- Held 'MAJU:ON Final Demo Day' in Jakarta on May 21, recognizing outstanding startup teams and providing investment opportunities
- Follow-up initiatives, including joint-fund financing and invitations to bilateral conferences, to help foster global expansion
JAKARTA, Indonesia, May 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- SK Innovation E&S is supporting the growth of Indonesia's youth entrepreneurship ecosystem by providing practical and comprehensive support to young entrepreneurs throughout the entire startup lifecycle.
SK Innovation E&S announced that it successfully hosted the 'MAJU:ON Final Demo Day' on May 21 at the Garuda Spark Innovation Hub in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Members of GISACT, the first-place team, pose for a commemorative photo at the MAJU:ON Final Demo Day held on May 21 at the Garuda Spark Innovation Hub in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Dr. Ir. Hariyanto, Chief of the Planning Bureau at Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, delivers congratulatory remarks at the MAJU:ON Final Demo Day held on May 21 at the Garuda Spark Innovation Hub in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Lee Jong-mun, Head of the LNG Business Division at SK Innovation E&S, delivers congratulatory remarks at the MAJU:ON Final Demo Day held on May 21 at the Garuda Spark Innovation Hub in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Anjar Dimara Sakti, CEO of GISACT, the first-place team, receives an award at the MAJU:ON Final Demo Day held on May 21 at the Garuda Spark Innovation Hub in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Key participants pose for a commemorative photo at the MAJU:ON Final Demo Day held on May 21 at the Garuda Spark Innovation Hub in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Back row, from left: 7th, Shon Dong-kun, President Director of SK Innovation E&S Indonesia; 8th, Chung Hae-kwan, Minister of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Indonesia. Back row, from right: 2nd, Kim Jeong-heon, CEO of UD Impact; 4th, Lee Jong-hwan, Head of LNG Business Operations at SK Innovation E&S; 5th, Lee Jong-mun, Head of the LNG Business Division at SK Innovation E&S; 6th, Dr. Ir. Hariyanto, Chief of the Planning Bureau at Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. Front row: members of the 10 participating startup teams)
The 'MAJU:ON' project is a youth entrepreneurship support initiative in the energy and environmental sectors that SK Innovation E&S has operated in Indonesia since 2025, in collaboration with Korean ESG solution company UD Impact. The 'Demo Day' event was organized to showcase the achievements of the first cohort of startup teams participating in the MAJU:ON program.
The event featured congratulatory remarks from distinguished guests, a special lecture by industry experts on energy transition and AI technologies, business model presentations and an awards ceremony for 10 startup teams, as well as one-on-one investment consultation sessions with venture capital firms.
The event was attended by key representatives from Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Ministry of Investment (BKPM), Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (UMKM), Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (KOMDIGI), and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Indonesia, along with representatives from eight regional hub universities and ANGIN (Angel Investment Network Indonesia), one of Indonesia's leading venture investment networks. Approximately 200 people attended the event.
Dr. Ir. Hariyanto, Chief of Planning Bureau at Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, stated, "We express our highest appreciation and will continue to support young entrepreneurs who drive innovation in the energy sector". He added, "We also commend SK Innovation E&S for its outstanding contribution in preparing future leaders in the energy field" in a congratulatory speech delivered during the event.
Five teams, including three grand prize winners and two special award recipients, were selected based on a comprehensive evaluation – combining scores from a panel of expert judges and the results of a mock investment session conducted by the audience. During the mock investment session, audience members allocated virtual investment funds to the startup teams they considered most promising after listening to their presentations.
The top honors were awarded to teams GISACT, AIGRA, and Lifeguards. Among them, team GISACT, which won the first place, drew particular attention for its spatial intelligence platform that supports optimal decision-making through data-driven analysis of complex geographic information across fields ranging from disaster response to agriculture. The judging panel highly commended GISACT for its differentiated competitiveness, noting that the team had set itself apart from existing solutions through its outstanding technological capabilities.
The first-place team, GISACT, received a prize of USD 4,000. The second-place team, AIGRA, which presented an AI-based agricultural produce spoilage prevention system, and the third-place team, Lifeguards, which introduced a technology to extend the freshness of fruits and vegetables, received USD 2,500 and USD 1,500, respectively.
A total of five winning teams, including two special award recipients – Aruponic and WearaTech – will have the opportunity to engage in global networking with young Korean entrepreneurs at the Korea-Indonesia joint conference scheduled for September. In addition, subject to eligibility review, they may also receive interest-free loans totaling KRW 20 million through a fund jointly established by UD Impact and ANGIN.
Anjar Dimara Sakti, CEO of GISACT, said, "Through the MAJU:ON project, we were able to turn our idea into a concrete business. We believe this experience will serve as an important turning point in taking our business to the next level." He added, "We are deeply grateful to SK and UD Impact for the support that has enabled young Indonesian entrepreneurs to pursue their goals and expand their dreams of entering the global market."
Over the past 10 months, SK Innovation E&S has identified and fostered approximately 130 startup teams and around 460 young Indonesian entrepreneurs in the energy and environmental sectors through the MAJU:ON project. In August of last year, the company signed memoranda of understanding with eight regional hub universities and recruited participating teams, providing them with a four-week startup support program. In November, it subsequently hosted a startup hackathon. The 10 outstanding teams selected through the competition received advanced entrepreneurship and management training, as well as opportunities to engage with key Indonesian government officials and energy-sector experts through the 'Networking Day' program.
Following the successful outcomes of the MAJU:ON program, SK Innovation E&S plans to continue supporting the development of young Indonesian entrepreneurs through future initiatives, including the launch of the second cohort of the MAJU:ON program.
Shon Dong-kun, President Director of SK Innovation E&S Indonesia, said, "Through the MAJU:ON project, we witnessed the tremendous potential of young Indonesian entrepreneurs. We hope this program will serve as a bridge connecting the industrial ecosystems of Indonesia and Korea."
SK Innovation has continuously invested in Indonesia across key industries, including energy and resource development. In particular, the company invested in Indonesia's Tangguh gas field in 2006 and has since imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced in Indonesia through long-term contracts. In 2025, SK Innovation also secured three exploration blocks – Serpang, Binaiya, and North Ketapang – through a government-led bidding process and is currently advancing resource development projects in the region.
About SK Innovation
SK Innovation is a total energy and solution company affiliated with the SK Group, which is Korea's second-largest conglomerate with about 200 subsidiaries. SK Innovation is the largest private energy company in the Asia-Pacific region, with total assets exceeding KRW 100 trillion.
Based on its diverse business portfolio, SK Innovation has maintained strong partnerships with Indonesia. In 2025, SK Earthon (Oil Exploration & Production business subsidiary of SK Innovation) secured three oil and gas blocks—Serpang, Binaiya, and North Ketapang—to accelerate its resource development business in Indonesia.
In addition, SK Innovation is committed to creating social value in Indonesia through various activities such as education and scholarship programs, blood donation campaigns, support for local festivals, and vocational training.
SK Innovation E&S specializes in LNG, hydrogen, and energy solutions within the SK Innovation group. Since its establishment as a city gas holding company in 1999, SK Innovation E&S has completed the global LNG value chain, growing into Korea's No.1 private LNG business operator. Through continuous networking with countries including Indonesia, SK Innovation E&S strives to expand its global business portfolio.
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