Indonesia Startup Studio: IDR 500M to Scale Your Digital Startup

Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s largest economy, with 280 million people and a rapidly growing middle class. The digital economy is booming—e-commerce, fintech, and ride-hailing are transforming daily life.

But for every Gojek or Tokopedia, there are hundreds of startups that struggle to scale. They have a working product. They have users. But they cannot raise the next round of funding. They cannot hire the right talent. They cannot navigate Indonesia’s complex regulations.

The Indonesia Startup Studio is the government’s answer. It is a 6-12 month accelerator program that provides up to IDR 500 million (approx. $32,000 USD) in blended support—cash, mentorship, investor intros, and regulatory help—to help digital startups scale from traction to Series A.

This is not for early-stage startups. This is for companies that have Product-Market Fit (PMF)—you have paying customers, you have growth, and you are ready to pour fuel on the fire.

Key Details at a Glance

What This Opportunity Offers

Growth Capital The IDR 500 million is not equity investment. It is a grant (or in some cases, a convertible note with favorable terms). You can use it for:

• User acquisition (marketing, sales).
• Team expansion (hiring engineers, product managers).
• Technology development (building new features, scaling infrastructure).
• Market expansion (launching in new cities or countries).

Intensive Mentorship You get paired with a mentor—usually a successful Indonesian entrepreneur who has scaled a startup to Series B or beyond. They meet with you weekly (or more frequently) to help you navigate challenges. This is not generic advice. This is specific, tactical guidance.

Investor Connections Kominfo has relationships with all the major Indonesian VCs (East Ventures, Sequoia Capital India/SEA, AC Ventures, etc.) and regional investors. The program culminates in a Demo Day where you pitch to 50+ investors.

Training and Workshops You get access to workshops on:

• Fundraising (how to pitch, how to negotiate term sheets).
• Financial management (unit economics, burn rate, runway).
• Growth hacking (viral loops, referral programs, SEO).
• Team building (hiring, culture, equity compensation).

Government Support Indonesia’s regulatory environment is complex. Kominfo helps you navigate:

• Licensing (e.g., if you are a fintech, you need a license from OJK, the financial regulator).
• Data privacy (compliance with Indonesia’s data protection laws).
• Tax incentives (there are tax breaks for startups, but you need to apply).

Who Should Apply

This is for Post-PMF Startups in priority sectors.

Ideal Candidates:

• The Fintech Startup: You have a peer-to-peer lending platform. You have 10,000 active borrowers and lenders. You want to scale to 100,000.
• The Healthtech Startup: You have a telemedicine app. You have 50,000 users and 200 doctors. You want to expand to pharmacies and diagnostics.
• The Edtech Startup: You have an online learning platform for K-12 students. You have 20,000 paying subscribers. You want to add AI-powered tutoring.

Eligibility Checklist:

• Incorporation: Must be registered in Indonesia (PT, CV, or similar).
• Product-Market Fit: Must have paying customers or strong user engagement (MAU > 5,000).
• Growth Trajectory: Must show month-over-month growth (in revenue, users, or engagement).
• Team: Must have a capable founding team (ideally 2-3 co-founders with complementary skills).

Insider Tips for a Winning Application

I have tracked the Indonesian startup ecosystem closely. Here is how to stand out.

1. The “Traction Metrics” Are Everything This program is not for ideas. It is for execution. Your application must lead with traction:

• Revenue: “We grew from IDR 50 million to IDR 200 million in MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) in the last 6 months.”
• Users: “We have 30,000 MAU (Monthly Active Users), growing at 15% month-over-month.”
• Engagement: “Our users spend an average of 25 minutes per session.”

2. The “Indonesia-First” Strategy Don’t pitch a global product. Pitch an Indonesian product. Show that you understand the local market:

• Example: “We accept payment via Gopay, OVO, and Dana—the payment methods Indonesians actually use.”
• Example: “We offer content in Bahasa Indonesia, Javanese, and Sundanese.”

3. The “Unit Economics” Story Investors care about unit economics. Can you acquire a customer profitably? Your application should include:

• CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost): “It costs us IDR 50,000 to acquire a customer.”
• LTV (Lifetime Value): “The average customer generates IDR 300,000 in revenue over their lifetime.”
• LTV/CAC Ratio: “Our LTV/CAC ratio is 6:1, which is healthy.”

4. The “Regulatory Readiness” Angle If you are in a regulated sector (fintech, healthtech), show that you understand the rules. “We are in the process of applying for our OJK license. We have hired a compliance officer.” This shows you are serious.

5. The “National Priority” Alignment Indonesia has national priorities: financial inclusion, digital health, education access. If your startup aligns with these, say so. “We are helping the 60% of Indonesians who are unbanked access credit.”

Application Timeline

August 2025: Preparation

• Action: Gather your traction data. Update your pitch deck.
• Action: Prepare your financials. Make sure your books are clean.

September 2025: Application

• Action: Fill out the online application. This includes: * Company overview. * Traction metrics. * Product demo (video or live link). * Market analysis. * Team bios. * Growth strategy. * Financial projections.

October 10, 2025: Deadline

• Action: Submit by 11:59 PM Jakarta time.

November 2025: Interviews

• Action: If shortlisted, you will be invited to pitch to the selection committee (in person or via Zoom).

December 2025: Cohort Announcement

• Action: The cohort is announced. The program starts in January 2026.

Required Materials

• Pitch Deck: 10-15 slides (Problem, Solution, Traction, Market, Team, Ask).
• Financial Statements: Last 12 months (or since inception if younger).
• Product Demo: Video or live link.
• Traction Data: User numbers, revenue, growth rates.
• Team Bios: LinkedIn profiles or CVs of founders.

What Makes an Application Stand Out

The “Founder-Market Fit” Why are you the right person to build this company? Do you have domain expertise? Did you experience the problem yourself? For example: “I worked in a bank for 5 years. I saw how hard it was for SMEs to get loans. That is why I built this platform.”

The “Competitive Moat” What is your unfair advantage? Is it:

• Network effects (“The more users we have, the more valuable the platform becomes”).
• Proprietary data (“We have the largest dataset of Indonesian credit scores”).
• Regulatory moat (“We have an exclusive partnership with Bank Indonesia”).

The “Exit Strategy” Investors want to know: How will they get their money back? The most common exits in Indonesia are:

• Acquisition (by a larger tech company like Gojek, Grab, or Tokopedia).
• IPO (on the Indonesia Stock Exchange). Show that you have thought about this.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Weak Traction If you have 500 users and no revenue, you are not ready. Come back when you have 5,000+ users or meaningful revenue.

Unrealistic Projections “We will be a unicorn in 2 years.” No, you won’t. Be realistic. Show a path to profitability or Series A, not a fantasy.

Ignoring Regulation If you are a fintech and you don’t mention OJK, the evaluators will assume you are naive. Show that you understand the regulatory landscape.

Generic Pitch “We are the Uber of X.” This is lazy. Explain what makes you unique in the Indonesian context.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can foreign founders apply? Yes, but the company must be Indonesian-registered. If you are a foreign founder with an Indonesian PT, you are eligible.

Do we need to have raised funding before? No, but it helps. If you have raised a pre-seed or seed round, it shows validation.

Can we apply if we are pre-revenue? Yes, but you need strong user traction. If you have 50,000 MAU but no revenue, explain your monetization plan.

What happens after the program? Many alumni raise Series A within 6-12 months. The program provides ongoing alumni network support and investor intros.

How to Apply

1. Visit the Website: Go to startupstudio.id.
2. Review Past Cohorts: See what kinds of startups have been accepted.
3. Prepare Your Application: Start 6-8 weeks before the deadline.
4. Submit: Upload all materials by October 10, 2025.

Indonesia is the future of Southeast Asia. This program is your chance to be part of that future—and to build a company that matters.