The $AUD3.4 million KINETIK Sweef Entrepreneurs Program, designed by women-led impact investment fund Sweef Capital, provides workshops for up to 100 small businesses working in the green economy.
The businesses are taught everything from financial management and business strategy to how to craft brand messages, identify target audiences and use AI tools.
One of the participating businesses is WaterHub, a start-up which provides drinking water refill stations in public areas to reduce the use of plastic water bottles and improve access to clean water in remote areas.
WaterHub, which currently operates in Greater Jakarta, Bali and Bandung, processes drinking water from seawater, groundwater and rainwater.
Founder and CEO Lyonda Huwaidi said WaterHub was taking part in the KINETIK Sweef Entrepreneurs Program to help the start-up expand into more regions, especially in remote and coastal areas.
“By participating in this program, we hope to make an even greater impact.”
Ms Huwaidi said there was a lot WaterHub could take advantage of from the program including making connections, access to networks and mentorship.
WaterHub had already learned a lot about logistical challenges in shipping equipment and the need to adapt to local community contexts.
“When we looked at things in an Excel spreadsheet everything seemed smooth but in reality we faced various obstacles.”
She said the concentration of dissolved substances in water could vary significantly, for example, depending on the source.
“This is one of the key lessons we’ve learned from Sweef Capital.”
Up to 20 impressive women entrepreneurs will be selected from the 100 SMEs participating in the program to be KINETIK Fellows.
These Fellows will receive specialised advice and funding to accelerate their growth over the next three years.
In 2024 a survey of more than 500 women entrepreneurs in Indonesia found more than half highlighted the difficulty in accessing mentors and support communities for sharing experiences and resources.
WaterHub founder and CEO Lyonda Huwaidi. Photo: JEFRI TARIGAN
The survey, by Boston Consulting Group and Stellar Women, found this challenge was particularly pronounced for women based outside of Jakarta, as most support networks and communities are centralised in the capital.
The KINETIK Sweef Entrepreneurs Program was launched on March 14 at an event hosted by the Australian Embassy.
Australian Chargé d’Affaires to Indonesia Gita Kamath said unlocking the potential of women entrepreneurs was critical for Indonesia to achieve its ambitious economic growth targets.
Micro, small, and medium enterprises are the lifeblood of the Indonesian economy, numbering about 65 million and contributing more than 60 percent to Indonesia’s gross domestic product.
Given 64.5 per cent of these are managed by women, investing in the untapped potential of female entrepreneurs is an economic imperative.
“We are delighted to help women entrepreneurs in the green economy thrive and contribute to the economic prosperity of Indonesia,” Ms Kamath said.
ReservoAir, a start-up which designs products to reduce run-off from buildings and prevent flooding, is also participating in the KINETIK Sweef Entrepreneurs Program.
Chief Executive Officer Sabrina Farah Salsabilla said that like many startup founders she had a technical rather than a business background.
“With Sweef Capital’s learning management system, startups like ours can learn beyond just our products and technical expertise, gaining valuable insights on how to build and scale a business effectively,” Ms Salsabilla said.
“Our startup is still navigating many challenges in Indonesia and we believe that with dedicated support in the areas of climate and gender, we can make significant progress and be better prepared when seeking funding in the future.”
The aim of the Sweef KINETIK Entrepreneurs Program is to create a pipeline of women-led businesses in Indonesia that are ready for investment.
KINETIK Sweef Advisory Network member Ratna Kartadjoemena is the chair of the Paloma Sjahrir Foundation, a non-profit focused on connecting women-led SMEs to strategic partners and investors.
Ms Kartadjoemena says women are playing a central role in the green economy. “Indonesia’s SMEs are already shaping the future,” she says.
“What they need now is the right support to scale and thrive so they can fully contribute to Indonesia’s economic growth.”
