Introducing the Smart Energy Lab, New Energy Nexus Indonesia is supporting 17 young Balinese in developing climate innovation business prototypes.

Denpasar, 22 July 2024 – New Energy Nexus Indonesia has launched the Smart Energy Lab, a six-week intensive mentoring program aimed at nurturing 17 young Balinese entrepreneurs to develop their business ideas. With a focus on mitigating the escalating impacts of the climate crisis in Bali and promoting green tourism, the 17 participants are divided into five groups, are offering diverse solutions, from processing coconut waste to create solar-powered lamps to developing an eco-tourism application.

Renaldo Sutjiadi – Program Manager New Energy Nexus Indonesia

Renaldo Sutjiadi, Program Manager at New Energy Nexus Indonesia, introduced the program and welcomed the 17 participants during the opening event. In his remarks, Renaldo highlighted the lab’s role as a safe space for learning and experimentation with minimal business risk, crucial for fostering entrepreneurial spirit among youth actively combating Bali’s climate challenges. “When there is a fear of failure, this ‘laboratory’ is a space for you to learn, fail, and process building a business with very minimal risk,” said Renaldo in his welcoming remarks. “I am also proud and happy because today I see 17 young people, half of whom are students, who care about combating the impacts of the climate crisis in Bali. Amid the busyness of studying and part-time jobs, you have taken the time to learn to develop businesses until you can later launch lab-scale prototypes through the Smart Energy Lab, Matangi Bali Initiative,” Renaldo added.

We are welcoming:

AMBAWARNA – focusing on sustainable textile alternatives derived from Bali’s abundant natural resources.

Ambawarna Team

DECOCO LUMINER – creating solar-powered lamps from coconut shell waste.

Decoco Luminer Team

ECOUS – offering eco-friendly furniture through a circular economy involving community collaboration.

Ecous Team

KISHARA – producing eco-friendly scented candles made from used cooking oil.

Dupadi Team

Kelana Terra – an online platform promoting eco-friendly tourism in Bali.

Ecotalk Team

Through the Smart Energy Lab, NEX Indonesia provides these groups with a startup sandbox environment, facilitating mentorship in prototyping, market validation, and business storytelling. At the launch, Prawita Tasya Karissa, Founder of Biorock Indonesia and a 2023 Matangi Bali alumna, shared insights, underscoring the program’s impact. Expert mentors like I Gede Bintang Arya Budaya and Ida Bagus Ardhi Putra will guide the groups towards exhibiting their prototypes at a startup innovation expo in Jakarta by September 2024.

Renaldo explained that while part of the broader Matangi Bali Initiative, the Smart Energy Lab offers specialized support, empowering youth to transform ideas into tangible solutions amid Bali’s pressing environmental issues.

Alsya from AMBAWARNA expressed her hope for sustainable business success through the program,  “I grew up knowing about green tourism. I hope that by joining this program, I can become a young person who successfully builds a sustainable business,” she said during an interview at the event.

__

A survey released by New Energy Nexus Indonesia in February 2024 in Bali revealed that 97.5% of respondents have a high level of anxiety about climate change. The biggest concerns are its impact on their health and that of their families (53%), as well as the availability of food and water (47%). Since the release of the survey, New Energy Nexus has engaged over 200 young people and women who are concerned and eager to learn how to innovate to address climate issues, whether through innovation, business, policy, or by sharing their aspirations in discussion forums.

Furthermore, Renaldo emphasized the importance of embracing the ups and downs of developing a business and fostering a collaborative mindset. Among the 200 program participants, some are entrepreneurs in Bali who are eager to open up discussion spaces and learn together to build a clean energy and climate innovation ecosystem to combat the impacts of the climate crisis.

Comments are closed