SCALA (led by President and Representative Executive Officer Norikatsu Nagino) and BINAR Academy (founded by Alamanda Shantika Santoso), a leading Indonesian EdTech company, are proud to announce their strategic capital and business alliance. This partnership marks a significant milestone in both organizations’ commitment to cultivating digital transformation talent poised to excel on the international arena.

Through this collaboration, SCALA and BINAR Academy aim to synergize their strengths and expertise. The initiative focuses on developing innovative educational programs and platforms that will equip aspiring digital professionals with the skills and knowledge essential for success in a rapidly evolving global digital landscape.

Background of the Alliance

SCALA’s expansion into the ASEAN region, starting in Myanmar, has been driven by a mission to address social issues through global-scale solutions. Concentrating on vital sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and education, SCALA’s projects in Indonesia and Japan reflect our commitment to impactful co-creation. (*1)

Our growing engagement in overseas business development has fostered connections with influential venture capitalists in the ASEAN region. Notably, our investment in TEJA VENTURES (founded by Virginia Tan) marked a significant stride in amplifying our co-creation initiatives, leveraging TEJA’s network and expertise. This alliance with BINAR, facilitated through TEJA, represents our first foray into the education sector on this scale.

Purpose of the Alliance and Its Relation to Our Medium Term Business Plan

The alliance’s core objective is to globally cultivate digital transformation specialists. This aligns with our mid-term goal of creating a value-generating cycle that connects global co-creation resources, enhancing societal value through interactive learning models for human development.

Our medium term business plan is committed to fostering a virtuous cycle where co-creative resources from across the globe converge, creating greater societal value through the deployment of interactive learning models that cater to the growth of individuals worldwide. In line with this, we are poised to establish three pivotal platforms:

1.Creation of Meta-Platforms:

We are developing a meta-platform themed around our key overseas business projects. In collaboration with BINAR, we will undertake team building and advance business development with our co-creation partners. Our goal is to create a meta-platform that serves as a startup studio, generating new ventures and attracting both challenges and talent.

2.Creation of a Co-Creation Platform:

We aim to build a digital transformation talent cultivation platform, involving educational institutions abroad and planning for a worldwide rollout.

3.Creation of a Fundamental Platform:

BINAR’s expertise in talent development and assessment, along with Scala’s proficiency in technology and its network in Japan, we will co-create a technology product together.

Surrounding Environment

Indonesia:
Indonesia, home to the world’s fourth-largest population, is on the brink of a demographic boom, with its working-age population projected to grow until 2055. As the middle class expands, making up roughly 70% of the population, the education market is poised for consistent growth. While the e-commerce sector is forecasted to hit $82 billion by 2025, a significant gap exists between the surging demand for digital transformation (DX) specialists and the current supply. BINAR Academy’s initiative to bridge this gap addresses a national challenge and carries profound societal importance.

Japanese Government Initiatives:
On the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation in 2023, the Japanese government launched the “ASEAN-Japan Economic Co-Creation Vision.” The vision underscores Japan’s role as a frontrunner in tackling ASEAN’s social challenges to spur economic growth. It emphasizes the escalating cooperation between public and private sectors across ASEAN and Japan, with our co-creation project being highlighted as a pivotal example. (*2)

ASEAN Outlook:
ASEAN stands as an emerging powerhouse, predicted to surpass Japan’s GDP by 2030, and is a hotbed for innovative leapfrog startups addressing societal needs through digital solutions. With a youthful population and a burgeoning middle class indulging in a prosperous consumer lifestyle, ASEAN is swiftly advancing to a position of global economic prominence.

About BINAR

BINAR Academy, an EdTech leader, was co-founded by visionaries from Gojek, Southeast Asia’s unicorn giant. CEO Alamanda Shantika, a distinguished mastermind behind the early products at Gojek, recognized Indonesia’s need for digital transformation (DX) talent development. BINAR was born out of this need, offering DX training and online programming bootcamps for businesses. Shantika’s advisory role to Indonesia’s largest banking group and contribution to the government’s digital startup initiative further cements BINAR’s influential status.

A brief overview of BINAR
BINAR is an educational technology (edtech) company that specializes in digital skills training. Founded in 2017 by Alamanda Shantika along with two other Gojek alumni, Dita Aisyah and Seto Lareno, BINAR has emerged as a trailblazer in the field of digital skills development. Their approach to learning is innovative, featuring methods such as Experiential Learning, Flipped Learning, Project/Problem Based Learning, and Collaborative Learning. Through these approaches, BINAR equips its graduates not only with digital capabilities but also essential soft skills, including Social Awareness, Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Leveraging Diversity, and Collaboration – all highly relevant in today’s fast-paced world. The primary goal of BINAR is to nurture a new generation of digital talents capable of delivering innovative solutions to the challenges facing our society.

BINAR offers a diverse range of training programs, including Binar Bootcamp, BinarGo!, Binar Digital Talent Accelerator (DTA, a digital transformation training for businesses), as well as talent placement services through Job Connect. Their mission is to support the career growth of high school graduates and their equivalents, college students, career shifters, and professionals looking to enhance their skill sets. In doing so, BINAR is contributing to the development of a skilled and innovative digital workforce.

■Contact for inquiries on this matter

Scala, Inc.
Global Business Management Division
Ishihara, Sano
globalbiz@scalagrp.jp