US Program GEPI Tries To Leverage Indonesian Entrepreneurs

GEPI (Global Entrepreneurship Program Indonesia) is a part of GEP worldwide which is a new U.S. Government program focused on supporting and empowering entrepreneurs in Muslim communities around the world – and beyond. Their pilot project in Egypt has been a success, bringing Egypt's best tech innovators to meet Silicon Valley and other world class investors to help make their dreams bigger.

In Indonesia, the program started with the visit from State Dept's Steven Koltai who initiate the GEPI program and look for chairman and advisors for Indonesia operations. And ever since, the GEPI program has literally been partnering with everyone from the government, the industry, private sectors and entrepreneurship organizations, universities and has been gaining huge word of mouth throughout the local startups scene.

Their goals?  ‘Identify,’ ‘Train,’ ‘Connect,’ ‘Guide to funding,’ ‘Sustain,’ and ‘Celebrate’ entrepreneurship in Indonesia.

GEPI has been partnering with HIPMI (Indonesian Young Entrepreneur Association), Sampoerna Foundation's Mekar.Biz program, and New Ventures Indonesia - an investment fund focusing on environment, and numerous government organizations in order to help Indonesian entrepreneurs get off their feet.

This July 19-21st 2011, GEPI will also hold up an event where they will give Indonesia’s entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their business ideas to one of 14 top delegations of US-based entrepreneurs, investors and mentors ever to come to Indonesia. And these people will pay their own cost to travel to Indonesia and basically volunteer their time, which in a way indicates a passion and interest for Indonesia.

Ain't that sweet.