Bukalapak Claims To Have Clinched “Unicorn” Status

Bukalapak claims to have clinched unicorn status, following Go-Jek, Traveloka, and Tokopedia. Company valuation is said to be more than $1 billion (around Rp13.5 trillion rupiahs).

"It [fund] comes from investment, but I have not been able to share it [investors]. The point is it has already reached one billion [dollars]," explained Co-Founder and CEO of Bukalapak Achmad Zaky, as quoted from Tempo, Thursday (11/16).

Exclusively to DailySocial, Zaky described:

"The Minister [Rudiantara] tells that there are only three unicorn startups in Indonesia. He told me, 'Bukalapak is going to be one.' I replied, 'already there’. Practically said."

Zaky ensures Bukalapak will retain the local ownership within company they initiated since 2010. He assures Bukalapak will not fall into foreign hands.

However, it does not mean Zaky is an anti-foreigner. He keeps an open opportunity even though foreign companies are not the majority owners.

According to the latest data, the largest share-owner of Bukalapak is the EMTEK media conglomerate, which per third quarter of 2017 owns 49.21% of marketplace service shares established by Zaky with Fajrin Rasyid and Nugroho Herucahyono.

Go-Jek confirmed its unicorn status after last year's funding. Meanwhile for both Traveloka and Tokopedia has announced similar funding to achieve the same exclusive level. We are waiting for the concrete announcement from Bukalapak.

- Original article is written in Indonesian, translated by Kristin Siagian