Micro and Small Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Indonesia’s economy, contributing 61% to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises, 2024). However, this significant potential is still constrained by structural challenges that hinder SME entrepreneurs from scaling up, particularly in expanding their market reach globally.
In response to these challenges, YCAB Foundation, with the support of UPS, initiated the Wirausaha Ekspor Indonesia (WEI) 2.0 Program, implemented from July to December 2025. This program is designed as a capacity-building initiative to strengthen export readiness among SME entrepreneurs, particularly those in Jakarta and its surrounding areas.
Wahono Kolopaking, Head of Project Management Division at YCAB Foundation, stated that WEI 2.0 serves as an accelerator for SMEs to penetrate international markets through a structured and sustainable approach. The program equips participants with a comprehensive export roadmap, ranging from strengthening digital literacy to developing market access strategies. “WEI 2.0 provides a strong foundation by equipping SMEs with both technical and strategic competencies, making the journey to global markets no longer just a dream, but a measurable and sustainable business plan,” he explained.
The WEI 2.0 Program was implemented through a three-stage approach: chatbot training, webinar masterclasses, and mentoring sessions. Through the chatbot training, 336 SME entrepreneurs gained initial insights into export opportunities, international trade risks, and the fundamentals of business readiness for entering global markets.
Participants who demonstrated commitment and potential advanced to the second stage, consisting of five online webinar masterclasses. A total of 97 selected SMEs took part in in-depth sessions focused on digital marketing strategies, international market research, and an introduction to export operations.
As the final stage, WEI 2.0 provided intensive mentoring sessions for 50 selected SME entrepreneurs. At this stage, participants received direct guidance from experienced mentors as well as business funding support of IDR 2,500,000 to help them develop an export readiness plan. This mentoring encouraged SMEs to take concrete steps in preparing their products, marketing strategies, and overall business readiness for export markets.
One participant, Ms. Lussy, a woman entrepreneur who develops a handmade freshwater pearl accessories brand, shared that the mentoring in the WEI Program greatly helped her understand the export process in a practical way. “I had a very supportive mentor. We learned the entire export process—from packaging and checklist preparation to invoice creation—and all the materials were directly applied in practice. This program is very beneficial because what we learn can be implemented immediately,” she said.
More than just a training program, WEI 2.0 represents a concrete step in empowering Indonesian SMEs to scale up and sustainably access global market opportunities. Through the collaboration between YCAB Foundation and UPS, the WEI 2.0 Program underscores the importance of cross-sector partnerships in strengthening SME competitiveness and advancing economic empowerment in Indonesia.