Considering that digitalization is the gateway for SMEs to increase (their) access to local and global markets.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Ministry has selected 12 startups, including two that are helping people with disabilities, that will participate in a side event of the Business 20 (B20) forum next week.

The remaining 10 startups have been selected through the 2022 Entrepreneur Financial Fiesta (EFF).

"It is an active attempt by the Cooperatives and SMEs Ministry to facilitate the startups to grow, develop, and go global (expand their business globally)," deputy for entrepreneurship at the ministry, Siti Azizah, said in a statement issued here on Friday.

B20 is the official dialogue forum for the global business community for providing practical policy recommendations from a business viewpoint to the G20. The side event will be held on Monday (August 8, 2022) in Bali.

At the event, the selected participants will present their products in front of invited guests. Later, the startups will make a pitch to 39 domestic and foreign venture capitalists.

The 10 startups selected from the 2022 EFF include a digitization and development platform for automotive micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Bengkel Mania; a supply chain collaboration platform, Automa Supply Chain; as well as an online learning platform for young professionals, INSPIGO.

They further comprise DotX, which helps low-to-middle income workers improve their financial security; AturKuliner, which helps culinary businesses to manage their profits; Surplus Indonesia, which aims to reduce food waste in Indonesia; as well as PT Solusi Kerah Byru, which is helping informal workers improve their competence and skills.

They also include Nectico, which is supporting more than 700 digitalized cooperatives; Kukerja, a job finding and employee recruitment platform; as well as Bangbeli, which helps MSMEs conduct digital transactions.

Meanwhile, the two selected startups that are assisting people with disabilities include Hear Me, which provides sign language translation and interpretation technology to bridge communication between the hearing-impaired and people with normal hearing, the deputy said.

The other start-up is Accessive.id, which helps people with disabilities find accessible places, Azizah added.

The event is expected to increase the number of digitalized SMEs.

"Considering that digitalization is the gateway for SMEs to increase (their) access to local and global markets," the deputy added.

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Translator: Baqir Alatas, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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