Jakarta, November 20, 2024 – In celebration of an inspiring first year, Bank Saqu, the digital banking service by PT Bank Jasa Jakarta, owned by Astra Financial and WeLab, hosted the "Rising Stars: Celebrating Bank Saqu's First Anniversary" event in Jakarta. The event served as an appreciation platform for strategic partners, customers, and the media who have contributed to the success of Bank Saqu throughout the year. It also marked the announcement of the winners of the Solopreneur Academy 2024, a program designed to equip participants with knowledge, skills, and and networks needed to boost productivity and achieve success for the Solopreneurs in Indonesia.
Angela Lew Dermawan, Chief Digital Business Officer of PT Bank Jasa Jakarta said, “Bank Saqu is honoured to celebrate this milestone with evolving enthusiasm and optimism. Rising Star is an important moment for us at Bank Saqu to express our gratitude to strategic partners, loyal customers, and media representatives for supporting every step of our journey. We also express our gratitude to the solopreneurs who participated in the Solopreneur Academy, as they inspire and empower us to continue innovating.”
Angela underlined the significant role of strategic partners in Bank Saqu’s success. “The continued support from our partners has allowed Bank Saqu to deliver accessible banking services, helping individuals and businesses thrive while managing their daily financial needs with ease,” Angela said.
Bank Saqu’s innovation extends beyond competitive interest rates, focusing on pioneering solutions that encourage consistent saving habits. Two of the most widely adopted features, Tabungmatic and Saku Booster, integrate Indonesia’s first automatic saving functionality into daily transaction activities, making saving effortless. As of today, the Tabungmatic feature has been adopted by 30% of Bank Saqu’s active transacting customers.
The excellence of Bank Saqu's features and services has been well-received by its customers. This is evidenced by the prestigious Best Digital Savings Innovation in Indonesia award from The Asian Banker, which recognizes the groundbreaking innovations of Busposito and Tabungmatic in making financial services more accessible to a broader audience.
Announcement of Solopreneur Academy 2024 Winners
Bank Saqu has always envisioned empowering the solopreneurial generation to achieve their financial aspirations. A key realization of this commitment is the Solopreneur Academy, developed in partnership with Endeavor Indonesia, a non-profit organization supporting entrepreneurs in Indonesia and 43 other countries. The program equips solopreneurs with valuable training, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help solopreneurs enhance their productivity and skills.
Angela added, "Since its launch in April 2024, the program has been joined by 295 solopreneurs. Through Solopreneur Academy, Bank Saqu supports participants with customizable features and services like Saku, Busposito, and Tabungmatic. The program has had a tangible impact, with the number of solopreneur customers more than doubling. As a financial partner (#TemanSeperjuangan), Bank Saqu remains committed to being a strategic partner in helping solopreneurs achieve their financial success."
During the Rising Star event, Bank Saqu announced the winners of the Solopreneur Academy 2024. The three standout businesses, Scents of Pluto, Manique.co, and Guttday Fermentary, were selected for their innovation, business growth, and positive impact on society.
“We congratulate the winners and are dedicated to supporting solopreneurs with continued innovation and collaboration. Stay tuned for the Solopreneur Academy Batch 2 and exciting new features tailored to support solopreneur businesses,” Angela added.
Yoshi from Scents of Pluto shared that this experience was incredible, as it allowed him to meet and learn from fellow entrepreneurs and mentors in his class. “I hope to apply everything I’ve learned from this program to my business. Bank Saqu offers easy-to-use support to manage finances by dividing money into separate pockets for personal and business needs. The Tabungmatic feature is also extremely helpful in making saving automatic. It feels like I’m saving every day without even noticing. It's perfect for solopreneurs like me,” he said.
Similarly, Fadhilla from Manique.co expressed her excitement about being a participant in the Solopreneur Academy. "Before, I felt alone and disconnected, especially from big brands. However, after joining the Solopreneur Academy, I became more confident and built a wider network. I also learned a lot from the mentors and fellow solopreneurs. Bank Saqu is very user-friendly, especially with the QRIS feature, which makes transactions at bazaars so easy, and the Saku feature, which helps me separate personal and business finances. Don’t feel discouraged! Take the opportunity to learn and network, like in the Solopreneur Academy. Collaboration is the key to success!”
Adrian, the owner of Guttday Fermentary, shared the valuable experience he gained from participating in the Solopreneur Academy. He also enthusiastically shared his experience at IdeaFest 2024 with SEMASAQU, where his products sold out. “As someone without a business background, this program taught me so much, especially about financial reporting and marketing strategies. "Don't be afraid to try! I never expected to gain so many benefits from the Solopreneur Academy. Take every opportunity and don’t forget to join the second batch!" Adrian said.
Bank Saqu continues to focus on supporting young solopreneurs, including small business owners, freelancers, and full-time employees with side hustles. This segment actively seeks opportunities to grow, save, invest, and fund productive ventures to achieve long-term success.
Rising Star Brings Various Entertainment and Valuable Insights
In addition to being a moment of recognition and the announcement of the Solopreneur Academy winners, the Rising Star event was also filled with various forms of entertainment and engaging informative sessions.
Bank Saqu presented the YOLO talk show, hosted by renowned public figures Iwet Ramadhan, Novita Angie, and Dave Hendrik with the theme "Collaboration Sparks the Rising Stars." This talk show explored the importance of collaboration in advancing businesses and achieving success, inspiring participants to boldly leverage the power of collaboration to reach their business goals.
Furthermore, Bank Saqu also featured the winners of Solopreneur Academy who shared their inspiring journeys in growing their businesses through a talk show titled “No More Small Talk: Bold Networking Moves Every Solopreneur Needs.”
The event also featured performances by Geofanny, Saskia, and Jaz Hayat, who sang the song "Menabung" by Titiek Puspa. As part of its commitment to building a saving habit, Bank Saqu launched a remake of this popular 90s children’s song with a fresh arrangement, coinciding with Hari Indonesia Menabung (Indonesia Saving Day) on August 20, 2024. This moment not only brought nostalgia but also reminded everyone of the importance of saving for the future.
Looking ahead, Bank Saqu will continue to innovate and offer services that support the needs of solopreneurs. Bank Saqu hopes to continue programs like Solopreneur Academy in the coming years to enhance the productivity and competence of Indonesian solopreneurs so they can become the best version of themselves. Beyond achieving business success, Bank Saqu also seeks to encourage the younger generation to keep daring to dream and realize their creative ideas.