The Make-IT in Asia Ideation Challenge includes startups from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar in their participant list

On Saturday, November 3, the Make-IT in Asia Ideation Challenge concluded in South Jakarta with the announcement of the eight Southeast Asian startups that have made it as participants of the programme.

Designed by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German Development Cooperation, GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Impact Hub Jakarta (IHJ), the programme aims to promote tech entrepreneurship in developing and emerging economies worldwide through incubation.

It divided the startups into three categories: Renewable energy, waste management, and forestry and agriculture.

Having received submission from 150 companies across Southeast Asia, Make-IT in Asia Ideation Challenge presented the selected ideas in front of a panel that includes Cedrik Neike, managing board member of Siemens, and Clas Neumann, the Head of SAP Labs, who are also part of Make-IT Alliance.

“Startups need partners who are well connected and bring the right people to the table … We can bridge the gap between innovation and implementation,” said Neike in a press statement.

Also Read: SMU partners with branding titan to help startups tell their story

The following is the list of the shortlisted startups:

Renewable Energy

Energihub (Indonesia)
EnergiHub is developing a solar energy marketplace to provide buyers with access to vetted installers, free research, insight on solar power and a standard comparison-shopping tool. Through this combination of objective unbiased information, pre-screened installers and comparison-shopping, the startup aims to make the process of going solar simpler, more efficient and transparent.

FIBO (Indonesia)
Fibo is a product that helps traditional fishermen store their fish by utilising renewable energy sources. Through the development of a cold storage system that utilises solar power as an alternative energy source, the startup aims to help fishermen increase their product quality and productivity.

WeGen (Philippines)
WeGen is a renewable energy tech company that envisions the eradication of energy poverty through the use of solar technology. It aims to do it through WeShare, an online platform that allows customers to track and redistribute their monetary savings from owning a solar panel system to a selection of projects for energy poor individuals and communities. Through WeShare, users will be able to maximise both the environmental and socio-economic impact of
solar technology.

Waste Management

WasteUp (Indonesia)
WasteUp aspires to build towards a sustainable planet by making an end-to-end solution for plastic waste management. It recycles plastic waste into 3D filament, the ink for 3D printers, one of the new technologies in the material sector. It is also developing an app for high school students which aims to map the trash in its current city Bandung.

Smash.id (Indonesia)
Smash.id (Sistem Online Manajemen Sampah or Online Trash Management System) is an integrated application for trash management in Indonesia. It connects all trash banks across Indonesia through a site; increases urban participation through mySmash, an app that connects people to nearby trash banks and manages digital money made from trash deposits; and collaborates with local governments as Smart City modules for trash management.

Also Read: These startups are putting Cambodia on the global tech map

Forestry and agriculture

Mycotech (Indonesia)
Mycotech develops biomaterial leather from fungi. Unlike animal and plastic leather, its products do not utilise nasty chemicals, are non-toxic, non-harmful for animals, and more affordable. With a vision of an animal product-free and plastic-free 2030, Mycotech enables makers and brands to create sustainable and ethical fashion for customers.

Agro-Eco Tech (Indonesia)
Agro-Eco Tech produces organic vegetables and fish while optimising land usage, conserving water, and reducing organic waste, through a combination of Hydroponic agriculture, Bioflocs aquaculture, and Black Soldier Fly (BSF) farming.

Myanmar Innovative Life Sciences (Myanmar)
Myanmar Innovative Life Sciences (MILS) is a company dedicated to make food safer throughout the food chain. Using biotechnology, MILS manufactures probiotics for livestock animals to replace the excessive use of harmful antibiotics. To promote the productivity and quality of local food producers, MILS has recently established a food safety laboratory for the quality control and nutritional analysis of their products.

The Make-IT in Asia Ideation Challenge announcement was made during The Good Times conference, which was held to follow up 16th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK) in Jakarta on November 1-3.

The conference featured speakers and panelists including Sutanto Soehodho (Deputy Governor of Jakarta) and Ilham Habibie (The Habibie Center & Head of German Committee, KADIN).

The post Eco heroes: Meet the 8 startups participating in the Make-IT Asia Ideation Challenge appeared first on e27.