Gadjah Mada University, through its Innovative Academy, is collaborating with Garuda Spark Innovation Hub under the auspices of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komdigi) and with the support of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbud) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through the Promoting Research and Innovation through Modern and Efficient Science and Technology Parks Project (PRIME SteP), is organizing the Yogyakarta Startup Ecosystem Workshop 2025 on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at two locations, namely the UGM Student Innovation and Creativity Center (GIK) and the UGM Entrepreneur Development Service (EDS).
This activity is a concrete effort by UGM to strengthen the startup ecosystem in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, which is known as a center for education, research, and creativity in Indonesia. Through this forum, startup ecosystem players—ranging from academics, investors, government officials, to digital communities—meet to build more structured and sustainable synergies.
In his speech, Vice Rector for Research, Business Development, and Creativity, Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko, emphasized that strengthening the regional startup ecosystem is an important step towards equitable national innovation. “Yogyakarta has great potential through its strong intellectual base and high entrepreneurial spirit. The challenge is how we consolidate this potential into an innovation-based economic force,” he said.
The workshop featured two panel sessions. The first session, titled “The Landscape of the Startup Ecosystem and Innovation Growth in Yogyakarta,” featured representatives from AMIKOM Business Park, UGM Science Techno Park, and IBISMA Simpul Tumbuh UII, with a moderator from the MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (MIT REAP). The discussion highlighted the important role of universities and local incubators in driving startup growth in agriculture, education, MSMEs, and deep tech.
The second panel, themed “Building a Local Ecosystem for National Competitiveness,” featured speakers from Living Lab Ventures, BNI Ventures, and ANGIN Advisory. They discussed the importance of cross-sector collaboration in strengthening the competitiveness of regional startups and creating inclusive and sustainable growth models.
In addition to the public discussion session, the event also continued with Startup One-on-One Consultation, an exclusive mentoring session for selected startups with professional investors and mentors. Through this coaching, the founders received direct feedback to strengthen their funding strategies, compile more attractive pitch decks, and optimize the potential for collaboration with venture capitalists.
This activity is expected to be a moment for the Yogyakarta startup ecosystem to become more solid, networked, and oriented towards real impact. Innovative Academy affirms its commitment to continue to be a driver of cross-sector collaboration in creating an inclusive and nationally competitive innovation climate.
Editor: STP UGM
Documentation: Innovative Academy
