale-up with a grant of up to IDR 1 billion.

Last March, the proposal proposal stage for each type of funding was carried out. Currently, they are entering the evaluation process and proceed with the selection of presentations. In the final stage, precisely in December, a workshop will be held to review the budget and action plans.

"The focus of this year's startup fields is transportation, maritime, health, multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral, food, engineering, defense and security, and energy," concluded Adrian.