Indonesia continues to solidify its position as a digital economic powerhouse on the global stage. The rapid growth of startups in the country demonstrates remarkable progress. As of July 2025, Startup Ranking recorded Indonesia as the sixth-largest country in the world in terms of active startups. With a total of 3,161 active startups, Indonesia has surpassed several developed countries, including Germany, France, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates.
This achievement is not merely a statistical milestone but a reflection of strong collaboration between local entrepreneurial spirit and the crucial role of the Ministry of Digital Communication (Komdigi).
“At Komdigi, we have launched a strategic initiative called Garuda Spark, which focuses on accelerating the growth and effectiveness of the digital ecosystem. We believe that collaboration is the foundation of this development,” said Muhammad Faisal, Head of Partnership and Investment Ecosystem at Komdigi, during the Yogyakarta Startup Ecosystem Day 2025 workshop held at UGM Innovation and Creativity Hub (GIK UGM) on Thursday (Oct. 15).
Echoing the government’s efforts, the academic sector, through universities, has also shown strong commitment. Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko, Vice-Rector for Research, Business Development, and Partnerships at Universitas Gadjah Mada, emphasized the importance of the university’s role as a melting pot for innovators and partners. He noted that encouraging innovation, downstream research, and startup growth are top priorities.
“To build an innovation ecosystem, we need interdisciplinary collaboration. Therefore, we must strengthen connectivity, networking, and dialogue among inventors,” said Dr. Hadmoko.
He further highlighted that higher education institutions can have a greater impact in driving innovation, downstream research, and startup growth.
“We hope to create employment opportunities and innovations with high economic value, which will ultimately generate meaningful social impact,” he added.
Director of UGM Science Techno Park, Professor Sang Kompiang Wirawan, added that several startup sectors are projected to grow significantly in the next two to three years. He identified three key sectors, pharmaceuticals and health, agrotechnology, and IT and manufacturing, as having the greatest potential for expansion.
“Based on current developments and considering UGM’s diversity across its faculties and schools, we are committed to accommodating and facilitating these emerging startup ideas,” said Professor Wirawan.
The Yogyakarta Startup Ecosystem Day 2025 workshop was attended by approximately 100 participants representing various sectors of the startup community in Yogyakarta.
The event was initiated by UGM Innovative Academy in collaboration with TAKA Lab and Garuda Spark Innovation Hub, supported by Komdigi and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It featured business incubators and venture capital partners as speakers and mentors.
Author: Aldi Firmansyah
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographer: Jesi