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Instellar and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator

The Instellar & IKEA Social Entrepreneurship Accelerator (I-SEA) programme is a partnership between Instellar and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship. I-SEA aims to create better opportunities for vulnerable communities by supporting the growth of impactful local businesses. By the end of the programme, each business will have embedded social impact into its core operations and long-term strategy.

Why apply to this programme?

Tailored workshops and expert-led mentorship

You’ll receive practical and strategic guidance from experts at Instellar, IKEA co-workers around the world, and other professionals who understand your business challenges. Our tailored workshops and consultations are designed to meet your specific needs and support your growth with purpose.

Access to network

Besides connections to IKEA, you’ll gain access to a broader network of social enterprises, corporates, and ecosystem players. Through curated networking sessions, business matchmaking, and collaboration opportunities, we help open doors to meaningful partnerships that can accelerate your business and amplify your social impact.

Impact strategy & measurement support

For social enterprises, we’ll support you in strengthening your impact model and preparing a professional Impact Report to showcase the positive change you’re making.

For businesses on the path to sustainability, we’ll guide you in identifying areas within your operations where you can begin integrating socially responsible practices.

Capacity building for financial resilience

You’ll receive expert support to improve your financial management, business model, and operational efficiency. We’ll guide you through strategic planning so you can build a stronger foundation for responsible and sustainable growth.

Founder development and leadership support

We believe that your journey as a founder matters just as much as your business. To support this, the programme includes dedicated sessions focused on your personal development. We care about you as an individual and aim to create a safe, supportive space where you can reflect, grow, and build resilience as a founder.

Support to integrate social impact into your business

For businesses looking to transition to more socially responsible practices, you’ll get expert guidance to align impact with your business plan and integrate it across your value chain. By taking this approach, you can strengthen your brand, improve operations, and create long-term value.

Where we focus our support

Inclusive Nature-Based Solutions

Supports solutions that use natural ecosystems, like forests, to deliver environmental and economic benefits. These include carbon capture, biodiversity improvement, and stronger local economies. We welcome innovative projects that protect and restore nature while addressing social needs, contributing to a more sustainable and equitable future.


Sub-sectors :

  • Regenerative & Organic Agriculture
  • Agroforestry

Inclusive Textile

Supports social enterprises and established businesses, including those not yet working strategically with social impact but committed to becoming more ethical and embedding social impact into their core business practices. This may include creating fair and dignified employment for vulnerable communities, supporting local producers, and ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions across the value chain.


Sub-sectors :

  • Home textile products: cushion covers, bed linens, towels, slippers, and bathrobes
  • Textile materials: fabric made from natural or sustainable fibers

Inclusive Circularity

Focuses on creating systems that promote the reuse, recycling, and regeneration of materials to minimise waste and reduce environmental impact, while addressing social needs. We collaborate with businesses that embrace a closed-loop approach and integrate circular economy principles into their models, not just to reduce environmental harm, but to support local livelihoods, promote inclusive economic participation, and ensure fair opportunities across the value chain.


Sub-sectors :

  • Recycling & Upcycling
  • Waste Management
  • Reusable Packaging
  • Food Waste Solutions
  • Biodegradable Materials

What we look for

We are looking for businesses that are ready to grow and create a lasting impact. Whether you are already driving change through your operations or intentionally working towards sustainability, we’d love to support you.

General requirements (for all applicants)

To be eligible, your business must:

  • Be legally registered in Indonesia (CV, PT, Foundation, or Cooperative)
  • Have been operating for at least 3 years
  • Have at least one Indonesian founder who is based in Indonesia and working full-time
  • Show positive profitability projections, ideally with a positive cash flow
  • Operates and creates impact within the targeted sectors
  • Led by founders with strong motivation, commitment, and a willingness to learn

If you’re a social enterprise or business with social impact embedded into your operations

We’re looking for business like yours that:

  • Have a clear, measurable impact on vulnerable communities in Indonesia
  • Earn at least USD USD 150,000 or IDR 2.5 billion in annual revenue
  • Are ready to scale your business and impact

If you're a business on the path to becoming socially responsible

We welcome established enterprises like yours that:

  • Earn at least USD 1 million (or IDR 16.5 billion) in annual revenue
  • Are at a scalable stage
  • Are led by founders who are committed to transforming their business, making it more inclusive and socially responsible.

Timeline

Application

28 April - 31 May 2025

Applications are submitted for initial consideration in the programme.

Scoping

May - August 2025

A selection committee from IKEA, Instellar, and externals reviews applications. Shortlisted applicants will undergo due diligence then be invited to interviews. Ten businesses will then be selected and sign an MoU before joining the programme.

Launchpad

September - November 2025

Selected social enterprises join onboarding, bootcamp, and business diagnosis to identify challenges and set clear goals for the programme.

Growth & Impact

November 2025 - September 2026

Tailored support from IKEA co-workers, Instellar, and external experts through workshops, consultations, partnership lab, investment readiness, and other customised forms of support.

Show & Tell

October 2026

A final showcase to share stories, learnings, and impact with a wider audience, and highlight the journey beyond the programme.

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Follow our journey

The I-SEA program provides opportunities for social enterprises to have a wider impact on society and encourages program participants to continue to innovate with new perspectives.

Hear from our alumni

Omar Stamboel Through this program we have met and learn from amazing inspiring people. Learning from other social entrepeneurs about their ideas, struggles, and resilience is very encouraging and makes us more motivated in running our own business.

Omar Stamboel

Founder & CEO
Westbike Messenger
Bintang Ekananda I-SEA is the best accelerator we have ever participated in. The programme successfully built strong connections between fellow ventures, which eventually led to several pilot projects. We also appreciate the freedom to determine how to use the grant funds, which enabled us to maximise both our revenue and impact.

Bintang Ekananda

Founder & CEO
Alner
Rengkuh Banyu M. We have not only gained access to a larger market and a wide range of potential customers, but also invaluable support and guidance. The programme has helped us create meaningful jobs for our community and provided an opportunity to enhance the positive social impact of our business. We have learned a great deal about business management, marketing, and product development. This support has enabled us to grow our business in a more sustainable way. Most importantly, the programme has given us hope that through our business, we can contribute to reducing inequality and poverty in the world.

Rengkuh Banyu M.

Co-Founder & CEO
Plepah
Adijoyo Prakoso Joining the I-SEA programme has been the best experience for Duitin. It has provided us with networking opportunities and access to tailored mentorship from experts across various countries.

Adijoyo Prakoso

Co-Founder & COO
Duitin
Wakhyu Budi Utami I-SEA is the most caring programme we’ve been part of. As a social enterprise, we were showered with so much attention that helped us grow. It’s a fulfilling experience that helps us gain a new support system and a sense of belonging. We’ve bonded like one big family with IKEA, Instellar, and our fellow social enterprises.

Wakhyu Budi Utami

Co-Founder & Chief of Export
Rumah Mocaf
Dwi Sasetyaningtyas The I-SEA programme offers valuable lessons on how to develop a business while increasing both environmental and social impacts, all while staying mindful of the bottom line. Not only that, the programme provides space for social enterprises at various stages to receive guidance tailored to their current needs through mentorship and customised support. Beyond knowledge, the programme has also given us the opportunity to network with fellow founders, individuals, and companies that share the same mission.

Dwi Sasetyaningtyas

Founder & CEO
Sustaination
Margareta Astaman Securing funding for research is never easy, especially when the outcomes are uncertain, but thanks to I-SEA, we were able to push forward. Their support helped us make real progress in extending the shelf life of tropical fruits to 35–45 days, which opens the door to sourcing from remote areas that were once too difficult to reach. This means more communities can benefit, and that’s what drives us.

Margareta Astaman

Co-founder & CEO
Java Fresh
Dien Wong What stood out the most in the I-SEA programme were the thought partner sessions and the leadership training. Our thought partner went the extra mile and pushed us beyond limits, which helped us a lot as a business. The leadership training was equally exceptional. While the materials might seem standard at first glance, it was the way they were delivered that made the experience meaningful. The sessions went beyond formal discussions; they sparked deeper conversations and bonding that brought us closer as a group.

Dien Wong

Co-founder & CTO
PasarMIKRO

I-SEA Changemakers

Alner
Duitin
Greenie
Kulaku
Liberty Society
Plépah
QYOS
Rumah Mocaf
Sustaination
Westbike Messenger

Mentors & Speakers

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can apply for the I-SEA programme?
What if I’m not sure my business is a social enterprise?
My business is not yet focused on social impact. Can I apply?
What does “business on the path to becoming socially responsible” mean?
My business is not legally registered in Indonesia. Can I still apply?
My business doesn’t operate in one of the focus sectors. Can I still apply?
What if my business doesn’t meet the minimum revenue criteria?
Can I apply if my business is not yet profitable?
Do I need previous experience with accelerators or incubators?
What types of support does I-SEA provide?
How is the support tailored to each business?
What counts as “impact for vulnerable communities”?
What kind of businesses fall under Inclusive Nature-Based Solutions?
What kind of businesses fall under Inclusive Circularity?
How long does the programme run, and what does the schedule look like?
How much time do I need to commit?
Can more than one person from my business participate?
Is the programme in-person or virtual?
Will accommodation and transportation for in-person activities be covered?
How does the application and selection process work?

Grow Better Together

About Instellar

Instellar is the pioneer of social impact advisory in Indonesia and the only one with a B Corporation™ certification. We accelerate social innovation in organizations through consultancy, program, and investment by incorporating three main excellences: impact, communication, and operation. Having impacted more than 270 social enterprises since 2017, Instellar has been a driving force in developing the impact ecosystem in Indonesia.
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About IKEA Social Entrepreneurship

IKEAs vision is to create a better everyday life for as many people as possible. IKEA Social Entrepreneurship was founded 2012, assigned to look into how IKEA could include products and services from social entrepreneurs in our offer. In 2018 it was expanded to support programmes that accelerate the movement of social entrepreneurship in general. Supporting social enterprises with a vision to create a more inclusive and equal society, our ambition is to have a positive impact on people’s livelihoods. Today, we back and boost social entrepreneurs all over the world, as well as expand the business we do together. That way, we get to be a part of creating new opportunities for vulnerable people and communities – while fighting the root causes of poverty and inequality.
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