Three ITB Entrepreneurship Students Goes to Hongkong

By Adhitia Gesar Hanafi

Editor Adhitia Gesar Hanafi

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - ITB students accomplished another international achievement through business plan competition. This time, three students from Entrepreneurship Academic Program, School of Business and  Management (SBM) ITB succeed to bring ITB's reputation till Hongkong. In fact,  the three students who are members of the Tanaman Company will join semifinal stage of The PolyU Innovation and Entrepreneurship Global Student Challenge competition from The Hongkong Polytechnic University, Saturday-Friday (20-26/06/15). Their success is a first debut for the Entrepreneurship Program on international achievement, which  has just established for one year.

The team members, Dimas Ammar Azhari (Entrepreunership 2013), Rizki Nugraha (Entrepreunership 2013), and Elok Kusuma Wardani (Entrepreunership 2013) got Bidik Misi scholarship from the government. The three students are admirable because they managed to become one of two Indonesia representatives who were qualified for the semi-final stage and directly invited to Hongkong. Total number of teams who will participate the event are 30 teams from various parts of the world, such as Germany, USA, China, and Japan. Each participant was entitled to choose their own theme, i.e. Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Environment and Sustainability, and Corporate Social Responsibility/Social Enterprise. On this competition, Tanaman Company choosed Environment and Sustanaibility theme for their competiton.

From Planting Dolls to Hongkong

Nowadays,  games for children have been  dominated by digital technology and abandoned the old technology which is actually more educative than digital games. Planting dolls is a growing media from sawdust that is shaped like a doll and when it is watered over the top every day, it will grow green grass hair. This doll can be used as new educational toys, creative, and imaginative. Thus, children are able to observe the growth of the plant while playing.

Thoughts about educational toys brought Tanamon to qualify through Hongkong. The team are thinking to modificate the shape of planting doll, both materials and  the design.Most of planting dolls that are sold now is using less environmental friendly material and  monotonous design. Raising environmental theme, Tanamon propose their idea utilize patchwork or rags as a main material for their doll. "For this doll, patchworks usage will become a main role to reach environmental stability. In addition, patchwork is an old cloth that have been used," Elok said.

As for the design, Tanamon using design in the form of Pokemon cartoon characters as their doll design. The purpose of this is related to the market where Pokemon is a child show for most of teenagers and few adults, so it can bring business opportunities. "Design in the form of Pokemon cartoon characters that we used contain of three species, hedgehog, turtle, and duck. There three kinds have same sloping posture so it can be used as a medium to grow grasses," Rizki added. 

The team has two target markets, individual and educative group, such as kindergarten, elementary school, and the other place that use the doll as education media for children. Education value that are brought by this doll is dicipline and patience while caring the plants, engineering design in caring a plant, and leading yourself. "The main idea that is brought by us is education and environment because now it is difficult to find natural games for children." Elok added.  

 

Compact is a Key

Tanamon Company have one same taste, compact. In a team, there must be compactness to make a smooth and brilliant idea. "We train ourselves together for this project, in addition to having duties as other college students," Elok added. This is where compactness is born.

From the beginning formation of this team, there were supports from various people so Tanamon will become more superior than before. Supports also come from the lecturer is felt by Elok, Rizki, and Ammar. Head for ITB Bachelor of Entrepreneurship, Wawan Dhewanto, Ph.D, is directly supporting this team that is showed from how he congratulate us. "He is very supportive, even to say 'Happy travelling in Hongkong' when we got the semifinal announcement," said Rizki.
 

By: IJA 2015