BEKASI | INDATANEWS.COM - Indonesian Labor Minister Yassierli has urged participants in the Talent and Innovation Hub (TIH) program to ensure that every product they develop offers demonstrable advantages and distinctive features. These qualities must be substantiated through experiments and clearly defined measurement methods. This is essential to ensure that innovative products do not merely stand out because of interesting ideas, but can also compete in the market and meet consumer demands.
Yassierli delivered the message during a pitching session in which participants presented their projects at the Balai Perluasan Kesempatan Kerja (BPKK) Bekasi in West Java on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The event brought together participants from the TIH program at BPKK Bekasi and the Balai Besar Pelatihan Vokasi dan Produktivitas (BBPKK) Bandung Barat. They presented the results of their two-month product development projects.
On the occasion, the minister provided various recommendations regarding the product development process. These covered identifying the potential of each group, selecting suitable business ideas, and demonstrating product advantages through appropriate testing. He emphasized that participants must establish a solid foundation for developing their innovations so their products can deliver added value and gain opportunities in the marketplace.
According to Yassierli, the first two months of the TIH program represent an important period during which participants acquire new knowledge, improve their skills, and explore various opportunities for product development. One of the biggest challenges, he said, is identifying products with business potential while ensuring they address consumer needs.
"The program has now been running for two months, and I can see that this is a challenging task. During these two months, you have already learned a great deal. This includes learning how to identify a product that has good prospects for becoming a business. That is not easy," Yassierli said.
Participants Must Identify Their Groups' Strengths
Yassierli explained that participants must first understand the capabilities and potential of their respective groups before deciding on the direction of further product development. Recognizing internal competencies is an important step in ensuring that each group can make a concrete contribution to developing an innovation.
He cautioned participants against simply adopting or developing other people's ideas without making a recognizable contribution of their own. If a group draws inspiration from another innovator's concept, it must clearly identify the expertise, resources, or additional value it can bring to further develop the product.
According to him, understanding their own strengths will help participants determine their respective positions and responsibilities throughout the innovation process. This will enable every group member to contribute according to their areas of expertise.
"Start by conducting an internal assessment within your group. Where do your strengths lie? Because if we have nothing of our own to contribute, our position will be extremely weak," he explained.
Yassierli also stressed that successful product development does not depend solely on whether an idea is interesting. Groups need relevant competencies to transform an idea into a product that offers both practical benefits and economic value.
For this reason, participants should distribute responsibilities according to the abilities of individual group members. Specialized knowledge, technical skills, and competencies supporting production and business development are among the aspects that must be considered from the outset.
IDENTIFYING GROUP STRENGTHS AND COMPETENCIES: Labor Minister Yassierli urges Talent and Innovation Hub participants to identify the strengths and competencies of their respective groups so they can make concrete contributions to developing innovative products. (PHOTO: Ministry of Manpower Press and Public Relations Office/Kemnaker)
Product Advantages Must Be Measurable
Furthermore, Yassierli emphasized that even groups developing their own original ideas must objectively demonstrate the advantages of their products. Simply claiming that a product has high quality or special features is not enough without supporting evidence.
He encouraged participants to conduct experiments and product testing to determine the extent to which their innovations offer genuine advantages over comparable products already available on the market. Products can be compared using clearly defined and measurable criteria.
Through this approach, participants can identify both the strengths and weaknesses of their products. The results of measurements and tests can then serve as a basis for further improvements before groups move toward broader business development.
Yassierli described experimental validation as an important element in building confidence in an innovation. By using concrete data and measurable test results, participants can communicate their products' distinctive advantages more convincingly to potential users and business partners.
"Make sure you have something unique. There must be an area that you master, where one of your group members has specialized knowledge, and where the group members possess the skills actually needed to develop the product," he said.
In addition to highlighting the importance of product advantages, Yassierli reminded participants not to limit their creativity to overly complicated ideas. In his view, innovations can emerge from simple, everyday problems that people encounter in their daily lives.
Participants can begin searching for ideas by observing, experiencing, and understanding problems in their immediate surroundings. They can then transform these challenges into product or service concepts that offer practical solutions for society.
He also encouraged participants to select products that align with their personal interests, passion, and existing competencies. Aligning interests and abilities with market needs can help groups establish a more focused approach to product development.
DEMONSTRATING PRODUCT ADVANTAGES: Labor Minister Yassierli encourages Talent and Innovation Hub participants to demonstrate their product advantages through experiments and clearly defined measurement methods to strengthen their competitiveness in the market. (PHOTO: Ministry of Manpower Press and Public Relations Office/Kemnaker)
Twelve Projects Developed by TIH Participants
During the pitching session, participants from BPKK Bekasi presented six innovation projects developed through the TIH program. Each group introduced different concepts that incorporated existing raw material potential, technology, and specific societal needs.
One of the six projects was Noisora, a soundproofing panel made from fabric scraps. Another was Biopelet, which utilizes waste from gambir leaves as a supplementary fuel for co-firing.
The participants also developed Harbite Gummy, an herbal product in the form of gummy candies that offers an alternative way to consume traditional herbal drinks. Another project, Blace–Botanica Solace, is a home-gardening kit that uses fertilizer made from coffee grounds.
The remaining two projects were Cocovalue, which transforms coconut fibers into products with additional economic value, and Andallo, a digital platform for finding and booking local services.
These various ideas demonstrate the different approaches participants have taken to product development. They range from recycling waste materials into useful products to utilizing digital technology to address societal needs.
Meanwhile, participants from BBPKK Bandung Barat also presented six projects they had developed during their two-month participation in the TIH program. The projects included Portofolio Ku, MindPlay, Kave, Palapa, ChocoNusa, and Wait2Waste.
The pitching session provided participants with an opportunity to showcase the progress of their innovations while receiving direct feedback from Labor Minister Yassierli. The evaluation is expected to help each group better identify its product advantages, assess development potential, and determine the improvements needed.
Yassierli's recommendations underscored that the innovation process does not end with generating an idea. Instead, participants must develop products based on their groups' competencies, conduct systematic and measurable testing, and ensure that their innovations deliver tangible benefits and demonstrate realistic business prospects. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala