As leading innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem enabler from Indonesia, KUMPUL held the Connect for Change (C4C) Summit 2025 in Jakarta on 21 October 2025. The C4C Summit 2025 brought together more than 500 thought leaders, including startup founders, investors, corporations, policymakers, and ecosystem leaders from across Asia-Pacific to address one of Southeast Asia’s most persistent growth challenges: the Missing Middle.

Across Southeast Asia, there are around 71 million Small Growing Businesses (SGBs), representing 97% of all enterprises. Yet fewer than 30% have access to formal financing, leaving an annual funding gap exceeding USD 300 billion. These businesses sit between microenterprises and large firms, too big for microfinance, but too risky for venture capital, while also facing fragmented digital infrastructure, limited cross-border readiness, and low workforce adaptability.

Recognizing these challenges, KUMPUL built the Connect for Change (C4C) Summit 2025 as a regional platform to turn shared problems into coordinated solutions.

Turning Shared Challenges into Coordinated Solutions

“The Missing Middle reflects the shared challenge of strengthening inclusion, competitiveness, and opportunity across Southeast Asia,” said Faye Wongso, Founder of KUMPUL and Chairperson of KUMPUL Impact. “We bring together governments, investors, and entrepreneurs to design collaborations that make growth accessible and sustainable for more businesses.”

Grounded in three core pillars (Connect for Growth, Connect for Innovation, and Connect for Ecosystem), the summit fostered collaboration to help entrepreneurs scale sustainably through greater access to knowledge, networks, and financing; encourage the adoption of emerging technologies and new business models that drive efficiency and sustainability; and strengthen partnerships among startups, corporates, governments, and investors to shape policies and collective action for inclusive growth.

Highlight Sessions and Regional Collaboration

Throughout the day, key sessions addressed access to finance, cross-border collaboration, ethical AI, and startup resilience. Notable speakers included Rudiantara (Former Minister of Communication and Informatics, Indonesia), Patsian Low (Deputy CEO and Chief of Markets, AVPN), Grace Tahir (Founder of Everest Media), and Veronica Utami (Country Director, Google Indonesia).

The summit also showcased the Scale-Up Readiness Index (SCRIN) business readiness tools developed by KUMPUL to help entrepreneurs identify growth priorities & receive tailored recommendations. It also launched the ATLAS x ERIA Whitepaper, which presents key insights on how cross-border collaboration, capital flows, and ecosystem partnerships can accelerate startup expansion and strengthen regional competitiveness.

“Our focus is on building practical tools and frameworks that make collaboration measurable,” said Mega Prawita, Managing Director of KUMPUL. “Through tools like SCRIN and insights from the country’s key players like ATLAS Alliance, we’re creating a collaborative infrastructure in helping entrepreneurs and policymakers identify what drives scalable, inclusive growth and how to act on it together.”

Strengthening Southeast Asia’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam, together with representatives from regional and multilateral organizations including ASEAN Foundation, Austrade, ERIA, AVPN, the European Delegation to ASEAN, Global Tech Advocate, and British Chamber Indonesia, convened to strengthen collaboration frameworks for the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Beyond the plenary sessions, the Connect for Change Summit 2025 also hosted three business-matching activities, two-way pitching between startups and investors, a networking session, a closed-door executive lab forum, and a masterclass hub session.

By hosting the Connect for Change Summit 2025, KUMPUL reinforced Indonesia’s role as a regional connector driving inclusive entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital transformation across Southeast Asia. The summit established the “Missing Middle” as a shared regional priority and laid the groundwork for coordinated follow-up actions among participating partners.

Grow Locally, Expand Globally with KUMPUL

KUMPUL accelerates growth by connecting entrepreneurs with strategic networks, exclusive resources, and expert insights. As Indonesia’s leading entrepreneurship ecosystem enabler, KUMPUL strengthens local communities while facilitating two-way global market access, helping international businesses tap into Indonesia’s dynamic ecosystem and supporting local entrepreneurs in expanding worldwide. Through impactful collaborations with key industry players, KUMPUL empowers entrepreneurs to scale efficiently, compete globally, and drive meaningful impact.

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