Public Discussion: Business Solutions to Accelerate SMEs in Developing Markets

MSMEs are one of the biggest economic drivers in developing countries, one of which is Indonesia. Indonesian MSMEs contribute 60.3% of income to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 97% to the national workforce.

Nevertheless, MSMEs still cannot be separated from problems that have always hindered the pace of growth of their respective businesses. MSMEs find it difficult to get funding assistance from financial institutions. As many as 40% of MSMEs in developing countries have not yet accessed assistance from financial institutions.

Knowing this fact, Tokoin invited various parties, ranging from business people, financial institutions and the government to unite ideas, trying to outline the problems facing MSMEs. Through a public discussion with the headline " Business Solutions to Accelerate SMEs in Developing Markets ".

Public Discussion as an effort to unify ideas

The Tokoin Public Discussion was held in a talk show format hosted by Mutia Rachmi, Project Manager of Tokoin itself. This event presents four expertise , each of which will express their opinions on how to accelerate UMKM. Speakers at the event included: Joseph Aditia - CEO of Ralali.com, Hadi Kuncoro - Supply Chain Specialist from the CEO of the Group of PowerCommerce.

As CEO of Tokoin, Reiner Rahardja shared his reason why Tokoin "exists". He said about the absence of access to financial institutions he did not maximize the growth of the MSME business itself. For example, a grocery store that is almost certain to get rejected when applying for credit to financial institutions. The reason is that he was not considered worthy of being able to receive credit because he did not yet have an adequate recording system to form credit scoring .

Tokoin is here to offer a long-term solution in which MSMEs are facilitated to build business credibility through shopping transactions initiated on the Tokoin platform.

" As a businessman, I fully understand the difficulties of MSMEs in Indonesia to develop their businesses. Through Tokoin we are trying to be a liaison for MSMEs to get access to agencies that can develop their businesses such as banks, insurance and others , "Reiner said.

Having the same vision with Tokoin, Joseph Aditya as CEO of Ralali.com feels that facilitating MSMEs with a platform that is able to build business credibility will really be able to help MSMEs to accelerate. " MSMEs need a platform that is able to help MSMEs form business feasibility in the form of credit scoring ... " he said.

In addition, he also added that, " in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, business was no longer limited to product trading activities. But how data can be recorded, secured and distributed efficiently and effectively ". Joseph Aditya saw Tokoin able to do this by implementing blockchain in its business ecosystem.

Strengthening the statement of Joseph Aditya, supply chain expert , Hadi Kuncoro, confirmed how technology requires almost all sectors to adapt in order to accelerate synergistically. Including one of the sub-sectors of the industrial world, supply chain .

"Both logistics and supply chain, are required to continue to adapt to technological advancements, given that this sector is one of the industries that is strongly supported by technological advances for the adaptation of methods and processes. For Tokoin, this is the challenge to implement this technology in the MSME supply chain process. Until later it can increase the productivity of MSMEs as Tokoin users ".

Blockchain is not merely crypto-exchange

The implementation of blockchain technology is not only limited to the commodity crypto currency exchange. Something like that happened in the past. Now the blockchain itself is experiencing a revolution, blockchain 2.0 is more about the use of the blockchain in business models.

Blockchain expert from Blockcrafter, South Korea, Gunhee Lee explained the business model of what the blockchain in the Tokoin platform is.

According to him, " Tokoin is a different project, because Tokoin aims to facilitate the needs of MSMEs, which will encourage rapid user adoption and appropriate application. By answering the difficulties that have dragged on the world of MSME, I am sure that Tokoin will be a blockchain project that is very beneficial for the MSME industry . "