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Innovation: Commercialization of Microbial Inoculum Technology for Coffee

Under the main theme “Downstreaming and Industrialization of Innovation”, the CaseCrushers Team proposed the commercialization of microbial inoculum technology for coffee, an innovation developed by Dr. Ir. Intan Taufik, M.Eng. from ITB.

This technology utilizes a microbial starter (inoculum) that enhances the coffee bean fermentation process, producing beans with a more consistent, fruity, and high-quality flavor profile.

“We didn’t develop the product ourselves, but served as the team responsible for designing its commercialization and industrialization strategy,” explained Kania Azra during an interview with the ITB reporting team.

Through a combination of market research, technological assessment, and sustainable business modeling, the CaseCrushers successfully demonstrated the vast potential of this innovation to be scaled up in Indonesia’s coffee industry.

Competition Process and Team Strategy

The KBMK 2025 competition comprised several stages, starting from proposal and video submission, followed by semifinals, and culminating in the national grand final held at Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN), Serpong.

Before the competition began, the CaseCrushers team consulted with their advisor, Dr. Bayuningrat Hardjakaprabon, S.T., M.T., and discussed the innovation in depth with Dr. Intan Taufik to better understand its technical aspects and market potential.

In the preliminary stage, the team submitted a comprehensive proposal outlining their strategy for downstreaming and commercializing the technology, accompanied by a video presentation uploaded to the competition’s official channel. Out of eleven competing teams, CaseCrushers advanced to the semifinal and grand final rounds.

“The final stage was quite challenging since we received an additional case to analyze the night before the presentation,” said Harits.

“Staying calm, maintaining solid teamwork, and thinking critically were key to our success,” he added.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

One of the main challenges the team faced was selecting a suitable technology aligned with the competition’s theme of downstreaming and industrialization.

“We initially struggled to decide on a topic since ITB has many fascinating innovations, but not all are ready for commercialization,” shared Ayesha.

Eventually, they chose the microbial coffee inoculum due to its tangible potential to improve crop quality and empower local farmers.

Apart from technical hurdles, the team also faced psychological pressure.

“Since SBM ITB had won the competition two years in a row, we felt the responsibility to continue that legacy. The pressure was real, but it pushed us to perform even better,” added Harits.

Message for Fellow ITB Students

All three members agreed that success in competitions never happens overnight.

“Practice makes perfect,” said Kania. “We’ve joined several competitions before, and we didn’t always win. Those experiences including failures strengthened our resilience and prepared us for this moment.”

Ayesha emphasized the importance of seeking constructive feedback from academic mentors and senior students, while Harits highlighted trust and time management as the most crucial factors behind their win.

The CaseCrushers Team’s achievement not only brings pride to ITB but also showcases how collaboration between scientific research and business strategy can serve as a bridge toward sustainable innovation and economic impact.

“We hope this small step inspires other students to transform campus research into real solutions for society,” concluded Ayesha.

Reporter: Merryta Kusumawati (Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, 2025)