Jakarta, December 26, 2021 – PT HM Sampoerna Tbk. (Sampoerna) through the umbrella of the sustainability program “Sampoerna Untuk Indonesia” together with the Indonesian Technology Innovation Foundation (INOTEK) held an “Innovative and Creative MSME Festival #BangkitWirausaha” on 24-26 December 2021. A total of 50 MSMEs participated in the festival supported by the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government.

The series of activities for the #BangkitWirausaha Innovative and Creative MSME Festival include talk shows, business matching, mukbang, various shopping promotions, MSME product reviews by influencers and bloggers, as well as various interesting games and quizzes presented to motivate and expand the MSME market so that they can rise during this pandemic. This festival introduces a wealth of culinary product innovations and creative products from SMEs assisted by Sampoerna and INOTEK. It is hoped that optimal transactions will occur to encourage people’s economic turnover.

The festival was officially opened on Friday (12/24) by the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia Sandiaga Uno who expressed his support, “This festival is a turning point for MSMEs to continue to advance, rise and increase product innovation and creativity because MSMEs are a milestone in the rise of the creative economy. in Indonesia”.

This festival also received full support from the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, as conveyed by the Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Riza Patria, “The government fully supports the implementation of the Innovative and Creative MSME Festival #BangkitWirausaha in the mission of revitalizing the national economy, where this event is a real movement to generate motivation. and the optimism of MSMEs to rise.”

Dr. Ir Bambang Supriyanto, M.Sc., Director General of Social Forestry and Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Environment and Forestry who represented the Minister of KLHK in his remarks emphasized the role of MSMEs in preserving the environment. “Competitive SMEs must have a circular economy insight. In this case, Sampoerna and INOTEK provide extraordinary support by facilitating MSMEs to have sustainable businesses through the provision of environmentally friendly packaging and sustainable business insights for 70 MSMEs in the BBNEB program,” he said.

On the same occasion, Sampoerna’s Head of External Affairs, Ishak Danuningrat, emphasized that Sampoerna is committed to developing MSMEs in order to increase competitiveness. This is done as an effort to support the overall national economic recovery.

“Through the umbrella of Sampoerna’s sustainability program for Indonesia, we are committed to always working together with stakeholders and strategic partners to support the growth of MSMEs through programs such as Build Back National Economy Better (BBNEB), especially to address the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Rifda Ammarina, as a Member of the INOTEK Management Board, assessed that the downstream of MSME products could be one of the driving forces for the rise of the economy. “As a business incubator that assists MSMEs in advancing to class, INOTEK is committed to supporting the revival of MSMEs through downstream the products of MSMEs fostered as a driver of economic movement,” said Rifda Ammarina.

The excitement of the Innovative and Creative MSME Festival #BangkitWirausaha lasts for three days and presents competent speakers, influencers, and bloggers, as well as other stakeholders that are expected to be able to support the development of local MSMEs.

The activity was closed on Sunday (26/12) by the Minister of Cooperatives and MSMEs, Mr. Teten Masduki. The Coordinating Minister for SMEs in his speech again highlighted the importance of the role of SMEs and the importance of assistance to facilitate the growth of SMEs. “MSMEs are the backbone of the Indonesian economy. Assistance such as that done by Sampoerna and INOTEK in the MSME Festival can expand the market and provide support to MSMEs to achieve success in the domestic market,” he said.

The #BangkitWirausaha Innovative and Creative MSME Festival is a series of activities from the Build Back National Economy Better (BBNEB) Program, a collaboration program between Sampoerna and INOTEK aimed at supporting entrepreneurs and MSMEs as the pillars of the nation’s economy, which is currently being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The BBNEB program is designed to support the economic recovery of the community by assisting MSMEs to adapt in the midst of limited business movements due to the prevailing social restrictions. In implementing the BBNEB Program, Sampoerna and INOTEK collaborated with several strategic partners, including the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government. Since May 2021, BBNEB has provided assistance to more than 500 MSMEs with a focus on product commercialization to improve the welfare and standard of living of MSMEs.