An Inspiration: Senior Lecturer at STEI ITB is an Entrepreneurial Expert in Technology

When talking about the world of entrepreneurship, of course there are advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that we have complete control over what is the object of the business. However, the challenges faced are no less great. The reason is, we also have to regulate income and expenses so as not to lose money.

This challenge does not stop Mr. Syarif’s enthusiasm for entrepreneurship in fields that are rarely touched by others. The man who has the full name Dr. Ir. Syarif Hidayat was the first person in Indonesia to write his doctoral thesis on lightning. Interestingly, he himself is currently focusing more on the technical and business aspects of deploying submarine cables.

“I consider myself an engineer. That is, I measure my performance from the work of the product. But the product does not have to always be goods. So it can be software, policy. Well, I happen to be focusing on the aspects of producing goods, “explained the man who had produced various products from his thesis, such as lightning detection devices, lightning protection devices, and lightning test equipment.

The production of technology goods was what brought Mr. Syarif to the world entrepreneur. This desire was born when he saw that there were not many people who dared to go into business in this realm. One of the business now is the phenomenal deployment of electric cables.

“It looks funny indeed, yes. I went to school as Zeus’s son, but instead pursued my profession as a son of Poseidon, “joked the man who now serves as the associate professor at ITB,” The connection is blue ocean. I respect myself as a wanderer. So I explore things that other people don’t dare, but according to common sense it should be done. Somebody get to do that.”

He also said that to succeed as an entrepreneur, two conditions are needed: the first is the courage to take risks, while the second is a positive attitude to see opportunities. Pak Syarif then told me that his first patent was not at all has a connection with lightning and submarine cables. His first patent was actually an environmentally friendly urinal rinse tool. This is one of the businesses that still produces until now.

“Likewise, when I saw the issue of submarine cables, no one dared, for me it was actually an opportunity (for doing business),” he added. In addition to pursuing submarine cable deploying, he is currently also running a high-voltage power tool business.

He considers that these ‘heavyweight’ businesses have fewer competitors, so the profit opportunities are also greater. “It’s good to have a business if you don’t have a competitor. But that was just now. To be able to have no competition, we must dare to penetrate the brave world that we think is safe, but in the opinion of others is not safe.

“What is on the surface is the fruit of dreams. What is so lacking in our nation is dreaming. Nobody dares to dream of producing something,” said Mr. Syarif when asked about the differences between Indonesia and developed countries in the world according to him. “Because when it comes to resources, we are actually equal. What’s lacking is just a dream together as a nation. “