The Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (Kemenkop and UKM) has set a goal to increase the number of entrepreneurs in Indonesia to 2.5% of the population, or 6,128,655 people, surpassing the ideal threshold of 2%.
According to data from Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS), entrepreneurship in Indonesia has reached 1.56%, or 3,707,205 entrepreneurs, nearing the ideal threshold of 2%. Agus Muharram, Secretary of Kemenkop and UKM, stated that the target is achievable due to the numerous government programs supporting new entrepreneurs.
"Two years ago, the number of entrepreneurs in Indonesia was only 0.24% (570,339 people). This increase is largely driven by entrepreneurship development programs," Agus explained.
The Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs has implemented several initiatives to promote entrepreneurship, including:
- National Entrepreneurship Movement (GKN) – Implemented at the national and regional levels to foster new entrepreneurs.
- Entrepreneurship Training – Conducted across all provinces to provide business knowledge and skills.
- Entrepreneurship Expos & Internships – Offering real-world experience in business management.
- Technical and Managerial Training – Focused on enhancing business capabilities for long-term success.
- Business Incubation Programs – Developed in collaboration with universities to support new businesses.
- Vocational Training Centers (TPKU) – Located in vocational schools and Islamic boarding schools (pesantren), serving as major hubs for entrepreneurial skill development.
Entrepreneurs trained through TPKU programs receive continuous support, from training to financial access. The government has allocated Rp100 million per TPKU to fund entrepreneurship education, facilitated through the Deputy for Human Resource Development at Kemenkop and UKM.
"We ensure that students trained at TPKU centers receive financial assistance through People’s Business Credit (KUR) and other financial institutions," Agus added.
With these efforts, the Indonesian government aims to significantly boost entrepreneurship, drive economic growth, and create more job opportunities by 2013.