Four Indonesian Startups Sent to SusHi Tech 2026, Aiming for Investment and Global Market Access
The drive to expand Indonesia’s digital economy is becoming increasingly aggressive, one of which is through efforts to bring local startups to penetrate the global market. Recognising the vast potential that can continue to be developed, the government continues to support start-up companies in competing in the current digital era. The Ministry of Creative Economy (Ekraf), together with KUMPUL, is sending four Indonesian startups to the global technology event Sustainable High-City Technology (SusHi Tech) Tokyo 2026. This programme is part of the Badan Ekraf Start Up (BEKUP) Global Scale-Up, which aims to encourage the expansion of national startups to the global market. Minister of Ekraf Teuku Riefky Harsya stated that this participation is one of the results of cooperation from President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Japan last March. “Indonesia’s participation in this forum is also a follow-up to the results of the working visit of the President of the Republic of Indonesia to Tokyo in March 2026, particularly in strengthening Indonesia-Japan cooperation in the digital economy, semiconductors, and artificial intelligence (AI),” Teuku said in Jakarta on Tuesday (21/4/2026). He also emphasised that this participation is not merely symbolic, but part of a strategy to strengthen Indonesia’s position on the global stage. “Through this participation, the Ministry of Creative Economy seeks to accelerate the realisation of investments through business matching facilitation, deal pipeline exploration, and encouraging the conversion of potential cooperation into real investment commitments such as MoUs and LoIs,” he added. Deputy for Digital Creativity and Technology of the Ministry of Ekraf Muhammad Neil El Himam targeted concrete results from this participation. “We are targeting 20-32 business meetings with potential for 12-22 collaborations, as well as initial transaction opportunities worth USD 1 to 5 million.” “At the same time, this participation also serves as a momentum to increase Indonesia’s visibility, expand collaboration networks with international partners, and open opportunities for further inter-country cooperation,” he explained. Founder and Chairperson of KUMPUL.ID Faye Wongso added that this participation is expected to open wider opportunities for Indonesian startups. “Of course, the hope is that there they can gain broader market access, or even obtain business partners or investments for their development,” Faye hoped. The BEKUP Global Scale-Up programme serves as an accelerator preparing Indonesian startups to compete in the international market. Since it started in February 2026, the programme attracted 125 applicants from across Indonesia, which were then selected to the top 10, and finally four of the best startups were chosen through curation with Japanese partners such as Creww Inn and TechShake. The four selected startups are BELL LIVING LAB, which presents biomaterials from coffee waste for the fashion and furniture industries; GAPAI, which develops an HR Tech platform for the legal and structured placement of migrant workers; IJO, which utilises seaweed as sustainable and climate-adaptive fertiliser; and SPUN, which offers an AI-based visa platform to simplify bureaucratic processes in Southeast Asia. The four startups are scheduled to depart for Japan on 26 April 2026. In addition to participating in SusHi Tech 2026, they will also attend Offline Business Matchmaking sessions with partners previously coordinated by KUMPUL and the Ministry of Ekraf. Through participation in international technology events like SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, the government is targeting increased investment, while opening new market access for domestic innovators.