16 Future Leaders Push for Social Entrepreneurship to Scale Up in the National Economy

Jakarta, 6 February 2026 — Social entrepreneurship holds significant economic potential, yet it has not been fully integrated into the mainstream national economy. This issue captured the attention of 16 future leaders united under Indonesia’s Future Growth Champions (IFGC). They gathered at the Indonesia Economic Summit (IES) 2026 to discuss a critical challenge facing the Indonesian economy: integrating social enterprises into the mainstream economy. The forum, titled Building Bridges of Impact: Empowering Change Through Social Enterprise, brought together founders and leaders of social enterprises, public policy innovators, and industry, business, and corporate professionals. The discussion focused on the gap between policy and market realities that social enterprises continue to face, particularly in financing and market access. This issue is critical to strengthening the role of social entrepreneurship in inclusive and sustainable growth. The forum was organized through a strategic partnership with Endeavor Indonesia. Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, expressed support for this initiative. He stated that the government has laid a foundation at the grassroots level, including transforming social aid into productive entrepreneurship, but it still requires these "Champions" to connect it to the broader market. "We now need future leaders to build the bridge to the industry. We are ready to hear concrete recommendations to create an ecosystem that allows social enterprises to grow without bureaucratic hurdles," Pratikno stated. On the other hand, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Indonesian Business Council (IBC), Arsjad Rasjid, assessed that social entrepreneurship needs to be positioned as part of the national economic architecture rather than merely an impact-based initiative. According to him, social enterprises have made real contributions to the Indonesian economy but still reside in a precarious middle ground. "The challenge is how the financing policy ecosystem and the market can truly support this sector so it can grow sustainably and integrate with the main economic current," Arsjad added. He noted that social entrepreneurship now comprises approximately 342,000 entities and accounts for 1.9% of national GDP. However, it still faces a paradox: it is too commercial for philanthropy but is considered risky by conventional banking due to the absence of a clear legal framework. To bridge the gap between government policy and market reality, the 16 future leaders engaged in intensive discussions led by the Managing Director of Endeavor Indonesia, Monika Rudijono. The discussion was further enriched by practical insights from the Founder and CEO of Javara Indonesia, Helianti Hilman, who highlighted real obstacles related to impact and market access. From the discussion, participants identified four key agendas considered most urgent. First, the need for clearer regulations for social enterprises. Second, access to financing that is better suited to impact-based business models. Third, opportunities for social enterprises to enter corporate supply chains as commercial suppliers. Fourth, strengthening the ecosystem to enable social enterprise actors to grow sustainably from early stages to investment readiness.

List of Indonesia's Future Growth Champions

1. Aldi Haryopratomo, Commissioner of Halodoc and Visinema
2. Andhyta F. Utami, Founder and Chief Experiment Officer of Think Policy
3. Andre Rasjid P.M., Managing Director of RMI Capital
4. Dirgayuza Setiawan, Special Assistant to the President of the Republic of Indonesia for Communication and Policy Analysis
5. Ernest Christian Layman, Co-Founder and CEO of Rekosistem
6. Ferro Ferizka, Special Advisor to the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture of Indonesia
7. Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Arya (KGPAA) Mangkoenagoro X
8. Kevin Pudjiadi, Co-Founder of CASION
9. Melia Winata, Co Founder and CEO of Du Anyam
10. Mohamad Bijaksana Junerosano, Expert Team for Minister of Environment of Indonesia; CEO and Founder of Waste4Change
11. Nadia Habibie, Executive Board of The Habibie Center
12. Raline Shah, Special Staff for the Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs of Indonesia
13. Ratna Kartadjoemena, Chairperson of Paloma Sjahrir Foundation
14. Tamara Dewi Gondo, CEO of Liberty Society
15.  Vikra Ijas, Co-Founder and CEO of Kitabisa.com
16. Wafa Taftazani, General Manager at Tools of Humanity for Indonesia