Claims To Be a Unicorn, Bukalapak Soon to Build R&D Center in Bandung

Bukalapak will buid Research and Development Center (R&D) in Bandung to develop the latest technology to be implemented in Bukalapak's platform in the future. The funding is sourced from a newest investment bringing Bukalapak to the Unicorn status.

Bukalapak's CEO and Co-Founder Achmad Zaky said his side is still looking for the right spot to construct the new building by 4000-5000m2. It is later to be able to accommodate 200 local developers in discovering new technology to be implemented in Bukalapak's platform.

Regarding investor, even though Bukalapak has claimed to be unicorn, Zaky is still covering it tightly. He reasoned the investor would not come ot to public yet.

"We have not given our official statement regarding the funding, no comment. However, we already unicorn, only the investor is remain classified. Unicorn is not the concern, it is only a milestone, the company has way bigger dream, so that we will keep running," he explained, Wed (1/10)

The R&D took place in Bandung because its nickname, city of engineering students. Seen from many universities such as ITB, Institut Teknologi Nasional (ITENAS), Institut Teknologi Harapan Bangsa (ITHB), Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad), IT Telkom, Politeknik Negeri Bandung (Polban) and many others. Besides, among other reasons, Zaky was graduated from ITB.

Later, R&D development will be collaborated with Bandung City Government for the Smart City implementation and focused on 30% to 50% Bukalapak's engineering activities in Bandung. So Far, Bukalapak has opened the new office in Bandung, but contains only 20 local engineers.

"No need to open the new office in India, meanwhile a broader potential is in local. In R&D building, we wil develop the latest technology such as AI, Machine Learning, Blockchain, also drone delivery, to be applied in platform."

Bukalapak's performance

During this year, Bukalapak has recorded an increasing transaction of three to four times up from the previous year by 35 million users (monthly active user/MAU). By this number, it can be said that 30% Indonesians going online, has already opened Bukalapak's site in a month.

On daily basis, Bukalapak's processed transaction has reached 320 thousands, accumulated from 2,2 million sellers, of the last 1,3 million sellers last in 2016.

"We already in our first windu (8 years time), the next will be our dream to be an asset for the state and nation, by providing job opportunity and the most-valuable taxpayer in Indonesia. On the other hand, we want to develop new acts outside the marketplace, take back the local talent abroad to build indonesia and create the most-sophisticated technology," said Zaky.

– Original article is in Indonesian, translated by Kristin Siagian