GROWING THREE LEARNING ECOSYSTEMS, TAMAN SCHOOL UI WON “PERTAMUDA SEED & SCALE UP 2022” COMPETITION
Taman School is a peer-to-peer education startup whose mission is to make students feel safe academically and psychologically. This startup assisted by Directorate of Innovation and Science Techno Park (DISTP) of Universitas Indonesia (UI) helps students make their tutoring classes for other students. Currently, Taman School is still focusing on academics. In the future, this startup will be developed in industrial and office areas so that employees can create their classes according to their respective competencies and experiences.
“We are not new tutors. We make an analogy with Ruang Guru, Zenius, and the like, such as McD, KFC, or other big fast food brands. Taman School creates its marketplace. People who work as tutors, such as students or teachers who teach from home, can form a fair, democratic, and decentralized ecosystem so that they can develop,” said Mochammad Risky Altaresh, the Founder of Taman School.
Taman School has three growing ecosystems. First, the peer tutors ecosystem, where the class founders and tutors are peer tutors from among students or students from top schools. Second, the application of thalamus (notion-based learning management system) to facilitate tutors in the teaching and learning process. Third, the marketplace ecosystem with inclusive payments (sharing costs and paying as much as you will). The sharing costs scheme is implemented in small classes, whereas the latter scheme is implemented in large classes. The more members in the class, the cheaper the payment is and the more the tutor gets paid.
“Taman School has been established since 2019. Our current segment is junior high school students who want to enter an outstanding high school. The tutors are alumni of the high school itself. We started from SMANU MH Thamrin, one of the best high schools in Indonesia. Since 2019, our growth has been quite good. From the initial turnover of 30–60 million, now it has reached 600 million. The plan is for us to expand other types of classes with a much stronger ecosystem,” said Altaresh.
Director of Innovation and Science Techno Park Ahmad Gamal, S.Ars., M.U.P., Ph.D. said UI through DISTP always encourages entrepreneurial growth through business incubation activities, entrepreneurship training, and mentoring. Especially for Taman School, as one of the startups born from UI, DISTP has provided intensive assistance in the form of a substantive review of the pitch deck and business plan. “As the winner of Pertamuda, Taman School will also be one of the startup candidates who will receive incubation facilities from DISTP. This is done so that students’ brilliant ideas can continue to be developed and launched as a real startup,” said Ahmad Gamal.
On December 7–10, 2022, at the Jakarta Double Tree Hotel by Hilton, Taman School took part in the Final Pitching Demoday Pertamuda in “Pertamuda Seed and Scale Up 2022” competition held by PT Pertamina (Persero) since August 2022. Taman School became the third best out of 2,000 participants who took part in this competition. Thanks to this victory, they received a training fund prize of 100 million rupiahs and a mentoring fund for business incubators of 25 million rupiahs from Pertamina.
“Pertamuda Seed and Scale Up 2022” is a business idea competition for students as a form of Pertamina’s commitment to supporting the development of startups in Indonesia. This competition aims to expand the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as encourage business ideas to be realized, grow, and have an impact on the economy and people’s welfare. Apart from that, this competition is also expected to assist the government in creating young entrepreneurs and employment, especially in the field of creative economic development which has innovative and sustainable value.
There are four criteria for selecting the best startup in the “Pertamuda Seed and Scale Up 2022” competition. First, whether the ideas offered can solve the problems that exist in society. Second, how the ideas are applied to see traction or business development and validation from the community. Third, how the business management is run in related companies. This is included in the criteria because the judges of the competition are investors. Fourth, whether the startup team has sufficient competence to manage the business.
Apart from that, Pertamuda is also looking for startups that are in line with the three pillars of the SDGs, namely the economic pillar, which includes affordable and clean energy; decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation, and infrastructure; reduced inequalities; and partnerships for the goals. Second, social pillars, which includes no poverty; zero hunger; good health and well-being; quality education; and gender equality. Finally, the environmental pillar, which includes clean water and sanitation; sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; climate action; life below water; and life on land.
