Instellar and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator (I-SEA) Opens Second Cohort: Supporting Sustainable Ecosystems in the Agriculture and Aquaculture Sector

Jakarta, [11 September 2023] – Instellar and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship are excited to announce they are extending their partnership to further support the developing social entrepreneurship ecosystem in Indonesia.  After the successful completion of the first cohort in June 2023, the Instellar and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator (I-SEA) Programme returns for  a second cohort, to support social enterprises working in sustainable agriculture and aquaculture, as well as the circular economy, in Indonesia to strengthen their businesses and scale their impact. 

“We are happy to continue our partnership with IKEA Social Entrepreneurship and excited to open the second cohort of I-SEA. This time, we would like to invite Indonesia’s social entrepreneurs from agriculture and aquaculture sectors to participate. Indonesia has big potential in the agricultural sector. That is why the opportunity to develop business needs to be nurtured and its management must be maintained so that it aligns with the principle of sustainability. Through the I-SEA programme, social entrepreneurs in sustainable agriculture and aquaculture can not only increase their business value, but also widen the positive impact of their business socially and environmentally,” said Romy Cahyadi, Chief Executive Officer of Instellar.

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) noted that the agricultural sector experienced positive growth, both in terms of business fields and its contribution to the Indonesian economy in the first quarter of 2023. Based on BPS data, the agricultural sector (including forestry and fisheries) contributes a  significant 11.7 percent to the Indonesian economy and accounts for 25.8% of jobs in the country, according to International Labour Organization.  

I-SEA is an 16-month programme that provides business support, networking opportunities and access to funding through four stages. First, the registration and selection process. Those who are interested in participating can directly fill out the form and register at https://isea.instellar.id/register. The registration is open from 11 September 2023 until 31 October 2023. Ten selected social enterprises will be selected in the programme.

Second, Launchpad which introduces programme partners and participants as well as preparing them before entering the Growth and Impact Hack stage. The Growth and Impact Hack stage aims to build capacity for scaling, and to explore investment, partnership ,collaboration and learning opportunities. During this phase social enterprises receive tailored support from IKEA co-workers and external mentors and experts. In the fourth and final stage, Show and Tell, each social enterprise is supported to refine their business plans and pitches, and produce a unique campaign to share their story through a final engagement event, Impact Business Days.

“I-SEA provides lots of lessons on how to grow a business while increasing positive impact on the society and environment. Not only that, this programme also provides space for each social enterprise at different levels to get guidance according to current needs through mentoring and customised support programs,” said Dwi Sasetyaningtyas, CEO and Founder of Sustaination, one of the 10 selected social enterprises from the first cohort of the I-SEA programme. 

“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Instellar and open the second cohort of I-SEA. For us, it’s not only about supporting social entrepreneurs, but about learning together with social entrepreneurs – sharing different ideas and discovering new ways of working. We’re looking forward to welcoming the next ten social enterprises to the programme,” said Åsa Skogström Feldt, Managing Director of IKEA Social Entrepreneurship.

Further information about this program can be accessed through the official website at isea.instellar.id. For other inquiries, our team can be reached via email at isea@instellar.id.