Thinkubator: Workshops. Learn and Pitch to the Investors.

Within the workshop sessions (see Thinkubator event here), I joined the “Digital Branding to Get Investor” and “The Future of Agriculture” stages.

Being one of the 150 Indonesian startups to learn how the Indonesian economy has tremendous potential to grow in the next decade.

Digital Branding to Get Investors

speakers: Billy Boen (CEO YOT), Adhiti Sharma (Grab Venture Capital), & Anto Motulz (Creatove Advisor Kreavi)

Billy Boen (CEO YOT) shared his experience working with startups and investors.

“There’s no shortcut to building a catchy startup, either to attract investors or build a brand,” said CEO Young On Top, Billy Boen. The founders should ensure any aspect such as name, domain, and social media are related to what the business is doing. Also, determine the vision, positioning, and problems. In addition to building a startup, founders should remain focus on working on their business as well as getting to know what investors want to earn from the companies. He also emphasized to pay attention to each founder’s attitude towards what they are working on.

While Mr.Boen gave tips about branding and vision, Aditi Sharma, Grab Venture Capital, taught the way founders should present their pitch. Starting with pitch deck, credibility, attitude, problem-solving, and motivation, A startup should be able to see the right investors for the business. She also added that a startup must not hide the internal problems. Also, explaining how you, as the founders, will allocate their money to run the business. On the other hand, Anto Motulz, Creative Advisor Kreavi, suggested that startup founders with different working background may increase a chance to collaborate. In addition to different background, a startup could pitch to investors how the founders are cooperatively solving problems and growing. He also strongly recommend startup founders in starting the pitch with an emotional story even before to tell the products.

The Future of Agriculture

speakers: Dian Prayogi (Habibi Garden), Tantyo Bangun (Kecipir.com), & Andreas Sanjaya (iGrow)

Andreas Sanjaya (iGrow CEO) explained how peer-to-peer lending helps farmers to grow the farms.

Habibi Garden has been impacting farmers from traditional planting seed practices to advanced practice by combining IoT with data analytics that will help farmers understand many aspects such as soil, nutrients, water, seed, and plan behaviors via mobile apps. Approximately a thousand farmers, within Java and Sumatra, have been in partnership with the company. Habibi Garden CEO, Dian Habibi, was quite disappointed looking at numbers on of startups, in the unicorn level, haven’t seen this potential kind of market. In fact, millions of farmers who are not living good enough, he said.

He was concerned that farming lands would be limited shortly. Therefore, short term Habibi Garden’s business strategy is to invest intensively on each 150meters lands that are forecasted to generate around 200 million IDR. By focusing on profit and social impact, hopefully, the business model could be scaled up and multiplied on the other islands of Indonesia. The Indonesia Agriculture Industry is massive. Andras Sanjaya, iGrow CEO, believed that there would not be an unfair competition in the industry: instead, it will stimulate collaboration among the players. In the end, he predicted a continuous social impact in the market. Mr. Sanjaya wants any unproductive lands can be a farm. So, overcoming the vision, his company offers peer-to-peer landing system to help farmers starting to plant. The model is predicted to resolve marketing and funding problems.

CEO Kecipir.com, Tantyo Bangun, the majority of farmer assume that all the source of the problem lies within demonstrations by the labors. He believes the farming industry has issues beyond just planting systems. In addition to the planting systems, the focus of his business is narrowly serving and treating farmers and organic produce to become more accessible and affordable. Mr. Bangun would like to generate more and more healthy Indonesians individuals that can shop inexpensive organic food.

Finishing up all of the workshops presented, my team and I went to the coffee break session before heading up to the hotel. All the conference and workshops events were such a fantastic learning experience and opportunity to bring up what we've been working. I suggest you guys (the readers) attend such these workshops even if you are not a business person. Trust me ... you'll be inspired and gain more quality connection for your circle.

I hope you enjoy this quick report; and, don't forget to check my other articles.🙂