Universitas Indonesia (UI), through the Directorate of Innovation and Science Techno Park (DISTP), in collaboration with INNOVARE, the Department of Empowerment and Innovation of the Student Executive Board (BEM) UI held INNOTalks 2, September 28, at Balai Sidang UI. The activity, which carried the theme “Navigating the Path to Business Excellence: Streamlining Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Growth,” managed to attract the attention of more than 80 participants, consisting of students, entrepreneurs, and academics who are interested in entrepreneurship and sustainability issues.
With the aim of providing inspiration while facilitating the preparation of sustainable business strategies, INNOTalks 2 is a relevant platform to discuss challenges and opportunities in the business world in the modern era. Head of the Business Incubator Sub-Directorate of DISTP UI, Prasandhya Astagiri Yusuf, Ph.D emphasized the importance of innovation and collaboration in supporting the development of sustainable entrepreneurship, creating synergy between academics, industry players, and government institutions in realizing common goals. “The Innovare and Innotalks BEM UI activities are very important to get the best talent pool of prospective founders who will be encouraged to join the UI INCUBATE DISTP UI program with funding per startup of up to 1 billion rupiah to further develop their business,” said Prasandhya.
The speakers in INNOTalks 2 are well-known figures in the world of entrepreneurship, including Pinhome Chief Strategy Officer, Qurrat Abu Ayyub; Jacquelle CEO, Budi Thomas; Bromen CEO, Thobroni Ali; and Nusantic CEO, Revata Utama. The discussion was moderated by Aqil Drajat, UI Vocational Education Outstanding Student and Founder of Garland Fragrance.
Budi Thomas emphasized the importance of courage to innovate and maintain local identity in global competition. He told how Jacquelle, as a local beauty brand, was able to compete with international brands through a strong local empowerment strategy. “Indonesia has great potential in the beauty industry. We need to be proud of local products and continue to encourage innovation to win the market,” he said.
Bromen CEO, Thobroni Ali, emphasized the importance of a customer-centric business model. According to him, a successful business not only provides quality products but is also able to understand and meet customer needs sustainably. “Putting customers first is not just an option, but an urgent need for businesses that want to stay relevant and competitive in this rapidly changing era,” he said.
From Pinhome’s perspective, Qurrat Abu Ayyub shared the success story of a rapidly growing proptech company in Indonesia. He emphasized the importance of building a technology-supported business strategy to create sustainable solutions in the property sector. “With a technology-based approach, we continue to strive to provide relevant and environmentally friendly services, which are not only beneficial for users but also have a positive impact on the property industry as a whole,” said Qurrat.
In addition to sharing knowledge, INNOTalks 2 also provided interactive panel discussions and quiz sessions that involved participants. Through critical questions asked, participants were invited to test their understanding of the material that had been presented. The event closed with a case study session that gave participants the opportunity to ask questions directly to the speakers. This provided invaluable insight into the application of business strategies in real contexts, while also encouraging participants to think critically in solving the problems they face.
