On October 28-29, 2024, UPN Veteran Jawa Timur successfully held its annual Demo Day at the Gedung Giriloka. The event, organized by the Business Technology Incubator (IBT) Technopark LPPM, was themed "Ignite Innovations Fuel Growth." This year, 70 startups from UPN Veteran showcased their innovative products to a panel of investors, aiming to secure funding and growth opportunities.

The event commenced with a keynote address by the university's rector, Prof. Dr. Akhmad Fauzi, M.MT., IPU., who emphasized the significance of the event for budding entrepreneurs. He was joined by sponsors and various investors, contributing to a vibrant atmosphere. A total of 80 exhibitors participated, which included startups, pre-startups, and potential startups, offering a diverse array of products. The event also highlighted innovations from the Center of Excellence in Science and Technology (PUI), the Community Service Scheme (UPN KKNT MBKM), and other internal programs.

Prof. Fauzi expressed optimism about the outcomes of the demo day. "We hope this event will assist startups in networking and gaining access to investors from both banking sectors and the general public, thereby fostering their business growth," he stated. He also pointed out that this occasion serves as a public trial for the startups nurtured by IBT Technopark, aiming to bolster local economies and stimulate economic growth.

Dr. Ir. Edi Mulyadi, S.U., head of the Business Incubator Center and Technology, elaborated on the processes involved with IBT Technopark. This year, the incubator implemented pre-incubation, incubation, and post-incubation programs for its tenants. From 180 applicants, 70 startups successfully passed the selection process and participated in training, divided into four clusters: 41 prospective startups, 15 pre-startups, 10 startups, and four independent startups.

IBT Technopark has also secured a capacity-building program for startups from the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (Kementerian Koperasi dan UKM) for the second consecutive year, benefiting 24 selected startups. Several startups from IBT Technopark also triumphed in competitions such as the Youth Sharia Sociopreneurship organized by Bank Indonesia and Pertamina's Pertamuda competition. Dr. Mulyadi highlighted last year’s achievement of receiving the Best Incubator Institution rating from the Ministry and expressed hope for maintaining or enhancing this status in the current year.

Demo Day 2024 provided a vital platform for local startups to present their innovations, notably Chans Chips, which gained significant attention. Robi Ganda Novianto, a management student from the class of 2022, discussed his product developed from the waste of milkfish bones. He explained, “Initially, I noticed a lot of milkfish bone waste going to waste, so I thought, why not turn it into a product with market value?” Since its launch in June 2024, Chans Chips has sold approximately 500 units in just four months.

Robi also shared his future plans for product development, expressing a desire to innovate further by creating not only snacks but also noodles and flour from milkfish bones, with the flour sold separately. To promote his products, he mentioned using social media and collaborating with influencers, stating, “In addition to participating in exhibitions like this, we are active on Instagram and TikTok, and we have employed endorsement services from several influencers.”

Through Demo Day 2024, UPN Veteran aims to create more opportunities for startups to grow and contribute to the local economy while attracting investors, mentors, and partners to accelerate their business development.