Universitas Gadjah Mada
Faculty of Economics and Business

Two students from the Master of Management Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business (MBA FEB) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) won third place in the ANGEL International Innovation Competition held at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) on June 10, 2024.

The two MBA FEB UGM students, Muhammad Eko Andriyansyah (JOG-MBA-83 2023) and Hendy Gusando (JOG-MBA-83 2023) were part of the Wong Kito Pride Corporation (WKP Corp) team along with two other UGM students from the Master of Biotechnology program, Naura Paramitha Cindy Ardyah (Biotechnology 2023) and Suci Dwi Monda (Biotechnology 2023), under the mentorship of Rokhima Rostiani, S.E., M.Mgt.

The competition, organized by the ASEAN Network for Green Entrepreneurship and Leadership (ANGEL), is a highly regarded platform that brings together the brightest minds from various universities in the ASEAN region. This year, it featured 12 teams, including those from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII), University of South-East Asia, Institute of Technology Cambodia, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Savannakhet University, Champasack University, Can Tho University, and Hanoi University of Mining and Geology. The competition was fierce, with each team presenting innovative and sustainable business proposals.

Eko explained that the WKP Corp team secured third place by presenting a business proposal themed "Ecofeed Innovation" related to environmentally friendly livestock feed supplements. Their business idea involved the development of SAPITAN, an innovative supplement for ruminants containing tannin extract from banana stem waste. Tannin extract has been proven effective in reducing methane emissions from these animals without decreasing their appetite. Additionally, this tannin extract can increase daily milk and meat productivity by 6.5%, significantly boosting farmers' income. "So we are proposing a supplement for cattle that can reduce methane gas while improving the quality of meat and milk," he explained on Friday (June 21).

Eko stated that the target market for WKP Corp's product is farmers under the guidance of livestock cooperatives in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. WKP Corp's marketing strategy focuses on the product's benefits and targets environmentally conscious farmers through various local channels, including farmer meetings, government events, and social media. "With an emphasis on product advantages, affordability, and contribution to methane gas reduction, SAPITAN is expected to achieve a strong competitive position in the market," he said.

Furthermore, Eko explained that investment in SAPITAN promises projected annual revenues of around IDR 4.39 billion with a pre-tax profit margin of 10%. With a team specializing in management, finance, marketing, and biotechnology, WKP Corp is committed to providing sustainable solutions in the cattle farming industry and contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts.

The journey of the WKP Corp team to achieve third place in this prestigious competition was quite lengthy. Previously, the team underwent initial selection at the faculty level and won the Green Business Plan Competition organized by MBA UGM in May 2024, outpacing 16 other teams. The team then represented Indonesia in the ANGEL Innovation Competition in Malaysia, presenting their business proposal virtually.

"Of course, our team is grateful for this achievement and proud to bring honor to UGM and Indonesia on the international stage. Even though we did not win first place, we are still satisfied with our team's first achievement in this international competition," he explained.

The ANGEL International Innovation Competition is part of the ANGEL conference, attended by 300 participants, including students, lecturers, researchers, practitioners, and community members from the ASEAN region. At the conference, a lecturer from the Department of Management FEB UGM, Rr. Tur Nastiti, M.Si., Ph.D., won the Best Paper award for her paper on sustainable human resources in the dynamics of millennial talent working in the Indonesian construction industry.

Reportage: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum

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