Surplus Indonesia, a food-tech startup transforming surplus and unsold food into new opportunities for businesses and communities, has been selected as one of the winners of the UNDP Impact Award at SDG Sprint 2025, UNDP Seoul Policy Centre’s impact startup accelerator programme.

Through innovative digital solutions that connect overstocked, imperfect, or near-expiry products with consumers seeking affordable options, Surplus Indonesia is helping address one of the country’s most pressing challenges: food loss and waste. Indonesia discards an estimated 115-184 kilograms of food per person each year, resulting in approximately US$39 billion in annual economic loss—even though this wasted food could feed 61 to 125 million people.

Founded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Surplus Indonesia operates a digital marketplace and an AI-powered inventory management tool that help small business owners reduce losses, forecast surplus, and distribute products more efficiently both online and offline. Through this model, business owners can minimize inventory waste and generate additional revenue, while consumers can purchase high-quality food products at discounts of up to 80 percent. 

CEO Muh. Agung Saputra, who grew up in Papua, a remote part of Indonesia, experiencing food scarcity before moving to Jakarta, recalled the stark contrast he witnessed:

“I saw one side struggling with hunger while the other threw away food every day. I asked myself—how can we achieve food security by 2030 if we continue wasting this much food?”

His experience became the foundation of Surplus Indonesia’s mission to reduce food loss, support local businesses, and create a more sustainable food system.

Surplus Indonesia’s model ensures benefits for all stakeholders—farmers, business owners, low-income consumers, and the environment. Farmers who once discarded “ugly” or imperfect produce now see income increases of up to 30 percent, while consumers can purchase quality products at discounts of up to 80 percent.

“Everyone wins: businesses recover losses, consumers save money, and communities take part in sustainable consumption,” said Agung.

SDG Sprint is a three-month accelerator led by the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre under the Youth Co:Lab initiative co-created with Citi Foundation. Implemented by Impact Square, the programme supports early-stage impact startups across Asia-Pacific with mentoring, capacity building, and exposure to global networks.

For Surplus Indonesia, the programme became a significant inflection point.

“Before SDG Sprint, we were focusing solely on Indonesia,” Agung noted. “Mentoring sessions helped us identify similar market gaps in Vietnam and Thailand. After Demo Day in Seoul, we connected with partners from across the region who expressed strong interest in collaboration.”

Agung also highlighted that the experience opened unexpected opportunities in Korea, particularly through meetings with startup support organizations and participation in Korea-based innovation activities.

The recognition through the UNDP Impact Award reinforced Surplus Indonesia’s mission to expand its model beyond Indonesia and contribute to SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

“The programme strengthened the reason why I started Surplus Indonesia in the first place—to create real change,” Agung said. “We now have the knowledge, network, and confidence to expand to Korea and other Southeast Asian markets.”

He added that despite skepticism in Indonesia toward impact startups in the early days, the ecosystem has since grown significantly and programmes like SDG Sprint play a critical role.

First launched in 2017, SDG Sprint is implemented through partnerships with the Youth Co:Lab, co-led by UNDP and Citi Foundation, and other public and private partners to strengthen the impact start-up ecosystem in Korea and the Asia-Pacific region.

About Youth Co:Lab

Co-created in 2017 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Citi Foundation, Youth Co:Lab aims to establish a common agenda for countries in the Asia-Pacific region to empower and invest in youth, so that they can accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation and entrepreneurship. Read more about Youth Co:Lab here, and initiatives by Youth Co:Lab in Korea here: https://www.youthcolab.org/republic-of-korea

About Citi Foundation

The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyse job opportunities for youth and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant communities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfil our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation.  Learn more at www.citigroup.com/citi/ foundation or follow @Citi

About the United Nations Development Programme

UNDP is the leading United Nations organisation fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.

About UNDP Seoul Policy Centre

UNDP Seoul Policy Centre is a facilitator of innovative development cooperation to catalyse the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Through its SDG Partnerships programme and other South-South and Triangular Cooperation initiatives, the Centre supports countries by sharing innovative, tested-and-proven practices and policy tools on strategic development issues globally. Learn more at undp.org/policy-centre/seoul or follow at @UNDPSPC.