Indonesia Needs More Entrepreneurs, DSC Launches Rp2.5 Billion Grant Programme
The Diplomat Success Challenge (DSC) has transformed its concept in its 17th year with the launch of Founders’ Arena. This transformation shifts DSC from a business competition into a more open and collaborative entrepreneurship ecosystem, whilst providing a grant fund of Rp2.5 billion for Indonesian entrepreneurs.
President Director of PT Wismilak Inti Makmur, Ronald Walla, stated that the transformation was carried out to address Indonesia’s need to produce more entrepreneurs capable of creating jobs and driving economic growth.
“Indonesia needs more founders who can create solutions and jobs. That is why, after 17 years, DSC has evolved into Founders’ Arena, an ecosystem that is more open, inclusive, and still based on the 3P principles: Paham (Understanding), Piawai (Proficiency), and Persona,” Ronald said during the launch of DSC Season 17 in Jakarta on Thursday (9/7/2026), according to a press release.
DSC recorded more than 40,000 registrants in Season 16 and has built the Diplomat Entrepreneur Network (DEN) alumni network over the past 16 years.
Programme Initiator of the Diplomat Success Challenge, Edric Chandra, said the theme “Founders of Indonesia” reflects DSC’s new direction in supporting business actors through community, collaboration, and more equal opportunities.
“Founders of Indonesia is not just a theme, but a reflection of DSC’s 17-year journey. This year we are evolving from a business competition into an ecosystem that supports founders to grow through community, collaboration, and equal opportunities,” Edric said.
Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded that the Indonesian economy grew by 5.61 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026. However, the ratio of established entrepreneurs in Indonesia only reached 3.43 per cent of the total workforce as of February 2026, still lagging behind Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore.
Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, Maman Abdurrahman, said that collaboration between the government and the private sector is necessary to increase the birth of new business actors in Indonesia.
“Creating young founders cannot be done alone. Programmes like DSC are strategic partners to expand the generation of job creators in Indonesia,” Maman said.
Chairman of the DSC Board of Commissioners, Surjanto Yasaputera, said that the founders needed are not only those with the ability to build businesses, but also those who can mobilise others and build collaboration.
“Over 17 years of experience, we have seen that the best founders are not the most individually brilliant, but those who are most capable of mobilising the people around them. The Founders’ Arena ecosystem we are building will also become a collaborative platform, and we hope it will have a positive impact on the Indonesian business climate,” Surjanto said.
Registration for Diplomat Success Challenge Season 17 is open until 9 October 2026. Entrepreneurs from across Indonesia can register their business ideas or existing ventures through the Founders’ Arena platform to compete for a total grant of Rp2.5 billion.