Indonesian Deputy Ambassador: "Korea-Indonesia Startup Cooperation, Reaching Beyond Both Countries to the Global Market"

Interview with Alie Andika Wardana, Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of Indonesia in Korea

"Combining Korea’s Technological Strengths and Indonesia’s Market Potential ... Expanding AI and Climate Tech Startup Collaboration"

It has been suggested that in order for Korea and Indonesia to expand cooperation in future industries such as artificial intelligence (AI) and climate tech, "joint innovation" that brings together the strengths of both countries is necessary. This means leveraging Korea’s technological expertise and industrial competitiveness together with Indonesia’s young population and access to Asian markets, creating a foundation for the growth of startups from both nations, and further expanding jointly-developed technologies into the global market.

Alie Andika Wardana, Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of Indonesia in Korea, expressed this view during an interview at the Solve Conference held on the 8th at the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center in Dong-gu, Busan.

Ali Andika Wardana, Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of Indonesia in Korea, is giving an interview at the SOLVE Conference held on the 8th at the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center in Dong-gu, Busan. Photo by Jang Bokyung

Deputy Ambassador Alie emphasized, "Korea is a country very strong in technological innovation and industrial fields, while Indonesia has strengths in its youthful population and access to Asian markets. Cooperation that utilizes these respective strengths of both countries is important."

He also saw significant potential for collaboration in the field of AI. He stated, "We are working to apply AI in various fields such as healthcare, education, and industry," adding, "AI will play a vital role in making both countries’ industries operate and transform more efficiently in the future."

"Sustainability Know-How of Korean Companies Helps Indonesia's Growth"

He projected that collaboration with Korean companies in energy transition and climate change response will play an important role in supporting Indonesia's sustainable growth.

Deputy Ambassador Alie commented, "Korean companies have not just brought business to Indonesia, but have also shared their know-how on achieving sustainable growth, an area in which Korea has excelled. In particular, SK Innovation E&S has significantly contributed through programs like MAJU:ON," he added.

MAJU:ON is a startup support initiative launched by SK Innovation E&S to foster young talent in the energy and environmental fields and to contribute to the creation of social value in Indonesia.

He introduced examples where technology from startups discovered through MAJU:ON led to real commercialization. In one instance, a startup utilized satellite data to analyze Indonesia’s forests, developed ways to preserve and utilize the forests, and commercialized ideas to reduce climate risk.

He said, "Utilizing such innovative technologies from startups helps greatly in achieving Indonesia's sustainable growth."

He also highlighted the role of young entrepreneurs in Indonesia. Deputy Ambassador Alie explained, "Indonesia has a population of about 280 million people, with approximately 60% being youth. There are around 3,000 startups currently active, playing a vital role in economic growth, job creation, and strengthening collaboration with Korea."

However, he pointed out that there are limits to the growth of individual startups, highlighting the need to build a proper ecosystem. "It is important to create an ecosystem that allows startups to avoid isolation and achieve economies of scale," he said, emphasizing, "Cooperation with Korean companies such as SK Innovation E&S is essential for this purpose."

"The Strength of MAJU:ON is End-to-End Support ... Assisting with Market Entry"

Deputy Ambassador Alie singled out its "holistic approach" as the greatest strength of the MAJU:ON initiative by SK Innovation E&S.

He noted that "while investment and technical support are important for entrepreneurs, what matters most is offering a comprehensive solution," adding, "MAJU:ON provides consistent mentoring, suggests new approaches to business, and even offers opportunities for actual market entry."

He cited an example where a participating team initially developed post-processing technology for corn, but after assessing market size and other factors through MAJU:ON mentoring, shifted their business direction to post-processing technology for mushroom cultivation.

Deputy Ambassador Alie remarked, "Helping teams pivot to better ideas is the greatest advantage of MAJU:ON's holistic approach. Young entrepreneurs can gain new perspectives and opportunities that would be hard to identify alone."

"A Sustainable Cooperation Mechanism, Not a One-off Event, Is Needed"

He stressed that in order for Korea-Indonesia cooperation in climate tech and entrepreneurship not to be limited to one-off events, program sustainability and stronger collaboration frameworks between government and businesses are needed.

He also proposed that, as numerous Korean companies are already operating in Indonesia, they should be used as a bridge to connect the industrial ecosystems of the two countries.

He said, "Korean companies such as SK Innovation E&S, Hyundai Motor, Lotte Chemical, and POSCO are establishing a strong presence in Indonesia. If these companies strengthen the value chain between the two countries, startups will be better able to integrate into the established industrial ecosystem," he suggested.

"The Goal Is Not Number of Participants, but Entering the Global Market Beyond Both Countries"

He sees the ultimate goal of MAJU:ON and Korea-Indonesia cooperation not in simply increasing the number of program participants or supported startups.

Deputy Ambassador Alie stressed, "While it is important to consider how many startups have been supported or how many participants there are, these numbers are not the main goal. What matters is the impact produced by such programs."

He went on to cite Indonesia's carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects as an example, stating, "If these projects succeed, other countries will also be able to implement carbon reduction solutions in Indonesia. The hope is not to stop at exchanges between two countries, but to expand into markets in Asia, Europe, and even the United States."

On this day, SK Innovation E&S hosted the Solve Conference under the theme of activating the AI-based climate tech startup ecosystem and expanding collaboration between Busan and Indonesia. The event aimed to link separate youth entrepreneurship support programs in Korea and Indonesia, and to broaden the scope of support from idea discovery to AI education, expert networking, and commercialization.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.