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Digitalizing MSMEs is a hot sector here in Asia. Just think about it: How many startups or companies can you name that are in the business of helping these small enterprises go digital? I can name five off the top of my head, and I’m pretty sure you can too. It’s so prevalent, we made a silly video on TikTok.
If you look closely at these startups, a lot of them are focused on digitalizing pretty straightforward retail businesses like mom-and-pop shops. However, many other companies – like beauty salons and hairdressers – could benefit from having access to digital tools and services.
Automotive workshops would definitely gain much too. In today’s premium story, we take a look at a startup that is digitalizing these businesses.
Today we look at:
- How this startup is helping auto workshops go digital
- A cultivated pork startup that will debut in Singapore
- Other newsy highlights such as the big drop in VinFast’s share price and Binance’s plans to sell its Russian operations
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Vroom vroom, digitalization
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As of November 2021, there were at least 400,000 automotive workshops in Indonesia, with around 95% of these categorized as MSMEs. This is the market that Jakarta-based Bengkel Mania focuses on. Let’s take a closer look at the startup.
- Going digital: Founded in 2021, Bengkel Mania aims to digitalize the operations of MSME workshops. It collaborates with automotive suppliers to streamline the supply chain, making products more affordable.
- Money matters: Another key product of Bengkel Mania’s is financing. Many owners of micro- and small-scale workshops are often underbanked and unable to get credit. This is where the startup, in partnership with banks, uses alternative data such as the business’s age and the workshop’s location and size to gauge creditworthiness.
- The EV opportunity: Bengkel Mania also sees an opportunity in the EV scene, where mechanics typically lack expertise. It plans to raise awareness about this and collaborate with various stakeholders to provide mechanics with basic training on the intricacies of EV engines.
Read more: This Indonesian startup speeds up auto repair shops’ digital transition
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