IKEA Social Entrepreneurship is proud to announce our new Indonesia accelerator programme, co-created with our local partner Instellar and IKEA Indonesia. Applications for the programme are now open!
This two-year accelerator will improve the lives of people who are marginalised in Indonesia by strengthening ten social enterprises and support their scale-up plans. Social enterprises who are ready to increase their impact and looking for knowledge, mentoring and tools to do so should apply here.
Local businesses creating opportunities
Indonesia is the largest economy in South Asia but the country’s strong economic growth has not benefited people living in rural and marginalised communities. They experience poverty, limited access to basic services and poor health, while waste and air pollution affect their daily living environment. Covid-19 has only worsened this situation.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been particularly hard hit. Local businesses and social enterprises are a key source of employment and sustainable development in Indonesia, but many have had to face sales losses while raw material prices are rising. Reaching new customers has become more difficult and opportunities to scale are limited.
Collaboration and mutual learning
This is why we are pleased to launch the new Indonesia accelerator and work with social enterprises to prepare them for a sustainable future.
“In a world with big challenges, collaboration and mutual learning are key,” says Åsa Skogström Feldt, IKEA Social Entrepreneurship managing director. “We are looking forward to join forces with Instellar, to support, accelerate and learn from social enterprises in Indonesia, in our quest to co-create a people, society and planet positive future.”
Romy Cahyadi, Instellar founding partner, adds: "Business can and must be a force for good. Let's work together to help businesses be more impactful, sustainable, and scalable."
We are looking for scalable enterprises that are in the business of finding sustainable solutions to tackle these social and environmental challenges.
Interested enterprises need to operate in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, circular economy and responsible sourcing of secondary materials. In addition, they should provide jobs and deliver goods or services to address local needs, for example giving smallholder farmers, women, coastal and indigenous communities and at-risk youth the opportunity to create a better everyday life. You can find a detailed overview of the selection criteria on the application page.
A tailor-made approach
Social enterprises selected to participate in the two-year programme will receive tailor-made guidance from IKEA co-workers and other experts and flexible grants to help strengthen their business model and carry out their scale-up plans. The programme will also offer masterclasses on how to instigate business with potential corporate partners. Through these activities, the accelerator will support the sustainable growth of the enterprises while increasing their positive social impact.
Applications for the Indonesia accelerator programme are open until December 10, 2021. Interested enterprises are welcome to apply here!