MAROKO133 Eksklusif startup: Bali mandates tourist app 📲, BI adjusts burden-sharing 💵, QRI

📌 MAROKO133 Update startup: Bali mandates tourist app 📲, BI adjusts burden-sharing

Dear subscribers,

This week’s update highlights major developments shaping Indonesia’s digital and economic landscape. Bali has introduced a mandatory tourist app to support sustainable travel, VinFast announced a landmark EV factory investment, and Venturi Partners has closed fresh funding for its second vehicle targeting consumer brands across Asia. On the innovation front, QRIS adoption continues to accelerate, driving SME participation in the digital economy. Meanwhile, governance challenges resurfaced with ongoing updates in the Tanihub case and the recent detention of Gojek founder and ex-Minister of Education, Nadiem Makarim—reminders of the importance of transparency and accountability in sustaining ecosystem growth.

Best regards,
The DailySocial Team

🚨 What’s New

• VinFast commits IDR 185 trillion EV plant in Subang, West Java 🚗⚡
  Vietnamese EV maker VinFast announced plans to invest IDR 185 trillion (approx. USD 11.2 billion) to build an electric vehicle factory in Subang, around 2 hours from Jakarta. The facility is expected to become one of the largest EV plants in Southeast Asia, producing both cars and batteries for domestic and export markets. This investment marks a major win for Indonesia’s strategy to position itself as a regional EV hub, leveraging its nickel reserves and supportive policies.

• Bali mandates new app for tourists 📲
  Starting early September this week, international visitors to Bali are required to download the “Love Bali” app before entry. The app is designed to track tourist activities, promote sustainable travel, and ensure compliance with local regulations. Authorities say the platform will also function as a digital guide, providing travelers with verified information about destinations, cultural etiquette, and environmental conservation.

• Ex-minister & Gojek co-founder Nadiem detained on graft charges ⚖️
  Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has detained Nadiem Makarim, former Minister of Education and founder of Gojek, as a suspect in a corruption investigation linked to state-funded education projects. According to the KPK, the case involves procurement irregularities and potential misuse of public funds through $563 million Google Chromebook laptop procurement project. Meanwhile, GoTo clarified that Nadiem has no formal role or involvement in the company, emphasizing its operations remain unaffected. The case underscores rising scrutiny of governance standards and could shape perceptions of Indonesia’s broader innovation ecosystem.

• Tanihub scandal deepens 🌾
  South Jakarta prosecutors have officially detained three new suspects, including former executives from state-owned venture capital firms, in the ongoing corruption and money-laundering case related to Tanihub’s investment funds. Former executives from state-owned investment firms have been charged with enabling unlawful investments worth millions, allegedly funneled into agritech startup Tanihub before being diverted. The scandal deepens concerns over governance and accountability in Indonesia’s venture capital–backed startup ecosystem.

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✨ What’s Exciting

• Venturi Partners raises $150M for consumer brands 🌐
  Singapore-based private equity firm Venturi Partners has closed $150 million in funding for its second vehicle focused on high-growth consumer brands in Asia. The firm, known for backing companies like Livspace and Country Delight, said the fund will target businesses in food, health, personal care, and lifestyle. This reflects increasing investor appetite for consumer-facing businesses that can scale with Asia’s expanding middle class. Venturi Partners emphasized its hands-on approach, supporting portfolio companies with operational expertise, digital transformation, and regional expansion strategies.

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🔮 What’s Next

• QRIS drives digitalization for SMEs 📊
  Indonesia’s digital economy continues to gain momentum through QRIS adoption. By H1 2025, QRIS recorded 57 million users and 39.3 million merchants, of which 93.16% are SMEs. Transaction volumes hit 6.05 billion with a total value of Rp 579 trillion—clear evidence that SMEs are not just present in the digital ecosystem but also thriving through digital transactions

• QRIS Tap adoption accelerates 🚀
  Bank Indonesia rolled out QRIS Tap (NFC-based) in March 2025, allowing users to make payments by simply tapping their phone. By June 2025, 47.8 million users and 648,000+ merchants had adopted the service, particularly …

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  🔗 Sumber: dailysocial.id

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  📌 MAROKO133 Update startup: 🚀 Nusantara Lima lifts off. 💸 Accion closes $61.6m fin

  Dear subscribers,

  We’re back with a concise briefing for founders, investors, VCs, and regulators across Indonesia, the region, and beyond. Inside: the week’s essential shifts in capital, expansion, partnerships, and policy—distilled for fast decision-making. Enjoy!

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  Best regards,
  The DailySocial Team

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  🚨 What’s New

  • Indonesia launched the Nusantara Lima (N5) satellite on 10 Sep 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral. Owned by PT Satelit Nusantara Lima (a PSN subsidiary) and developed with Boeing and Hughes, N5 operates at 113°E with 160 Gbps capacity—the largest in Southeast Asia. The mission is to extend high-speed internet across the archipelago to enable distance learning, telehealth, and MSME digital participation. Early local impacts—such as service improvements at Airu Community Health Center (Papua) and “digital village” pilots in East Java—point to better public services and broader economic inclusion. [Read more]

  • Bali-based Bliink unveiled a travel-management platform for MSMEs. A companion whitepaper highlights that 97% of Indonesian businesses are MSMEs, most still managing travel manually—leading to up to 30% cost leakage, 60% higher last-minute fares, 1 in 4 employees misclassifying personal expenses, and hundreds of hours lost to manual processes. CEO Larry Chua targets up to 30% savings via corporate fares, policy controls, integrated booking-to-reimbursement (cutting admin time by up to 50%), pay-as-you-go billing, and 24/7 human + AI support. [Read more]

  • Investors in Kopi Kenangan—including GIC and Peak XV Partners—are exploring partial stake sales with a financial adviser, according to sources. Talks are early and may not result in a deal or defined stake size. A transaction could value the grab-and-go coffee chain at US$1.2–1.4B (subject to change). Founded in 2017, the company operates 800+ outlets across 45 Indonesian cities, with offices in Jakarta, Singapore, and Malaysia. [Read more]

  • Awanio partnered with Techna-X Berhad and PMBI Technology Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia) to advance Indonesia’s digital sovereignty through technology transfer, talent development, and a regional innovation hub spanning cloud, virtualization, and AI. The collaboration covers training curricula, Indonesia–Malaysia talent exchanges, and capacity-building for faster, safer cloud adoption in public and private sectors. CEO Irfan Yuta Pratama aims to boost local competencies and regional go-to-market, nurturing competitive “local hyperscaler” capabilities. [Read more]

  👏 What’s Exciting

  Carro lines up dual-listing options and Australia expansion
  Carro (Temasek/SoftBank-backed) is evaluating a potential dual listing while preparing an Australia launch and 2–3 acquisitions as early as next quarter, said CEO Aaron Tan. The firm is in talks with banks including HSBC and UBS (no advisers appointed yet); possible venues include the U.S., Hong Kong, and Singapore. Tan highlighted a path to US$120–150m EBITDA next year, aided by 20–30% tech-cost reductions from AI adoption. The push follows last year’s Hong Kong entry via the Beyond Cars acquisition and would bring Carro’s full service suite to Australia.

  Accion closes US$61.6m early-stage fintech fund
  Accion closed Accion Venture Lab Fund II (rebranded to Accion Ventures) at US$61.6m to back ~30 inclusive-fintech startups serving MSMEs and low-income customers across Africa, South & Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the U.S. LPs include FMO, Proparco, ImpactAssets, Ford Foundation, MetLife, and Mastercard. In Indonesia, Accion has previously supported Finfra, Amartha, Semaai, MyRobin, Fairbanc, and Bababos—signaling continued interest in embedded finance and alternative-data solutions, alongside hands-on operational support and networks.

  Indonesia’s podcast audience shifts to video
  Populix research presented at Radiodays Asia (3 Sept 2025) shows a decisive shift toward video podcasts in Indonesia<…

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  🔗 Sumber: dailysocial.id

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