IPB University Targets 50 Percent of Its Innovation Products to be Accepted by the Market

Science Techno Park (STP) of IPB University continues to improve its fostered tenant's ability by holding Capacity Building for Tenant 2019 at Permata Hotel, Bogor (18/9). The event with the theme of 'Upgrade Your Capacity for Sustainability Business' was held to assist tenants in facing obstacles in developing their businesses such as making a concept and calculating business valuations, conducting proper market and consumer research, managing finances in an orderly manner, developing new products, and scaling up the industry.

This was conveyed by the Head of Sub-Directorate of Business Incubator (Incubie) of STP of IPB University, Deva Primadia Almada. According to him, this activity was an effort to run a good and sustainable business.

"This activity is a series of activities for tenants of STP Incubie of IPB University in 2019 in collaboration with the Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education (Kemenristekdikti). It is hoped that this activity can increase the capacity of tenant human resources in running and developing their businesses," he said.

Meanwhile, the Vice-Rector for Innovation, Business and Entrepreneurship, Prof Erika B. Laconi, when opening the event said that there was only 40 percent of the innovations produced by IPB University that had gone to the market. "I want more IPB University innovation products to be used by the wider community. If it is possible, it must be more than 50 percent of the total innovation products," she said.

Besides, Prof Erika said that an important point that tenant owners must have in Capacity Building is the ability to make systems. If the system is good, everything will be fulfilled. In a system, there is a human, a procedure, and an evaluation.

"Another important thing is the sustainability of the ecosystem that was built. A leader must always build and maintain the ecosystem. There is no distance between the employee and the director. Without employees, the company will not run. Quality and professionalism are also significant. The quality has to be maintained and improved. Next year, IPB University will collaborate with the Indonesia National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) to improve and process product distribution permits. At present, there are only a few products that have been certified," she added.

It is expected that in the future there will be coaching and training activities from BPOM for tenants. With this collaboration, it is expected that the number of certified tenant products will increase. "We can ensure that in terms of quality, our products are not inferior to other products," she said.

In this activity, there were three tenants participated in the Technology-Based Start-Up Company (PPBT) program, four tenants participated in the Technology Business Incubation Center (TBIC) program, four tenants participated in the Science Techno Park program, one Industry tenant (PT Fits Mandiri), and six inwall Leuwikopo and Taman Kencana tenants, as well as tenant companions.

Participants attending the activity were tenants from fruit and vegetable isotonic products, pepetek fish snacks, vegetable and fruit masks, feeds for dairy cattle and broilers, service products, coffee drinks, cosmetics made of seaweed, ornamental plants, vaname shrimp, dragon fruit jam, gluten-free pasta, thornless milkfish, and noni processed drinks. (dh/zul/zsp)