Truth hurts for Indonesia’s edtech startups

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Hello readers,

What do you think is every edtech founder’s dream? That would be to become the next Byju’s — one of the most valuable edtech startups in the world. The Indian firm is currently valued at US$10.8 billion. That’s tough, we hear you. But for the edtech startups in Indonesia, there are even more obstacles blocking their way.

Today we look at,

• The biggest challenges for edtech startups in Indonesia
• The startup that’s simplifying benefits for your company’s health nuts and gym bunnies
• Other newsy highlights such as a backlash against Shopee in Thailand and Ant Group’s tighter control over its IPO

Edtech in Indonesia: An ace or a flunk?

Indonesia has the market size and potential for edtech startups to boom. But dang, reaching the unicorn level that every startup dreams of will be one arduous journey.

• Status: Not ready. The people in Indonesia are still not used to paying for subscription services yet. Furthermore, the archipelago lacks qualified teachers with relevant skills and suffers from poor digital infrastructure in certain parts of the country.
• But startups are wising up: That said, Indonesian edtech players are adapting by changing up their advertising strategies as well as business models. For example, edtech startup Zenius went freemium by introducing free access to one of its products. It has also started airing advertisements on television.
• Patience you must have: The government has started putting resources into the edtech industry. One initiative it’s launched for jobseekers is online training program “Kartu Prakerja.” The initiative has sparked criticism in the country, with critics saying that the courses offered were not helpful and that the people who most need help would likely not be able to access it.

Dive deeper: Indonesian edtech’s biggest challenges

For the health nuts and gym bunnies in the company

Healthcare is an age-old benefit in companies. But one firm is planning on leveling up the experience. Malaysian startup HealthMetrics aims to connect companies to its partner healthcare providers so human resources teams can automate and simplify benefits management. The company recently raised US$5 million in a Series A round.

• Launched in 2015, HealthMetrics has gotten over 1,000 companies to join its platform, giving the startup more than 180,000 users.
• But it’s not just the users; the startup has also grown its network of partner services to over 3,000. This includes dental and optical providers as well as hospitals.
• Southeast Asia next: With the new funds, HealthMetrics will be looking to extend its presence across Southeast Asia. One key market for this planned expansion is Singapore.

Quick bytes