Sleman, 15 December 2023 — PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia Tbk (“GoTo Group” or the “Company”), Indonesia’s largest digital ecosystem, and TikTok, the leading global entertainment platform, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Gadjah Mada University (“UGM”) to partner in the establishment of the GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center - a digital talent development center at UGM’s Innovation and Creativity Gallery (“GIK”). With this partnership, GoTo Group and TikTok will become the first two companies to partner with UGM in opening a talent development hub for Indonesia’s digital talent. The signing was held at Gedung Pusat UGM and was attended by the Vice Rector for Planning, Assets, and Information Systems of UGM, Arief Setiawan Budi Nugroho, S.T., M.Eng., Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer of GoTo Group, Herman Widjaja, Executive Director, E-Commerce, TikTok Indonesia, Stephanie Susilo, alongside representatives from the three institutions.
The plan to establish the GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center is part of GoTo Group and TikTok’s mutual commitment to prioritize the recruitment and development of Indonesia’s digital talent, amid increasing requirements for digital talent in the country. In addition to the recruitment of talent developed at the Center by GoTo Group and TikTok in the coming years, the talent will also be able to contribute to the growth of other technology players in Indonesia’s digital economy.
Arief Setiawan Budi Nugroho, S.T., M.Eng., Ph.D., Vice Rector for Planning, Assets, and Information Systems of UGM said, “As one of Indonesia’s leading universities, UGM continues to educate and empower Indonesians to contribute to the country’s development. Our collaboration with GoTo Group and TikTok as well as the opening of the GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center is part of our efforts to bring out the best in the digital talents of UGM and train them to be innovative, creative, and competitive, so that they can further grow the country’s digital economy. On behalf of UGM, I welcome GoTo Group and TikTok and express my gratitude for their contribution in pioneering the collaboration between academia and businesses to train up Indonesia’s digital talents who are ready to go global.
Herman Widjaja, GoTo Group Chief Technology Officer, said, "The GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center reflects GoTo's commitment to build the competency of Indonesia's digital talent, which aligns with the vision of UGM. Together, GoTo Group and TikTok are fully committed to working with UGM to empower Indonesian tech talent, so that they can contribute to the growth of the country's digital economy. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to UGM as a key partner for its support for GoTo and TikTok as we work together to realize our common vision."
Stephanie Susilo, Executive Director, E-Commerce, TikTok Indonesia said, “One of the important aspects of TikTok’s strategic partnership with GoTo Group is our shared commitment to contribute to the growth of the Indonesian economy, which includes enabling local talents to be innovative and competitive. Together with GoTo Group, we are humbled by the opportunity to announce our commitment to establish the GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center, which marks the first step in our collaboration with the academia world to benefit and further contribute to the growth of Indonesia’s technology sector. We look forward to more collaborative initiatives with GoTo Group and UGM in our effort to empower Indonesia’s digital talents.”
The tech center will be opened at GIK, UGM’s upcoming innovation and creation hub. GIK UGM aims to focus on research and innovation to support students’ learning, in collaboration with the government and businesses. GoTo Group and TikTok will inaugurate the GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center in conjunction with the expected completion of GIK UGM’s construction in February 2024. At the 914 sqm site, GoTo Group and TikTok will open a collaborative working space and supporting facilities for education, research, and development. This marks a follow-up step from GoTo Group’s previous recruitment of digital talent from Yogyakarta and the surrounding area, as well as its commitment to establish technology centers across Indonesia.
Exploration of Technology Collaboration Opportunities
In addition to announcing the planned partnership to open its GoTo x TikTok x UGM Technology Center, GoTo Group, TikTok and UGM are also exploring further opportunities to partner in the technology space, so that more Indonesian-developed technology solutions can be utilized to grow the country’s digital economy and competitiveness.
GoTo Group and TikTok are also committed to accelerating the development of digital talent, starting with the following initiatives:
- Partnerships to develop machine learning-based solutions;
- An internship program for UGM students;
- An employee exchange program which will enable employees recruited by TikTok in Indonesia to be assigned to TikTok’s offices around the world; and
- Development of educational resources to facilitate knowledge and experience sharing with UGM students, which will include online courses for students
It is expected that through the program, GoTo Group will be able to enrich its platforms by providing a more robust user experience for its consumers. With GoTo Group contributing up to 2.2% of Indonesia’s 2022 gross domestic product1 and to the development of millions of micro, small, and medium enterprises (“MSMEs”), the tech solutions will further solidify GoTo Group’s leadership in Indonesia’s digital space.
In 2022, around 75% of GoTo Group’s new recruits for the year were employees based in Indonesia.2 Also, in the same year, 80% of GoTo Group’s employees were based in Indonesia.2 As of 2023, TikTok has close to 2,000 permanent employees based in Indonesia.
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Notes for Editors
1 Research of LPEM FEB UI (2023).
2 GoTo’s 2022 Sustainability Report.
About GoTo Group
PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia Tbk (GoTo Group) is the largest digital ecosystem in Indonesia. GoTo's mission is to “empower progress” by offering technology infrastructure and solutions that help everyone to access and thrive in the digital economy. The GoTo ecosystem consists of On-demand Services (mobility, food delivery, and logistics), E-commerce (third party marketplaces + official stores, instant commerce, interactive commerce, and rural commerce), Financial Technology (payments, financial services, and technology solutions for merchants) and Logistics (fulfillment and delivery) through the Gojek, Tokopedia, GoTo Financial and GoTo Logistics platforms.
About TikTok
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok's global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and its offices include New York, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.
About Gadjah Mada University
Gadjah Mada University is a pioneering national higher education institution focused on excellence and innovation. With its commitment to serving Indonesia, the University embodies the country's core values and national ideology of Pancasila. Gadjah Mada University engages in education, research and community service, as well as the preservation and development of knowledge that is beneficial for society.
Media Contacts
GoTo Group: corporate.affairs@gotocompany.com
TikTok: Arlene Junita (arlene.junita@bytedance.com) & Margaretha Nazhesda (mnazhesda@hoffman.com)
Gadjah Mada University: Satria Ardhi Nugraha, S.S., M.A, Coord. of UGM News Department (+6281215668842)
