Trade Minister: Indonesia's Entrepreneurship Ratio Below Malaysia
Trade Minister Budi Santoso revealed that the national entrepreneurship ratio currently stands at around 3.29 per cent, which is still lagging behind other countries such as Malaysia, which has reached about 8 per cent, and advanced nations ranging from 10 to 12 per cent.
“Strengthening entrepreneurship in the campus environment is one of the key strategies to increase this ratio. Students have great potential to become business actors as well as job creators,” Budi stated during the launch of the Campuspreneur programme: Export-Oriented Entrepreneurship Development at Sebelas Maret University (UNS) in Solo, Central Java, on Thursday, 2 April 2026.
According to Budi, the low national entrepreneurship ratio presents both a challenge and an opportunity that must be addressed through strategic measures. One of them is by strengthening entrepreneurship among students.
He said the government will continue to promote student entrepreneurship development through various support programmes. These include training, business mentoring, business matching, as well as opening access to both domestic and international markets.
The Campuspreneur programme is designed to encourage the emergence of young entrepreneurs from the student community who are not only capable of building businesses but also penetrating export markets. This initiative is part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of domestic products in the global market through the development of innovative and adaptive human resources.
“The Ministry of Trade will also connect students with international trade networks through Indonesian representatives abroad. With this step, students are expected not only to start businesses but also to grow into young exporters capable of competing in the global market,” he said.
Budi hopes the programme can give birth to a strong, innovative, and internationally oriented campus entrepreneurship ecosystem. He is optimistic that through synergy between the government and higher education institutions, Indonesia can produce more resilient and competitive young entrepreneurs, thereby contributing significantly to increasing the national entrepreneurship ratio.
In his remarks, UNS Rector Hartono assessed the Campuspreneur programme as a visionary step in strengthening Indonesia’s position in global trade, particularly through campus-based young entrepreneurship development.
“Students should no longer be prepared merely as job seekers, but must become job creators, even young exporters capable of bringing Indonesian products to the world market,” Hartono stated.
The programme is also seen as highly relevant given the export sector’s significant contribution to national economic growth, including increasing foreign exchange, job creation, and strengthening the competitiveness of domestic products. Amid increasingly complex global challenges, innovation and collaboration are key.
“UNS is optimistic that through close synergy between the Ministry of Trade and higher education institutions, Indonesia will be able to produce more resilient, innovative young entrepreneurs ready to compete in the global market,” he said.