Polibatam Students Win First Place in Business Plan Competition with HOPE Innovation

BATAM — Two students from the Applied Business Administration Study Program at Politeknik Negeri Batam (Polibatam), Muhammad Bachtiar Zulkarnain and Muhammad Budiman Salasin, won first place in the Business Plan Competition organized by Universitas Mulawarman. Their achievement was earned through HOPE, a social business concept designed to support families of children with special needs.

The proposal, titled “HOPE – An Innovative Hybrid Community Platform (Online-to-Offline) for Psychosocial Support and the Empowerment of Children with Special Needs’ Creative Potential,” combines application-based services with in-person activities. The concept aims to provide psychosocial support for parents while creating opportunities for children to socialize and develop their creative abilities.

Through the proposed HOPE application, parents would be able to share their experiences in anonymous forums and join support groups based on their children’s conditions, including autism, ADHD, and Down syndrome. These features are intended to help families build connections and receive support from others with similar experiences.

For children, HOPE proposes a “Meet & Create” program featuring visits to museums and public spaces, alongside skills development classes. These activities are designed to provide a safe environment for learning, interaction, and creative expression. Children’s work could also be showcased in the application’s digital gallery to celebrate their abilities and achievements.

The proposed business model includes an application subscription of IDR 10,000 per month and in-person activities priced at IDR 50,000–100,000 per event. Each activity would be supported by trained facilitators, with one facilitator accompanying three to five children. The concept also offers opportunities for collaboration with companies through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs and sponsorships.

The achievement of Muhammad Bachtiar Zulkarnain and Muhammad Budiman Salasin demonstrates Polibatam students’ ability to develop business ideas that combine economic potential with social responsibility. Through HOPE, they propose bringing together families of children with special needs, communities, facilitators, and businesses to support a more inclusive environment.

Salam Polibatam

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