ITB Asia Malang Partners with HIPMI Malang City to Accelerate Student Startups
As a tangible implementation of its commitment to producing young entrepreneurs, Institut Teknologi dan Bisnis (ITB) Asia Malang has entered into a strategic collaboration with the Malang City chapter of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI). This synergy was realised through the Business Innovation & Entrepreneur Expo 2026, a concrete step towards building a startup ecosystem that connects the academic world directly with the business sector.
The collaboration is an integral part of Institut ASIA’s strategy to encourage students not only to become work-ready graduates but also to build startups with high competitiveness capable of responding to dynamic market needs.
Institut ASIA Rector, Risa Santoso, B.A., M.Ed., stated that the transformation of higher education demands that campuses provide learning methods closer to industrial realities. According to her, students must be equipped with real-world experience to develop innovative ideas into sustainable businesses. “Campuses must be places that give birth to solutions, innovation, and job creators. Therefore, we build collaborations with the business world so that students gain direct experience, from validating business ideas to understanding market dynamics,” she explained.
Through the Business Innovation & Entrepreneur Expo 2026, ITB Asia Malang students participated in an intensive incubation process. This process included mentoring on business model development, product validation, marketing strategies, and pitching training in front of experienced business practitioners and investors. Institut ASIA also involved the INC.85 ASIA Business Incubator, the Malang City Government via the Cooperatives, Industry, and Trade Office, and HIPMI Malang City as strategic partners in strengthening a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem on campus.
Regarding this collaborative effort, the Chairman of BPC HIPMI Malang City, Hendi Suryo Leksono, said that cooperation with higher education institutions is a fundamental step for HIPMI to accelerate the birth of young entrepreneurs who are adaptive to global economic changes. He noted that many innovations born from students have enormous potential but are often hindered by a lack of access to business networks, mentoring, and investment. “HIPMI wants to be a bridge between innovations born on campus and the needs of the business world. We are ready to assist students through mentoring, business matching, and opening access to collaboration and investment for promising startups,” he said.
The culmination of the series of activities was the Demo Day held on 9 July 2026. During this session, dozens of student startups presented their business models before a panel of judges comprising academics and business practitioners. Assessment was conducted rigorously based on aspects of innovation, business feasibility, business model strategy, market potential, and economic impact. From the curation process, ten top startup tenants were selected to receive funding from INC.85 ASIA to continue the incubation and business development process to the next stage. Institut ASIA also gave appreciation by awarding the Future Unicorn Award, Disruptor Award, and Impact Maker Award to the best-performing startups.
This initiative underscores Institut ASIA’s consistency in building an entrepreneurial culture integrated with real industry needs. Through close partnerships with HIPMI, business incubators, and the government, the campus hopes that more startups will emerge from Malang City, capable of growing into globally competitive companies, creating new jobs, and making a real contribution to national economic growth.