Government is currently strengthening the digital industry economy by encouraging the young people into digital business. One of those is the 1,000 Startup Business movement that is expected to reduce economic gap and gini ratio index. This was said by Section Head of Technology and Informatics Infrastructure in the Information and Communication Ministry, Sony Hendra Sudaryana, ST., M.MT., when attending seminar and workshop themed Networking of 1,000 Digital Startups, organised in Dharma Putera Baciro dormitories, Yogyakarta, on Saturday (19/5).
Sudaryana said the new startups were expected to give three business models to create equality, financial inclusion, and digitalisation. “We hope the new startups will help reduce the gap among society, especially to prevent social conflict that have often emerged,” he said.
The wide gap between the rich and the poor has caused political and economic unstable conditions and social conflicts such as terrorism and radicalism. To resolve the problem, efforts are needed that can raise the prosperity of the impoverished people.
He further touched upon the success of digital technology startups such as Gojek through economic sharing and manpower digitalisation. “Gojek has helped reduced unemployment level and the average income of drivers and SMEs have increased,” he said.
Henry also mentioned other startups such as Tokopedia and online SMEs. “Now together we resolve the problem of how to increase the income of SMEs through online sales,” he said.
At the same event, Co-Founder of Prism, Fachry Bafadal, while mentoring the student participants of the seminar has asked them not to easily give up. “Never blame the situation because it can be a lesson for us in our journey,” he said.
He suggested the startup founders not to put forth their ego in developing a product and platform, but always make innovation according to the market demand. ”Our ego can destroy our product when we don’t listen to the market. Celebrate a failure instead,” he said.
Sebastian Alex Dharmawangsa, one founder of Horticulturist startup that had been established after the UGM Innovative Academy, said the initial step in digital business development was by strengthening cooperation between team members. Alex said as high as 65% startups have stopped growing due to internal problems while they were unaware of the roles and duties of each member. “It’s important to know the character and job desk of each member in order to create an effective team,” he said.