MAKASSAR – Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) of the Republic of Indonesia Maman Abdurahman stressed the importance of the courage to start, the willingness to keep growing, and the readiness to make an impact in building outstanding entrepreneurs. In the minister’s view, entrepreneurship is one of the driving forces of the national economy, resting on innovation, creativity, and the courage to see opportunities amid various challenges.
Minister Maman made the remarks at the South Sulawesi Outstanding Entrepreneurs Exchange (Bursa Wirausaha Unggulan), themed “Dare to Start, Grow, and Be Ready to Make an Impact.” The event was held through a collaboration between the Ministry of MSMEs, via its Deputy for Entrepreneurship, and Hasanuddin University on Tuesday (15 September), at the Baruga A.P Pettarani, Unhas Tamalanrea Campus, Makassar.
In Maman’s view, the growth of entrepreneurship should be judged by the benefits it brings to the surrounding community. MSME development has the potential to expand job opportunities, improve product quality, and strengthen community welfare.
“Through MSME development, we hope jobs can be created for local communities, quality products can be encouraged, and community welfare can be improved in a sustainable way,” said Maman.
Strengthening MSMEs requires an ecosystem that accompanies business owners through the various stages of growth. To meet this need, the Ministry of MSMEs has introduced SAPA UMKM, an integrated service platform that covers business owners’ needs from the pre-production stage through post-production.
SAPA UMKM is also supported by service collaboration and data integration across ministries and agencies, regional governments, and stakeholders. The effort is aimed at building an accurate National MSME Database. Strong data is needed so that MSME development policies and programs can be delivered in a more targeted way.
Maman also highlighted the challenges everyone will meet in pursuing their dreams. Choices, limitations, and problems in the regions are part of the journey that must be faced with courage.
Obstacles must not be used as a reason to give up or to feel unable to go on. A willingness to persevere in facing problems must be matched by the will to keep striving and to look for solutions.
Closing the remarks, Maman reminded the audience that the struggle of building a business has a meaning broader than economic achievement. Maman urged aspiring entrepreneurs to keep their fighting spirit, especially when the business they build can lift the dignity and standing of their parents and benefit society.
“The obstacles and problems faced in the regions must not be used as a reason to give up or to claim one cannot go on. A bright future belongs only to those who truly are willing to fight for it,” Maman concluded.
Earlier, in remarks on behalf of the Rector, Unhas Vice Rector for Innovation and Business Management Prof. Dr. Amir Ilyas, S.H., M.H., stressed that campus innovation needs an ecosystem that allows research results to move toward the market. Business owners need real access to financing, technology, markets, legality, certification, mentoring, and business partner networks.
For this reason, collaboration among universities, government, industry, financing institutions, communities, and entrepreneurs is an important part of strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem. That ecosystem also opens a path for Unhas research and innovation to grow into products, startups, spin-offs, technology licences, and businesses with economic and social value. The chain of research, innovation, downstreaming, commercialization, entrepreneurship, and impact is the approach being promoted so that knowledge from campus has continuity after producing a prototype.
“Entrepreneurship must not stop at training and seminars. Entrepreneurs must gain real access: access to financing, technology, markets, legality, certification, mentoring, and business partner networks. This, in our view, is the strength of the Outstanding Entrepreneurs Exchange. Curated participants are brought directly together with financing institutions, market partners, and various stakeholders,” said Prof. Amir Ilyas.
The Outstanding Entrepreneurs Exchange is the graduation stage of a series of training, mentoring, and incubation programs that have been provided, particularly by incubator institutions. Through this event, curated participants are brought together with financing institutions, market partners, the business community, licensing service providers, and other stakeholders to expand their networks, partnerships, and access to business development.
The program included business matching, business presentations, workshops, and an expo of products, services, and business innovations. The event drew more than 1,000 participants, made up of student aspiring entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs, and MSME business owners who had gone through the curation process. (*/mir)
Editor : Ishaq Rahman
This article is an English translation of the original Indonesian report.