After the success of competition and exhibition of Sociopreneur Muda Indonesia (SOPREMA) 2016, the Youth Studies Centre (Yousure) of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM has opened similar events this year. Now, SOPREMA 2017 tries to grab opportunities among the young for innovation potential.
“This is the realisation of the university grand scheme that has socio-enterpreneurship character. What makes this project different is the effort to encourage the young people, i.e. students, not just to be independent entrepreneurs but also one that cares to resolve social problems,” said Dean of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Dr. Erwan Agus Purwanto, M.Si., in a press conference on Tuesday (21/3) on campus.
The programme aims to contribute to resolving social problems through social entrepreneurship, open wide opportunities, and encourage young people across Indonesia to share experience in generating society’s economy. Young people are challenged to create a venture by looking at social problems as an opportunity to empower the society.
The young people’s care to social issues, according to Erwan, became a vital issue remembering the major challenge that they will have to face in the future. This increasing social gap problem requires appropriate and effective solution.
“Around the world a wave of disparity is happening, the rich doesn’t care about the poor and the poor even gets worse. In order to prevent this from becoming social conflict, the young people have to be able to contribute solution to resolve this problem,” he said.
“SOPREMA encourages the young people to make innovations for an unimaginable business venture as never before. I hope in the future innovators will arise that have the vision to predict what will happen in 20 or 25 years’ time from now and able to resolve problems presently not existing,” said Erwan.
Similarly, Rector of UGM, Prof. Ir. Dwikorita Karnawati, M.Sc., Ph.D., said the event was the form of UGM spirit as the university of people, which tries to build a smart and resilient village and bridging the gap between rural and urban areas.
“SOPREMA is open not only to young people in urban areas but also rural areas. SOPREMA becomes the bridge that accelerates the effort of UGM to build the character of young generation that is productive,” she said.
Registration for SOPREMA 2017 is from 15 March – 31 May 2017. There will be a kick-off category for 0-1 year of business venture, and start-up for 1-3 years. Groups of maximum of 3 people at the age between 16 – 30 years old from across Indonesia will vie for the total prize worth IDR300 million.There will be three categories of competition, Daring SOPREMA or sociopreneur through online learning, Two Tracks Competition for beginner and initiative, and Win the Challenge, social entrepreneurship links with market access or capitals. More information can be seen at http://SOPREMA.fisipol.ugm.ac.id/