Grab Indonesia Provides Digitalisation Training to 200,000 MSMEs

Head of Expansion Territory at Grab Indonesia, Yose Tireza Arizal, stated that the company has provided digitalisation mentoring to 200,000 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across 17 cities in Indonesia. “What we do is intensive mentoring over four months,” Yose said at Banjarmasin City Hall, South Kalimantan, on Thursday, 18 June 2026. The mentoring, Yose explained, is carried out through the “Kota Masa Depan Berani Digital” (Future City Dare to be Digital) programme, which has been running since 2021. Like the previous 16 cities, the Future City event in Banjarmasin is being implemented intensively over four months. Yose said the implementation of Kota Masa Depan Berani Digital in Banjarmasin is a collaboration between Grab, the Ministry of UMKM, the Banjarmasin City Government, the Banjarmasin Financial Services Authority (OJK), and the Indonesian Entrepreneurs Association (Apindo). During April and May, Yose said Grab provided digital business guidance activities, marketing training, and financial literacy, including access to capital. According to Yose, the company is also committed to supporting MSME entrepreneurs in markets, such as vegetable, fish, and household goods traders, to sell digitally through the Grab application. “We support everyone, not just GrabFood merchants,” he said. Meanwhile, Banjarmasin Deputy Mayor Andana assessed that this digital business mentoring programme provides significant benefits for MSME players in facing the challenges and opportunities of the digital era. He believes that MSMEs capable of adapting to technological developments will have greater opportunities to grow and survive amidst increasingly dynamic competition. Entrepreneurs, Andana noted, are now required to be able to adapt to changes in public consumption patterns and marketing methods in order to compete in the market. “Digitalisation is not a replacement for traditional trading methods that have been working well, but rather a means to expand business opportunities,” Andana said. Assistant Deputy for Supply Chain Partnership and Small Business Marketing at the Ministry of UMKM, Yogia Prihartini, stated that Indonesia is one of the countries with the largest digital economies in Southeast Asia. She estimated the value of Indonesia’s digital economy reaches US$100 billion. This growth is driven by the rapid development of e-commerce, digital transportation and delivery services, and digital payments. According to Yogia, the ability to utilise technological innovation is an opportunity for MSME players to upgrade. For example, using digital transportation allows entrepreneurs to reduce operational costs, expand market reach, optimise data and information management, and enhance collaboration or partnerships. Furthermore, Yogia cited the opportunity of selling through e-commerce, noting that around 215 million Indonesians are active internet users. “This figure makes Indonesia one of the largest digital markets and online shopping user bases in Asia,” she said.