Three ITB Students Won First Place in PKT-GAMA Business Case Competition 2023 by Carrying Innovation in Agribusiness

By Anggun Nindita

Editor Anggun Nindita

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id – Three students from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) won first position in the PKT-GAMA Business Case Competition 2023's Undergraduate Category. These three students are Michael Yoe (Chemical Engineering, 2020), Cut R. Alya Buleen (Industrial Engineering, 2020), and Kevin T. Luisto (School of Business & Management).

They formed a team called LETSGO in a competition that was hosted by the Alumni Family of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at University of Gadjah Mada (UGM) in collaboration with PT. Pupuk Kalimantan Timur (PKT) on Saturday (26/08/2023). Throughout the competition, they were guided by their lecturers, Ardiyan Harimawan, S. T. M. Eng., Ph.D., and Pri Januar Gusnawan, S.T., M.T.

The main theme for this competition was "Agribusiness Sustainability through ESG Development," challenging students to think creatively and critically about agribusiness, not only product-oriented but also its sustainability aspects. The emphasis on expanding innovative ideas with realistic implementation added another layer of complexity to the challenge.

Finalists from each category were given a business case to solve during the final. The LETSGO team introduced an innovation called MIGUNANI, which is a digitalized biomass trade-in system focusing on strengthening the national biomass supply. MIGUNANI started by ensuring that waste can be converted into renewable energy by incineration.

Through this innovation, users can monitor and digitally connect PKT, distributors, and farmers. This innovation is deemed capable of reducing the ESG risk rating to below 21.3 (low category). The sustainability impact that team LETSGO projected succeeded in convincing the judges, hence they won first place this year. This team managed to defeat 182 other contestants from various undergraduate universities. Moreover, Michael Yoe, received an award as the Best Speaker in the undergraduate category.

Michael expressed that he has participated in various competitions for a long time. For him, participating in various competitions can train him to think critically, add new experiences, and build a new network of friends. He and his teammates strive to provide the most effective solution with cross-disciplinary collaboration which can support one another.

Reporter: Lukman Ali (Mechanical Engineering, 2020)

Translator: Sherina Wijaya (Geological Engineering, 2019)

Editor: Kezia Hosana