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Kalla Group partners with local venture capitals to build Saoraja Hub Incubator

Kalla Group partners with local venture capitals to build Saoraja Hub Incubator

Focussed on startup categories related to Kalla Group business

Kalla Group President Director Solihin Jusuf Kalla

The lack of promising space and the potential of young entrepreneurs in Eastern Indonesia, specifically Makassar, are the main reasons behind the creation of Saoraja Hub. As an incubator, it’ll be a platform for Eastern Indonesian entrepreneurs with ideas of creative and digital business to share together.

In ensuring the idea goes well executed in term of business and management, Saoraja Hub will provide seed funding for five selected startups.

“The upcoming startups’ [verticals] may vary and will not be limited digital platforms. Ideally, those with similar service or business sector with Kalla Group,” Solihin Jusuf Kalla, President Director of Kalla Group, said.

He continued that, in supporting the incubator programme, Saoraja Hub will partner with corporate and local venture capitals. Kalla avoided mentioning further detail about the local venture capital who will partner with Saoraja Hub as the partnership is still under discussion.

“Two local venture capitals, banks, and corporates, have confirmed their readiness to partner with Saoraja Hub, to support Eastern Indonesia’s startup ecosystem improvement,” he added.

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Previously, Saoraja Hub was also involved with DISRUPTO, an inclusive disruption movement initiated by WIR Group. Its objective was to reach out to the government, startups, and global technology and economic players. This event was attended by some of the Indonesian Government institutions.

“Starting from a casual conversation about the low number of Makassar entrepreneurs, Saoraja Hub was finally founded,” Kalla said.

Kalla Group warehouse utilisation

In addition to Saoraja Hub, Kalla Group plans to rent its existing warehouse to FMCG and e-commerce companies in order to accelerate startup growth in Eastern Indonesia, Makassar in particular. Logistics of Kalla Group currently has a large capacity that is ideal to use and for rent.

“At first, we have no intention to use the warehouse for FMCG. However, we received demand and started to use the warehouse to store FMCG goods,” Kalla explained.

Kalla Group still has around 200,000 sqm land to be used for warehouse construction. Regarding Kalla Group’s goal to collaborate with e-commerce companies for the warehouse utilisation, Kalla said it is still in discussion and has yet to set an agreement with any e-commerce company.

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“Our next focus is indeed to enter the digital business. Step by step, with the current resource and potential, Kalla Group is starting to enter the digital business,” he said.

Regarding any plan to enter the fintech or financial sector, Kalla said there is no plan for it yet due to the lack of background in the sector.

“Since the very beginning, our focus has been more on automotive, transportation and logistics, construction and development, manufacturing, and energy. In fact, we have no plans to enter the financial sector,” he concluded.

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