Microsoft and US Embassy in Indonesia Launch iMULAI 4.0

Microsoft Indonesia and the United States Embassy through USAID have launched iMULAI 4.0, an annual ICT-based business innovation competition. Taking place at @america, Pacific Place Mall Jakarta, the event is in its fourth year, and aims to encourage Indonesian startups to submit their ideas for new products or new services that can help entrepreneurs do business.

Participants can start submitting their business plan to the iMULAI site [1] right now. This year, ten winners will receive $300,000 worth of backing from Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) BizSpark platform for IT startups (instead of fifteen winners and $250,000, as occurred at last year’s iMULAI 3.0), some new hardware, and free participation in a special bootcamp to help them develop their business innovation. The most rewarding aspect might well be the opportunity to present their products to a group of local and global VCs.

With innovation as the focus of this competition, iMULAI will help startups bring their ideas to fruition and give them exposure. USAID mission director Glenn Anders commented on the competition:

We know that technology innovation stimulates improvement in business productivity. By giving entrepreneurs the tools they need to succeed, we are also promoting economic growth and prosperity in Indonesia and the global market.

iMULAI had quite a following last year and this year will likely draw even more interest from the community. I am hoping iMULAI can be a launchpad for startups in Indonesia to kickstart their products rather than just being a business innovation competition. But yes, we need founders in the country, and hopefully it won’t be the same people pitching the same products. I’m expecting some fresh ideas that solve real problems here in Indonesia.

[Image source: @america on Flickr]