Investing in Startups to Boost Telecommunications Service

Telecommunications operator Indosat Ooredoo continues to cooperate with company builders -- Mountain Partners and Kejora -- by investing around US$150,000 in three startups in Indonesia in the hope of boosting services.

Prashant Gokarn, chief digital services officer of Indosat Ooredoo, said on Monday that the three startups—Andalin, Ayo Slide and Sevva— had been chosen following rigorous selection from 1,200 startups that applied through the program called Ideabox.

“Many of these services appeal to certain customers, appeal to elements of Indosat’s market,” Gokarn said, adding that he expected the three selected startups to provide different kinds of feedback and help expanding the company’s customer base.

Andalin is a one-stop website service to help with export-import processes for specialized small and medium enterprises. Ayo Slide is a marketing platform that uses cellular phone screen locks. Savva is a renting service platform that eases the renting of baby equipment, photography and fashion.

 “Our focus this year is to improve customers’ experience in networks, quality of services and content. Last year we launched spotify, iflix and many other services, this year we will [also] expand those,” Gokarn said.

Indosat Ooredoo currently invests in almost 20 companies including the Ideabox venture program, which has been conducted since 2013. Last year, the company reported an 11.8 percent revenue increase from Rp 21,895.7 billion in 2015.

Source : The Jakarta Post