Five-year program to connect impact enterprises with capital and build capacity, to drive economic resilience and gender equality.
Jakarta, Indonesia – January 12, 2026 – Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and the Impact Investment Exchange (IIX) officially launched the Impact Investment Readiness in Indonesia (IIRI) program today. The program aims to strengthen women-focused impact enterprises across select provinces in Indonesia through tailored, locally relevant business and financial training, targeted investment readiness support, and ecosystem partnerships that connect enterprises with investors and financial institutions. IIRI will help these enterprises grow by enabling them to access capital, attract investment, and expand trade opportunities.
The Honorable Randeep Sarai, Canada’s Secretary of State for International Development joined Prof. Durreen Shahnaz, Founder and CEO of IIX, at the launch event to mark Canada’s commitment to advancing inclusive growth in Indonesia.
“Canada is partnering with IIX to support women-led enterprises in Indonesia,” said Secretary of State Sarai. “Through the IIRI program, we will provide technical assistance and help attract investment for enterprises that empower women. This initiative strengthens micro, small, and medium enterprises, which are vital to Indonesia’s sustainable development. It reflects Canada’s commitment to inclusive international assistance and to building more prosperous, equitable societies while deepening cooperation between our two countries.”
Indonesia’s Emas 2045 Vision to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2045 emphasizes making the MSME (micro, small, and medium enterprises) ecosystem globally competitive, while advancing women’s economic participation and sustainable development. Currently, over 65 million MSMEs account for 60% of Indonesia’s GDP, and women-owned MSMEs comprise 64.5% of total enterprises. However, there is a US $220 billion financing gap for MSME’s. Many early-stage enterprises lack the business know-how, financial models, and impact data to engage with investors and access capital effectively.
Moreover, investment flows are largely concentrated in select regions such as Java and Bali, leaving MSMEs in numerous other provinces underfunded and with limited access to resources. The Government of Indonesia has prioritized MSME development, expanded access to finance, and promoted women-led enterprises to strengthen the ecosystem. The IIRI Program builds upon IIX’s ongoing transformative work in Indonesia to help develop the ecosystem for MSMEs and impact investments.
“Women entrepreneurs are already driving much of Indonesia’s economy, but they need the right tools and pathways to access capital. Through IIRI, we are planning to train, provide hands-on investment readiness support, and connect hundreds of women-focused enterprises directly to investors who understand their potential. By building their capacity to attract investment and participate in domestic and international trade, we can help transform Indonesia’s MSME sector, and in doing so, accelerate Indonesia’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Prof. Durreen Shahnaz.
IIX has been collaborating with the Government of Indonesia, regulatory bodies such as OJK, the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX), and the private sector to advance the Orange Movement™, a global initiative to mobilize US$10 billion and empower 100 million women by 2030. By integrating gender, climate action, and social impact into financing frameworks, capital markets, and building institutional capacity, IIX has directly mobilized nearly US$70 million into high-impact MSMEs, supporting women and communities across Indonesia. In addition, IIX has been enabling the adoption of inclusive finance instruments and created history last year by supporting the issuance of the country’s first Orange Bond and the world’s first Orange Sukuk by PT PNM, as part of their US$1 billion program supporting ultra-micro women entrepreneurs across Indonesia.
The IIRI program will deepen these efforts to facilitate systemic transformation of the MSME and impact investment ecosystem by addressing both sides of the capital: enabling the flow of capital by engaging local, regional, and global investors, while also equipping the enterprises with the capabilities to access and effectively utilize the capital to scale their impact and growth.
In Vietnam, a similar Canada-supported initiative has strengthened nearly 250 social impact businesses and mobilized over US$17 million in private capital since 2022. In Indonesia, the IIRI program is poised to catalyze transformation, unlock Indonesia’s full economic potential, and drive the nation’s Emas 2045 Vision of inclusive, sustainable prosperity and growth.