MSME Ministry to optimise incubator institutions for MSME mentoring
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) will optimise the presence of incubator institutions from within and outside universities to expand the reach of mentoring for around 57 million MSMEs in Indonesia, including in North Sumatra.
“In North Sumatra, there are 17 incubator institutions that have the potential to become an important part of strengthening the regional entrepreneurship ecosystem,” said MSME Minister Maman Abdurrahman in a statement received in Medan on Friday.
While attending the Leading Entrepreneurs Exchange (Bursa Wirausaha Unggulan) at the University of North Sumatra (USU), Maman said the strengthening of the ecosystem is carried out through three interconnected stages.
The first stage is strengthening business foundations through incubators, mentoring, and the Productive Pro-Kesra programme.
“We have prepared Productive Pro-Kesra to standardise curricula and policies, including financing as well as coaching and training between the central government, provinces, and regencies and cities so that they are more measurable and targeted. The target, in accordance with the President’s direction, is around 10 million entrepreneurs and workers,” he said.
In the next stage, the Leading Entrepreneurs Exchange presents business matching, so that entrepreneurs who are ready can meet directly with potential partners and gain access to financing and markets.
He emphasised that the success of entrepreneurship programmes cannot be measured solely by the number of participants or products exhibited.
He said the strengthening of national entrepreneurship also gains its foundation through Presidential Regulation Number 38 of 2026 concerning National Entrepreneurship Development.
Therefore, collaboration between central and regional governments, universities, the business world, financing institutions, incubators, and the community is an important factor in creating more productive entrepreneurs.
“Collaboration must not stop at signings, meetings, and shared logos. Collaboration must open access, generate transactions, expand markets, provide financing, and create jobs,” he said.