Indonesian startups and VCs tie up to produce coronavirus test kits

Government under fire for slow response to crisis and lack of testing capacity

20200403 Corona Virus Testkits

A medical staffer in Russia works with test systems for coronavirus. The world is facing an acute shortage of test kits for the virus, and private companies are scrambling to fill the gap. © AP

SHOTARO TANI, Nikkei staff writer

JAKARTA -- Indonesian startups and venture capital firms have tied up in a crowd funding campaign for the domestic production of coronavirus test kits, as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb in the archipelago.

The project was initiated by early stage startup investor East Ventures and is looking to raise 10 billion rupiah ($600,000) to cover costs related to the production of the test kits, as well as genome sequencing of the novel coronavirus which causes COVID-19. East Ventures has already donated 900 million rupiah, while Indonesian unicorns Tokopedia and Traveloka have donated 800 million rupiah and 200 million rupiah respectively. 

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