Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) form an important backbone of the Indonesian economy. According to a 2018 data published by the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs, around 64,2 million people within the country are owners of MSMEs*. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises also make the largest contribution towards full-time employment in Indonesia, employing 119,6 million people or around 96,92% of the total national workforce**. In addition, MSMEs also contribute 61.97% or 8.500 trillion of the total national GDP***. 

The magnitude of growth and contribution MSMEs have made to the economy has motivated iForte to organize the iFortepreneur 4.0 program. Made in collaboration with Bandung’s Institute of Technology’s School of Business Management, the Iforteperneur 4.0 program aims to provide a vocational program for MSME players packaged as a Digital Business Plan Competition. As a manifestation of iForte's passion in providing the very best in infrastructure connectivity to support digitized lifestyles, this program aims to facilitate well-rounded, sustainable digital transformation within Indonesian MSMEs. 

This year, iFortepreneur 4.0 was held virtually due to the still ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. Nevertheless, the event saw a sizable amount of participation with around 334 MSME owners submitting their ideas to this competition. From these 334 registrants, 12 finalists were able to successfully move on onto the final stage of the competition. These included Original Coffee (Banda Aceh), Krisbu (Jambi), Postiv.id (Jakarta), Genzy IFI Dry Food (Depok), Jamuin.id (Cianjur), Kafi (Bandung), Natakraf (Bandung), Kain Corak Alam Ecoprint (Magelang), Kebun Tani (Yogyakarta), Fish Gator (Surabaya), Teampal (Bali), dan Timur Mushroom Farm (Polewali Mandar).

After a long journey, the final presentation session of the program gave birth to three winners, namely Fish Gator, an MSME from Surabaya focused on developing IoTs for local aquaculture; Timur Mushroom Farm, an MSME from Polewali Mandar in Sulawesi engaged in oyster mushroom cultivation; as well as  Krisbu, an MSME from Jambi province specializing in selling chips made from processed sugar cane waste.

Although only three MSMEs managed to emerge as winners in this year’s iteration of the competition, several iForte partners have singled out and contacted a sizable number of finalists in order to explore future opportunities for collaboration. In addition, the results of finals have created a large value for the iFortepreneur 4.0 program and brand as a gateway for business opportunities for  developing MSME businesses. iForte is also optimistic that the program, which will open its second series in February 2022, can bring great benefits and become a valuable form of contribution to help Indonesian MSMEs in optimizing their business potential through adapting digital platforms.

Works Cited:

*https://www.djkn.kemenkeu.go.id/artikel/baca/13317/UMKM-Bangkit-Ekonomi-Indonesia-Terungkit.html

**https://databoks.katadata.co.id/datapublish/2021/08/13/kontribusi-umkm-terhadap-ekonomi-terus-meningkat

***https://www.bkpm.go.id/id/publikasi/detail/berita/upaya-pemerintah-untuk-memajukan-umkm-indonesia

Translated by Ignatius Krishnaya Santoso