The New Capital Authority Encourages Local Entrepreneurs to Build Economic Ecosystem in IKN

The Nusantara Capital Authority (IKN) is seeking to strengthen local entrepreneurs to build a vibrant economic ecosystem in the IKN region, which is being developed across parts of North Penajam Paser District and Kutai Kartanegara District, East Kalimantan Province.

“The Authority wants residents around IKN to play an increasingly important role,” stated Alimuddin, Deputy for Social Affairs, Culture and Community Development at the IKN Authority, on Saturday (28 February), when asked about involving local communities in Sepaku, North Penajam Paser.

One key initiative is to strengthen local entrepreneurs to upgrade their capacity and expand market access sustainably, he explained, so that communities around IKN increasingly serve as primary drivers in building a thriving and productive economic ecosystem.

“Programmes and training are being implemented as part of efforts to improve the quality of local entrepreneurs so they can upgrade and develop sustainably,” he added.

Intensive and interactive meetings, practical hands-on training, and collaboration strengthen the capacity and provide learning opportunities for local entrepreneurs, covering aspects of marketing and product development.

Local entrepreneurs receive comprehensive training materials ranging from product brand strengthening, creating market management identity, product packaging management, to modern and appealing sales techniques. The IKN Authority also provides follow-up support including product packaging design, packaging printing, and intellectual property rights registration in accordance with the guidelines of the Directorate General of Intellectual Property of the Ministry of Law.

“We also bring in business practitioners as speakers to share direct experience in building businesses from scratch to expansion,” he explained.

Efforts to empower local communities to become primary actors in IKN include the development of the creative economy through the Creative Business Initiative for Marketing and Packaging Success (KUMPUL Lagi di Nusantara) Programme. “The IKN Authority continuously conducts capacity-building workshops for local entrepreneurs,” he said.

The programme is a follow-up to earlier activities undertaken with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, employing a more adaptive approach to the development of the creative economy at IKN, Alimuddin continued.