A study by Boston Consulting Group revealed that female founders outperform their male counterparts, despite raising less money. This data is consistent with several other studies on women-led businesses, including a study by  First Round Capital and this research by Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Still, only a fraction of unicorns around the globe is female-founded. Women are less likely to see themselves as entrepreneurs, largely because they don’t see other women entrepreneurs as role models. So it is particularly crucial for young females to find successful women who can be those role models.

One such inspirational woman role model is Metha Trisnawati. Metha is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Indonesia’s leading B2C and B2B e-grocery startup, Sayurbox. Founded in 2017, Sayurbox is building Indonesia’s fastest-growing fresh produce platform. The company sources fresh produce directly from farmers and producers in rural areas, eventually delivering it to households and home food businesses around Indonesia. Sayurbox is a platform with full integration from farm to end consumer. It aims to make fresh produce available and accessible for everyone.  

Humble Beginnings: The Conception Of A Million-Dollar Startup

Metha studied Industrial Engineering at Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) and went on to work for multinationals like IBM and Unilever. After completing her Master’s degree in Technology Entrepreneurship from University College London (UCL) she decided to move back to Jakarta and met her co-founder Amanda. They clicked at their first meeting & together they have been running Sayurbox. They started really small at the house of Amanda – which was the initial warehouse of the company. Delivery was via GO-JEK and items were sold through Instagram. To test their idea, they put out the Minimum Viable Product, selling around sixty a month.

The Big Break: A Passionate Advancing Of The Social Mission

After launching their own website, the Sayorbox idea started to take off. Since Series B funding led by Astra, Sayurbox has experienced exponential growth through increasing the range of products offered on the platform and expanding its end-to-end supply chain. Sayurbox was founded with the social mission to provide market access to farmers through the digitalization of Indonesia’s agri-supply chain. This research by Kellie McElhaney, the founder of the Center for Gender Equity & Leadership at the University of California at Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, shows that female-led companies are more likely to prioritize corporate social responsibility and Sayorbox is no exception. 80% of its team consists of a female workforce. It employs mothers who live near its warehouses, making it easier for them to care for their families. They can also bring children to work along with having the option to work from home. Sayurbox's capacity to empower female workers & farmers is unrivalled.

The Journey Ahead: An Amalgamation Of Adventures And Growth

Sayurbox announced in March 2022 that it had raised $120 million in a Series C funding round led by Northstar and Alpha JWC Ventures. Sayurbox aims to shorten the supply chain, minimize waste and help farmers earn higher wages. Its demand forecasting technology, inventory planning and route optimization algorithms enable it to have full visibility of the entire supply chain. This enables the company to deliver the best customer experience while reducing wastage and lowering fulfilment costs. They have built their own logistics in an attempt to deal with operational inefficiencies. The immediate focus of Sayorbox is to scale up operations and reach more farmers. 

Metha’s Advice For Budding Female Entrepreneurs

Metha is a go-getter and believes in just doing it. She encourages young female entrepreneurs to not be afraid or limit themselves, and explore. One of the most important qualities, according to Metha, is having the courage to go after whatever you aspire to. 

Her ultimate advice is that there are always going to be challenges – just believe in yourself, try your best and you will go a long way!