The Nusantara Innovation Hub (NIH) has entered a new phase in building a resilient and sustainable startup ecosystem in Indonesia (18/11). The NIH team met with Indonesia’s Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Dr. Ir. Dwisuryo Indroyono Soesilo, at the Indonesian Consulate in San Francisco to discuss opportunities for strategic collaboration in startups, technology, and digital talent development.

Strategic Collaboration with the United States

The meeting included NIH founders Ray Rizaldy, Mohamad Iqbal, Mukit Hendrayatno, Anita Ratna Faoziyah, Heri Susanto, and Lucky Hatreztyo. It marks a key step in positioning Indonesia as a global innovation player, not just a growing market, while focusing on long-term sustainable solutions.

Preparing Indonesian Founders for Silicon Valley

From January 2026, NIH will send Indonesian startup founders to the U.S. to join acceleration programs lasting one to two years. These programs will allow founders to develop their companies directly within Silicon Valley’s technology ecosystem. “This initiative opens the way for Indonesian talent and startups to connect directly with the global innovation ecosystem,” said Ray Rizaldy.

Developing Future Tech Talent with Nusantara Student Innovation Bootcamp

NIH also introduced the Nusantara Student Innovation Bootcamp to provide Indonesian students in the U.S. with entrepreneurship skills, access to international mentors, and cross-industry collaboration opportunities. The program contributes to nurturing sustainable technology talent for Indonesia.

Strengthening Global Partnerships with Leading Tech Companies

NIH has previously held discussions with major Silicon Valley companies, including Amazon, Meta, and Plug and Play, resulting in commitments to strengthen the Indonesia–U.S. innovation bridge. “From several discussions, there will be further concrete collaboration, especially with Plug and Play, one of Silicon Valley’s largest accelerators,” said NIH Vice Chair Mohamad Iqbal. Plug and Play’s portfolio includes unicorns such as PayPal, Dropbox, and Lending Club, offering Indonesian startups direct access to investors, mentors, and corporate partners globally.

Founded to connect Indonesia’s startup ecosystem with global innovation centers, NIH arrives at a time when Indonesia’s digital economy is projected to reach $146 billion by 2025. “With the support of the Indonesian Embassy, NIH is ready to be a collaboration bridge between Indonesian talent, professional diaspora, and U.S. innovation hubs to accelerate the national startup ecosystem,” added Rizaldy.

PHOTO: FREEPIK

This article was created with AI assistance.