Space Seed Holdings, PT Awina Sinergi International and the Faculty of Marine and Fisheries Technology, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo Sign a Tripartite Cooperation Agreement
Space Seed Holdings Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Kengo Suzuki; “SSHD”) signed a cooperation agreement (Perjanjian Kerja Sama) on August 10, 2026 with PT Awina Sinergi International of Indonesia (Headquarters: Jakarta; President Director: Ananda Setiyo Ivannanto; “Awina”) and the Faculty of Marine and Fisheries Technology, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo (Dean: Prof. Dr. Ir. Yuniarti Koniyo, MP; “UNG Faculty”). The agreement covers research, human-resource development, and industrialization in agribusiness and sustainable fisheries management.
The signing ceremony took place the same day at the UNG Faculty in Gorontalo City, attended by representatives of all three parties and the faculty’s leadership.
Background: keeping value in the region instead of exporting raw commodities
Gorontalo Province is a major producer of corn, coconut and other crops, and its bay holds rich marine resources such as squid and tuna. Yet much of this output leaves the region unprocessed, so the value that processing would create is not returned to local communities. “Hilirisasi”—downstream industrialization—a national strategy of the Indonesian government, aims to change exactly this structure.
SSHD works on adding value to agricultural and marine products with Japanese food and biotechnology, including fermentation, and on circular models that turn processing residues into feed and materials. Awina specializes in renewable energy, waste management, the circular economy and carbon markets, and has served as a bridge for Japan–Indonesia business. The UNG Faculty brings academic expertise in marine, fisheries and coastal resource management together with deep local networks. The three parties signed the agreement to pursue social implementation that links technology, business and academia.
Agreement overview
- Title: Cooperation Agreement on Promoting Research, Human Resource Development and Industrialization in Agribusiness and Sustainable Fisheries Resource Management (Perjanjian Kerja Sama)
- Date signed: August 10, 2026
- Place: Gorontalo City, Republic of Indonesia (UNG Faculty of Marine and Fisheries Technology)
- Parties: Space Seed Holdings Inc.; PT Awina Sinergi International; Faculty of Marine and Fisheries Technology, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo
- Term: five years from signing (extendable by written agreement of all three parties)
Scope
- Joint R&D for agribusiness industrialization: processing and value-adding of major local crops such as coconut and corn and their derivatives
- Research and practice in sustainable fisheries management: fishing, aquaculture and coastal ecosystem management
- Human-resource development: internships, field training and thematic community-service learning (KKN) for UNG students, and capacity building for faculty
- Sharing of data, information and academic knowledge
- Joint publications in domestic and international journals and forums
- Preparing applications for international joint-research funding, such as SATREPS, for long-term Japan–Indonesia programs
- Contributions to local communities: social activities for coastal residents, farmers and fishers, and empowerment of the local economy
- Employment opportunities for graduates within the business ecosystems of SSHD and Awina
Specific activities, target dates, responsible persons and cost sharing will be set out in separate implementing agreements among the three parties.
Roles of the three parties
- SSHD: R&D, technical support and international strategic partnership; participation in joint research and joint publications
- Awina: bridging SSHD, the UNG Faculty and Indonesia’s industrial ecosystem; access to local sites and business partners; day-to-day coordination
- UNG Faculty: faculty, students and research facilities; participation in research and internships; recording and reporting outcomes as university key performance indicators (IKU)
University performance indicators (IKU) and the SDGs
The agreement is designed as a framework that supports the university key performance indicators (IKU: Indikator Kinerja Utama) set by Indonesia’s Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Ministerial Decree No. 358/M/KEP/2025). An annex maps the clauses of the agreement one-to-one to the indicators for graduate employment (IKU 2), student activities and achievements (IKU 3), international recognition of faculty (IKU 4), industry collaboration and industrialization (IKU 5), international publications (IKU 6), contributions to the SDGs (IKU 7), and non-tuition university revenue (IKU 9).
Many memoranda refer to industry–academia collaboration, but few specify how the work counts toward the university’s own performance indicators. This agreement was designed so that the faculty can report its outcomes internally in that form. The partnership also states its contribution to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).
Comments
“Gorontalo has coconut, corn, and the fisheries resources of its bay. But if these leave the region as raw commodities, the value that processing would create does not stay here. Japanese food and biotechnology, fermentation included, is a way to build up value before raw materials are shipped out. We deliberately made this a three-party framework that includes a university, because it is people—not equipment or contracts—who keep industrialization going. When students work hands-on in the field and faculty members become players in international joint research, hilirisasi stops being a one-off project and becomes a regional industry.”
—Kengo Suzuki, Representative Director and CEO, Space Seed Holdings Inc.
“The technology and the demand already exist between Japan and Indonesia. What is missing is the circuit that connects them to the field. Awina has played that role in renewable energy and the circular economy. In Gorontalo, with a university rooted in the region joining us, I believe businesses can be built without being cut off from the field.”
—Ananda Setiyo Ivannanto, President Director, PT Awina Sinergi International
“For our faculty, this agreement brings international opportunities to both students and faculty members. Gorontalo’s sea and farmland hold great academic and industrial potential. Working with our two partners, we want to build a path that returns research outcomes—not only as papers—to the lives of coastal communities, farmers and fishers in and around Tomini Bay.”
—Prof. Dr. Ir. Yuniarti Koniyo, MP, Dean, Faculty of Marine and Fisheries Technology, Universitas Negeri Gorontalo
Next steps
The three parties will conclude implementing agreements that define specific activities, target dates, responsible persons and cost sharing, and then launch joint research and human-resource development programs. They will also prepare applications to international joint-research funding programs, including SATREPS.
Attendees at the signing ceremony
- Dr. Arfiani Rizki Paramata, S.Pi., M.Si — Lecturer, Department of Fisheries Resource Management, UNG Faculty of Marine and Fisheries Technology
- Dewi Nuryanti Fazrin, S.Pi., M.Si — Chair, Partnerships and Key Performance Indicators (IKU) Committee, UNG Faculty of Marine and Fisheries Technology
- Ananda Setiyo Ivannanto, BBA, M.Sc — President Director, PT Awina Sinergi International
- Dr. Kengo Suzuki — Representative Director and CEO, Space Seed Holdings Inc.
- Prof. Dr. Ir. Yuniarti Koniyo, MP — Dean, UNG Faculty of Marine and Fisheries Technology
- Dr. Sri Nuryatin Hamzah, S.Kel., M.Si — Vice Dean for Academic Affairs
- Prof. Dr. Rieny Sulistijowati, S.Pi., M.Si — Vice Dean for Student and Alumni Affairs
- Dr. Lukman Mile, S.Pi., M.Si — Vice Dean for General Affairs and Finance
About PT Awina Sinergi International
PT Awina Sinergi International (PT AWINA) is the Indonesian company of the AAI group. Based in Indonesia, it develops businesses in renewable energy, environmental solutions, waste management and the circular economy in partnership with Japanese companies, and promotes business links between Japan and Indonesia. Together with Hokuriku Electrical Construction Co., Ltd. (Hokuriku Electric Power Group) and AAI Co., Ltd., it participates in PT Awina Rikudenko Solar Engineering Indonesia (ARISE), established in April 2023 as Hokuriku Electrical Construction’s first overseas subsidiary.
https://awina.co.id/
About Space Seed Holdings Inc.
Space Seed Holdings Inc. is a space-focused deep-tech venture builder whose mission is “Turning science fiction into nonfiction.” Through research, development and social implementation of new technologies, and through investment in research seeds—including the “Fermentation and Longevity Fund”—the company creates businesses that address societal challenges in fields such as fermentation, medicine, and advanced materials. Its long-term goal is to assemble, together with diverse stakeholders, the technologies humankind needs to live in space by 2040.
https://ss-hd.co.jp/