Salman Subakat
ChampionCEO, Nurhayati Subakat Entrepdneurship Institute
The growth and development of the biotech industry in Indonesia need to be promoted and supported across various cities in the country. While Jakarta is considered the center of the biotech industry in Indonesia, the government aims to establish biotech clusters in other cities like Bandung, Surabaya, and Yogyakarta to further boost the industry’s growth.
MIT REAP Java’s goal is to build an “innovation ecosystem hub” or center of technology excellence that serves as a platform for adaptation, research/study, and exchange between the US (Cambridge) and Indonesia. The mission of this hub is to facilitate the growth, equity, and sustainability of the biotech industry in Indonesia through various initiatives, including matchmaking industry and startups in the biotech sector, facilitating tech transfer, fostering research collaborations, creating employment opportunities, and establishing a conducive policy ecosystem for the biotech industry’s development in Indonesia. The proposed theme of biotechnology innovation in health, beauty/wellness, and agro-biotechnology aligns with President Jokowi’s Vision for Indonesia’s 100th Anniversary, which aims to become the 5th largest economy in the world with a focus on technological innovation.