Balikpapan, Indonesia: "My Innovation House"

The challenge

With a high vulnerability to sea level rise, flooding risks, and deforestation, Balikpapan set out to become a leading Indonesian city in climate innovation. But the city government lacked a way to gather innovation data or to promote sectors working on climate solutions. 

How it works

In 2022, Balikpapan’s Development Planning Agency created an online portal called My Innovation House. The portal allows users to upload their innovations. They can also submit them to an annual innovation contest.

Themes range from renewable energy and waste to sustainable agriculture and more. 

Participants include high school and university students, government departments, and private companies such as Banana & Partners, a waste management start-up that won an award in 2022.

Through My Innovation House, the city government facilitates access to non-financial opportunities such as local or international networking and publicity. All submissions are publicly available on the portal.

The city also helps winning companies navigate existing regulations and fosters relationships through regular meeting opportunities with the start-ups.

Lessons

Cities can embrace local knowledge to find well-fitting solutions. As in Balikpapan, local actors are best placed to provide ideas, and the city government found a practical way in the form of an innovation portal to support and encourage them. 

The portal is also relatively straightforward to use, opening it up to a range of stakeholders. Cities can drive inclusivity in innovation through programme design and encouraging participation through competitions.