The Technological Innovator from Sleman

Name: The Technological Innovator from Sleman
Uploaded: 2021-05-08T03:20:21Z
Duration: 20 min 32 s
Description: One of the products of Majapahit Tech is Gupala, a motorcycle security system. With the system, a motorcycle owner is required to enter a code to start the bike.

One of the products of Majapahit Tech is Gupala, a motorcycle security system. With the system, a motorcycle owner is required to enter a code to start the bike.

Nino Citra Anugrahanto

· 5 minutes read

At the young age of 26, Alwy Herfian Satriatama, heads a start-up in the field of technology. The youth from Gunungkidul regency, Yogyakarta, continues to develop his business, enabling it to export products to several countries.

Alwy has built his entrepreneurial career since he studied at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in 2013. During his college years, he joined a students’ entrepreneurship development organization, UGM Innovative Academy. He set up a start-up named Majapahit Tech.

“I started with Rp 300,000. It was further developed until finally it multiplied,” said Alwy when visiting the Widya Robotics Office in Sleman regency, Yogyakarta on Thursday (29/4/2021).

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One of the products of Majapahit Tech is Gupala, a motorcycle security system. With the system, a motorcycle owner is required to enter a code to start the bike. Otherwise, the bike’s alarm will go off. The idea to create the system came from his friend, who had lost his motorcycle.

Later, Alwy developed another product, an automatic garden plant watering installation. You can simply send a text message to water plants in the garden.

In 2018, he won two trophies as Indonesian Independent Young Entrepreneur Champion and Samsung Global Startup Acceleration Program Runner-Up.

The technological innovations produced by Alwy have garnered him several awards. In 2018, he won two trophies as Indonesian Independent Young Entrepreneur Champion and Samsung Global Startup Acceleration Program Runner-Up.

“Thereafter, some investors were interested in investing. They came from UMG Idea Lab, a venture capital company based in Southeast Asia,” said Alwy.

The investment came just as Alwy finished his college studies. His business kept growing. His team increased from 4 to 19 members. Alwy recruited new graduates from his campus. Majapahit Tech changed its name to Widya Robotics in early 2019, which has been retained to date.

Through Widya Robotics, Alwy has turned out products focused on artificial intelligence, robotics and automation. Within two years, Widya Robitics has formed seven sister companies. “We make a spin-off for each product so as to become a new company. The product is thus expected to be developed in a more focused way,” explained Alwy.

A product that appeals to the public is called Widya Load Scanner. It’s a truckload measuring device based on artificial intelligence. The load is calculated through scanning by means of LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). Since it was launched in 2020, five units have been installed in three different locations, which are West Java, South Sulawesi and Myanmar.

“In other countries this device is quite massive, but it’s not yet the case in Indonesia. The problem is its high price. It can fetch over Rp1 billion abroad. Our product costs Rp500 million to Rp1 billion. There’s still ample opportunity,” said Alwy.

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The other products are QHSE (Quality, Health, Safe, and Environment) Recognition and the nitrogen vending machine. QHSE Recognition is used to detect the completeness of a working suit according to safety standards in a project environment. The device is used by three state-owned enterprises in the construction sector.

The nitrogen vending machine is a device to fill tires with nitrogen automatically, with no operators needed. Payments are also independently made through the machine with electronic money. “At present there are already 23 points (of vending machines) and more of them will be added to become 38 points. They are on toll roads, in rest areas and gas stations in several regions,” noted Alwy.

Support

In the beginning, Alwy was not fully supported by his parents as he was going to enter entrepreneurship, because his siblings had failed to finish their studies due to their business ventures during college years.

“I finally made an agreement with my parents. I wanted to prove that I was able to complete my study on time. If my IPK (cumulative grade point average) was below 3.5, I would stop joining the organization and doing business,” recalled Alwy.

Alwy managed to prove he could finish his four-year study, graduating from the Electronics and Instrumentation Department, Mathematics and Physics Faculty, UGM. In eight semesters, he always scored above 3.5.

Alwy got his parents’ nod after graduation. After finishing his studies in 2018, the Presidential Staff Office sent him to Germany to observe technological advancement in that country. “Previously, I had never traveled abroad. At the time, my achievements in technological entrepreneurship were acknowledged. With this recognition, my mother changed her mind,” said Alwy.

Originally with only four people, his company today has had 250-strong personnel.

His mother’s consent further broadened Alwi’s entrepreneurial path. He made foreign trips more frequently. His business also attracted investors and has since been thriving. Originally with only four people, his company today has had 250-strong personnel.

Human resources have remained a challenge for Alwy. Many brilliant graduates have been recruited by larger companies. But this doesn’t discourage him.