The eastern part of Indonesia is widely known as the largest contributor to the 3T regions. While the number of “3T” (Tertinggal, Terdepan, Terluar, translated as Underdeveloped, Frontier, and Outermost) areas in the eastern region decreased by 15 percent between 2015 and 2020, more than 80 percent are still located there (Presidential Regulation No. 131/2015 and No. 63/2020). These data points serve as a wake-up call to address persistent development gaps.

In collaboration with the Timur Network Foundation, KUMPUL Impact hosted KUMPUL Timur at Smesco Indonesia in Jakarta on July 4, 2025. The event provided a platform for youth from Eastern Indonesia to pitch and showcase their ideas and innovations rooted in the everyday realities of their communities.

A Place for Youth Voices

KUMPUL Timur aims to connect these young innovators with those who can help bring their ideas to life and strengthen their ties within their communities. The goal is to support them in accelerating their impact and making a positive contribution to their homeland. These were the ideas and innovations presented:

• Skillink ID offers job-ready skills through an edtech platform tailored to the local context.
• Mentari is a narrative initiative that shares youth perspectives through digital media, driven by cultural pride and identity.
• Koderasi.com provides affordable website and app development services for small businesses.
• Luna&Co. helps young people enter the fashion market through a dropshipping model that removes inventory barriers.

In each pitch, these young innovators grounded their work in the context of their local communities. Although their approaches differ, they share a common mission: to build a more equal and visible future for Eastern Indonesia. They aim to ensure the region is no longer seen as underdeveloped or left behind.

Support from the Ecosystem

These promising ideas deserve the right mentorship and guidance to succeed in the market. For that matter, we invited panelists from funding, policy, and entrepreneurship sectors to listen to the pitches, offer feedback, and help refine the projects. The panel included:

• Dama Adhikara (Senior Program Manager, KUMPUL)
• Andrew Kapelle (Policy Advisor and Multipreneur)
• Laila Nihayati (Founder, Harapan Pemuda Indonesia)
• Osvaldo Lievira (Head of Fundraising, Timur Network Foundation)

At the end of the pitch session, Koderasi.com stood out for its strong potential to expand digital access and support the growth of small businesses.

Moving Local Ideas Forward

Every idea and voice deserves to be heard, regardless of background. The youth from Eastern Indonesia emphasized that the region’s ongoing classification as part of the 3T area is not due to a lack of capability, but rather a lack of opportunity and support.

This is not a matter of blame, but It is a reminder to reflect on what we can do better. We recognize the urgent need to democratize access. This event is an example of how we can begin to close the gaps that still exist across many regions.

Looking ahead, we will continue to carry their voices with us. We are committed to working with partners such as the Timur Network Foundation to listen actively, respond to actual needs, and advocate for meaningful change. As one of the panelists shared:

“The most powerful part of the event was seeing how youth solutions reflected the everyday realities of their villages and towns. These ideas are not from outsiders. They’re from people who live and breathe the problems they want to solve.” 

Join us on Instagram at @kumpul_impact and see how we collaborate with communities to build inclusive innovation and drive lasting change!