Mengasihi Group, an SBM ITB entrepreneurship student startup, won an award prestigious in the Astranauts 2023 competition organized by Astra Digital. They won the ‘Out of The Box’ category in this competition. This competition aims to find digital and technological innovations for startups and students that have the potential to change the world.
Mengasihi, consisting of four members (Zakaria Khori Hermawan, Adi Mahendra Wibowo, Desya Zalfa, and Muhammad Razan), is a health technology startup that specializes in providing breast milk fertilization services for personal use while maintaining the nutritional integrity of breast milk. This concept emerged from their deep concern for public health issues, particularly the persistently high stunting rate in Indonesia, which reaches at approximately 21.6%.
One of the significant factors causing stunting is working mothers who have difficulty breastfeeding during the first 1000 days of a child’s life. Mengasihi is here as a solution to assist working mothers in providing breast milk which is important for the growth and development of children. To broaden their vision and gain further knowledge, especially in the pharmaceutical field, Mengasihi decided to join Astranauts.
The Astranauts competition not only allows Mengasihi to refine their business ideas and concepts but also allows them to interact with leading experts in the industry. In the tough competition with other startups, Mengasihi has managed to stand out with its innovative ideas and creative approach. Their victory in the ‘Out of The Box’ category is a testament to the success of their unique business concept and their great potential to overcome existing health problems.
Herma, CEO of Mengasihi, is very proud of this achievement. He hopes their success in the Astranauts competition will help them realize their vision of reducing stunting rates in Indonesia by meeting the need for breast milk. They hope this achievement will be the first step to expanding Mengasihi’s presence on media platforms and inspiring other startups who want to create social change through technological innovation.
The Achievement of Mengasihi in Astranauts 2023 also makes Wirussian (entrepreneurship student) and SBM ITB proud because they can show the extraordinary potential of talented students at SBM ITB. “We are very proud to be able to boast of the names Wirussian and SBM ITB at the international level,” Herma said
This accomplishment is expected to motivate other students, encouraging them to further cultivate their ideas and innovations. Moreover, it aims to inspire an academic atmosphere that fosters and sustains student entrepreneurship.