Student-run startups play a vital role in fostering high-innovation businesses that have the potential to become future industry leaders. As such, the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in supporting the growth and development of student-initiated startups is considered crucial to boosting the overall business ecosystem in Indonesia. This urgency is further highlighted by the fact that only a small fraction of student startups are currently able to scale their ventures into fully operational, revenue-generating businesses with sustainable economic impact.

This point was emphasized by Dr. Ahmad Ikhwan Setiawan, S.E., M.T., Head of the Behavioral Marketing Research Group, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), during the Workshop and Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on Startup Business Acceleration, held on Thursday, December 12, 2024, in Solo.

Dr. Ikhwan encouraged students to remain optimistic about entrepreneurship. “Many successful business figures started their ventures while they were still in university. Naturally, student entrepreneurs will face challenges along the way—but that’s where we come in. We are committed to mentoring and recommending actionable solutions to stakeholders who are involved in supporting these student ventures. Through this effort, we hope to accelerate the growth and performance of student startups,” he explained.

The event, which gathered more than 50 student startups, is part of a broader research initiative carried out by the Startup Division Team, a consortium of five universities: Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII) Yogyakarta, Universitas Pancasakti (UPANCA) Tegal, Sekolah Tinggi Pariwisata (STP) Sahid Surakarta, and Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Mas Said Surakarta.

The workshop featured the theme “Opportunities and Challenges in Exploring Energy-Based Startups” and invited expert speaker Dr. Dina Nurul Fitria, S.E., M.T., Member of the Consumer Stakeholder Group of the National Energy Council of Indonesia. Also attending the event for to deliver remarks and support was Dr. Dwi Prasetyani, S.E., M.Si., Director of Alumni and Student Affairs at UNS.

Following the workshop, the Behavioral Marketing Research Group facilitated a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) with the student participants to identify current obstacles in their business development journey. The session aimed to uncover key business management factors that have not yet been effectively implemented, which may be hindering startup success. These insights will be used to formulate targeted recommendations for improving business operations and identifying critical success factors for startup sustainability.

Previously, a similar workshop was held at UII on November 13, 2024, to foster collaborative research and community service programs designed to strengthen student startups at UNS. That session was attended by 25 startups under the guidance of the UII Business and Innovation Incubator (IBISMA).