An Indonesian startup entrepreneur was captivated by Finnish directness and collaboration
The coolness of early summer in Finland did not hinder a group of Indonesian and Filipino startup entrepreneurs from delving into Finnish technology development at the beginning of June. Behind the week-long visit was considerable preparatory work both in Finland and Southeast Asia. The entrepreneurs’ program included familiarization with Finnish technology development, startup programs, and crucial areas of technology for the participants in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, and Tampere.
One of the entrepreneurs who arrived in Finland was Indonesian Marshall Tegar Utoyo, who is a founding member of a company called Casion. Casion is building a charging network for electric vehicles, catering to both two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles in Indonesia. The company has been operational for about two years.
– I came across the services of Amazon Startup and the Finnish embassy program. For us, this was an excellent chance, as Finland has very advanced solutions in the field of clean tech and mobility services. It was also interesting to get acquainted with the culture itself and the Finnish way of doing things, Marshall states.
Casion has hundred charging points in important city and commuter traffic hubs. According to Marshall, the busiest charging locations already exceed a usage rate of 30 percent.
– I am interested in how the Finnish startup ecosystem collaborates with companies, municipalities, and cities as well as research institutions. Indonesia is also striving towards such collaboration between different actors.
In Finland, Marshall and his Indonesian and Filipino colleagues got acquainted with Finnish startup activities at events organized by Sisu Factory. Sisu Factory is a joint program of the cities of Helsinki, Espoo, and Vantaa, aimed at helping foreign startup companies to successfully relocate to Finland.
For Marshall, the trip to Finland was his first.
– The visit to my company Casion provided an opportunity to get to know the service providers of technical infrastructure and learn how to scale sustainably in a more mature regulatory and energy market, Marshall describes.
When asked to name three things that Finland is known for, Marshall names four.
– Absolutely Artek, Nokia, excellent education, and a responsible, environmentally respectful Finnish lifestyle. I am a big fan of Alvar Aalto and Marimekko, Marshall lists.
Growing opportunities in emerging markets
Business Finland and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs assist Finnish companies in establishing a foothold in developing and growing markets. As part of this effort, they collaborate with local actors, resulting in the startup entrepreneurs like Marshall being able to visit Finland. In the target countries of Indonesia and the Philippines, the collaboration of organizations has led to the creation of the Developing Markets Platform (DevPlat) model. This model helps Finnish companies and their partners promote sustainable business practices and access growing emerging markets.
DevPlat provides additional funding for companies that want to enter the Indonesian market, provided that the product or service promotes innovations in line with sustainable development in collaboration with local partners, says Minh Lam.
Lam works in the DevPlat program as an investment and development expert funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Indonesia. His goal is to bring together Indonesian and Finnish companies and to inform them about various forms of financing that can support collaboration.
The DevPlat support is intended as additional funding for existing or recently completed research and development projects. It can provide up to 300 000 euros and a maximum of 75 percent of the total costs of the project.
Finnish straightforwardness – a threat or an opportunity
Marshall’s trip to Finland was successful. He won the pitch competition and received tickets to the autumn startup event Slush. The visit to Tampere sparked many thoughts about the electric vehicle charging market and opportunities for development.
– In Tampere, we got to know the Business Tampere team and the services for electric vehicle charging. The way Tampere develops mobility services innovatively using data made a strong impression. For our company, Finland could serve as a good growth platform, Marshall says.
The Finnish way of getting straight to the point also received praise from Marshall.
– One thing I really learned to appreciate is Finnish straightforwardness. It is refreshing, efficient, and makes collaboration feel very genuine. In Finland, you don’t waste time guessing what people mean, and that opens the door for real conversations and alignment.
Furthermore, Finland offers an organized ecosystem where public sector support, community spirit, and the education system are truly impressive contributing factors, Marshall continues.
Perhaps Marshall’s company will grow as part of the Finnish technology world in the future and contribute to the development of sustainable new mobility services. The journey certainly strengthened the cooperation between Indonesia and Finland.
