BANDUNG, UNIKOM – The Universitas Komputer Indonesia (UNIKOM) continues to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem on campus by hosting the “Coop-Preneur Fest: Creative Action, Safe Innovation” event, which is held in conjunction with the celebration of the 3rd anniversary of the UNIKOM Smart Cooperative (KOSMART) and UNIKOM Market Day, on Monday and Tuesday, July 20–21, 2026. The event served as both a learning space and a platform for students to develop their creativity, showcase products, gain business experience, and hone their ability to leverage digital technology to expand their markets.
Held in the Lobby of UNIKOM’s Smart Building, the Coop-Preneur Fest 2026 event showcased students’ entrepreneurial spirit through various booths displaying products born of creativity and innovation. On the first day, 95 student booths participated in Market Day, while the entire event involved 622 students divided into 260 business groups. Also present at the event was Vice Rector II for Resources, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Agus Riyanto, S.T., M.T., CSBA., Vice Rector IV for Digital Technology & ICT, International Programs & Center of Excellence, Prof. Zainal Arifin Hasibuan, MLS., Ph.D., Director of INBISKOM and Chair of the UNIKOM Cooperative, Prof. Dr. Lilis Puspitawati, S.E., M.Si., Ak.CA., Chair of the Coop-Preneur Fest Organizing Committee, Apriani Puti Furfini, S.Kom., M.T., UNIKOM leadership, deans, program chairs, faculty members, support staff, cooperative members, and students participating in Market Day.
The Executive Chair of the 2026 Coop-Preneur Fest, Apriani Puti Furfini, S.Kom., M.T., expressed her appreciation to the entire leadership team, invited guests, cooperative members, and students who had supported the event. She explained that this year’s UNIKOM Market Day involved 622 students divided into 260 business groups. The students showcased a variety of products that they developed and marketed directly during the event. “This year’s Market Day was attended by 622 students divided into 260 business groups. Over the course of two days, the students showcased and marketed various products they developed themselves. This event is expected to serve not only as a buying and selling activity but also as a platform for students to learn how to design products, build businesses, market products, interact with consumers, and cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit,” she said.
In addition, she explained that the products showcased by the students included food and beverages, regional culinary specialties, creative products and handicrafts, ornamental plants, and various other innovative products. This diversity reflects the creative potential of UNIKOM students in transforming ideas into products with economic value. Apriani also encouraged the entire academic community to show appreciation for the students’ work by purchasing and using the products they have created. “Let’s support the efforts and creations of UNIKOM students so they become more confident in innovating, developing their businesses, and becoming a generation of entrepreneurs capable of contributing to UNIKOM’s progress,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Director of INBISKOM and Chair of the UNIKOM Cooperative, Prof. Dr. Lilis Puspitawati, S.E., M.Si., Ak.CA., stated that Market Day is a form of entrepreneurship education that provides students with hands-on experience. According to her, the event serves as a platform for students not only to showcase their products but also to hone their skills in running business operations. “Alhamdulillah, today we are able to gather together to make the most of one of the most important educational opportunities for students the second UNIKOM Market Day while also celebrating the third anniversary of the UNIKOM KOSMART Cooperative. Let’s express our appreciation to everyone who has supported this event,” said Prof. Lilis.
Prof. Lilis also noted that this year’s Market Day was attended by more than 600 students showcasing a variety of product categories. According to her, the event provided an opportunity for students to showcase their product development efforts while learning to interact directly with consumers. “This second Market Day was attended by more than 600 students showcasing a variety of product categories. The main objective is to present and introduce high-quality student products, ranging from various food items, creative industry products, handicrafts, to other products,” she explained.
Furthermore, Prof. Lilis hopes that the experience students gained during Market Day will not end when the event concludes. Students are encouraged to continue the ventures they have started so that they can grow into sustainable businesses. “Our hope is that this activity doesn’t stop here. Students can continue their businesses until they truly become thriving industries. Not only by selling offline, but in the future they’ll also be able to leverage digital platforms so that student products can be marketed online and evolve into digital businesses,” she said. According to Prof. Lilis, the use of digital technology will provide broader opportunities for students to expand their markets. Therefore, Market Day is expected to serve as a starting point for students to continuously test, refine, and expand their businesses.
The UNIKOM KOSMART Cooperative, she continued, is expected not only to function as a consumer cooperative but also to expand its business scope and serve as a platform for product development and business growth within the UNIKOM community. “Moving forward, we hope the products produced can become increasingly integrated with the cooperative. Currently, we are still at the consumer cooperative stage, but God willing, in the future we will continue to develop and expand the cooperative’s operations, including by supporting businesses that are growing within the UNIKOM community,” he concluded.
In line with this, UNIKOM’s Vice Rector 4 for Digital Technology & ICT, International Programs & Center of Excellence, Prof. Zainal Arifin Hasibuan, MLS., Ph.D., noted that Market Day and the UNIKOM KOSMART Cooperative play a strategic role in fostering a culture of entrepreneurship among students. According to him, students do not necessarily have to focus on becoming employees after graduation but can also prepare themselves to create jobs through entrepreneurship. “When students and Gen Z are about to graduate, they certainly need to start planning for the future. Do they want to become civil servants, work for a company, or start their own business? We shouldn’t just think about becoming part of large corporations. We can start small and then grow into a larger business,” said Prof. Zainal.
Prof. Zainal explained that business development can begin on the simplest scale such as a home-based business and then grow into micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. These stages are a crucial process for building experience and business management skills. “Don’t look down on small businesses. It is precisely through small businesses that we can gain experience and gradually grow our ventures,” he explained.
Prof. Zainal also highlighted the importance of students’ ability to integrate hands-on business activities with the use of digital technology. In his view, physical and digital operations are not mutually exclusive but can complement one another. “In the digital age, we need not worry about the existence of physical locations. Physical and digital tenants actually complement each other. People who come in person to a place like this can experience the products firsthand, but at the same time, those products can also be marketed through digital channels. Conversely, digital activities can encourage people to come and see the products in person,” he said.
According to him, Indonesia possesses a wealth of highly diverse products and services, including those born from the creativity of communities in various regions. This potential can become an economic strength if developed through innovation, marketing, and sound business management. “Indonesia is rich in a wide variety of products and services. At the MSME level, we have immense potential stemming from various regions, ethnic groups, cultures, and the creativity of the people. All of this has great potential to become an economic force if we are able to manage it well,” he added.
The highlight of the ceremonial events marking the 3rd anniversary of the UNIKOM KOSMART Cooperative was the tumpeng-cutting ceremony performed by the UNIKOM Vice Rector together with the leadership team and the organizing committee. This ceremony symbolized gratitude as well as the hope that the UNIKOM KOSMART Cooperative will continue to grow as an independent and adaptive hub for innovation, capable of supporting students’ entrepreneurial creativity and the well-being of the UNIKOM academic community.
Following the ceremony, the Vice Rector, along with the leadership team and invited guests, toured the Market Day booths created by students throughout the Smart Building lobby area. The leadership’s presence at the booths served as a gesture of appreciation and an opportunity to see firsthand the various products and business concepts developed by the students. In addition to buying and selling activities, Market Day also featured competitions for Best Booth (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place) and Highest Sales. The judging panel evaluated entries based on the creativity of the booth’s design, product quality, innovation, and the number of products sold.
During the judging session, the panel of judges toured each booth to observe product presentations firsthand and conduct their evaluations. Out of a total of 95 participating booths on the first day, participants were given the opportunity to present their products and explain their respective business concepts. Coop-Preneur Fest continued on the second day with the 2026 P2MW Sharing Session, an entrepreneurship talk show featuring Ceptian Suryana, M.Ds., Founder and CEO of Jamise Syari who served as both a guest speaker and a UNIKOM alumnus as well as the selection of the best booths from a total of 114 booths on the second day. Through the 2026 Coop-Preneur Fest, UNIKOM not only provides a platform for students to market their products but also fosters an entrepreneurial experience integrated with learning, digital technology, and the strengthening of cooperatives. The spirit of “Creative Action, Safe Innovation” serves as a driving force, encouraging students to boldly transform creativity into products, products into businesses, and businesses into sustainable ventures. Now in its third year, UNIKOM’s Smart Cooperative (KOSMART) is expected to increasingly serve as a driving force for the entrepreneurial ecosystem on campus, while also acting as a platform for collaboration that brings together students, the academic community, cooperatives, and business actors to create economic
