Entrepreneurship students, class of 2025, the SBM ITB, had a unique experience participating in activities like The Amazing Race, a famous mission-based variety show. For two days in Kuningan City, West Java, they ran from one place to another, solving clues and completing unique challenges under time pressure, on Sunday and Monday (24-25 May). The activity was part of the Business Scale and Start-Up Ecosystem course.
Upon arriving in Kuningan, the students initially had no idea where they were going. All activities were kept secret by the lecturer in charge to test the students’ abilities in terms of adaptation and teamwork in a foreign environment, exactly like the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in the real world.
As soon as they got off the bus, the students were immediately divided into groups and given a “passport”, a student life guidebook, during the activity. Inside, there were various missions, clues, and points to go to. To add to the challenge, the committee collected all students’ mobile phones and wallets. Students could only rely on teamwork and some cash that was distributed to one group.
The first mission was direct selling. Students had to buy MSME products that had been exhibited at the initial location using the group’s very limited money. Next, students had to resell the products to the community. What made it even more challenging was that this money had to be used for transportation costs and to buy regional food challenges during the activity. The three groups with the highest cash balance at the end of the day would get additional points.
Throughout the day, students explored Kuningan City, from the town square to Cibulan and various other tourist destinations, completing mission after mission. The challenges were diverse, including trading, deciphering secret codes, and communicating with residents.
The second day was no less exciting. This time, students took part in a post-to-post game, a navigation-based challenge using a compass and azimuth degrees as directions. Each post presented a different challenge that had to be completed in groups. There were strategy games, cooperation, and even some quite energy-draining physical activities. But everything felt fun because it was done together.
As a final project and closing activity, the class was given the task of building a tower from bamboo, a symbol of the strength and resilience of the class. The building process requires solid communication, clear roles, and, of course, a spirit of togetherness. Once the tower was completed, they closed the event with a special performance involving the entire class. Finally, the activity was symbolically closed by placing the SBM ITB flag at the top of the tower.
This activity is not just about winning or losing, but about how students learn to be more resilient, creative, and united individuals in the face of unexpected challenges. Like building a business from scratch, we are trained to quickly assess situations, make informed decisions with limited resources, and continue to work together effectively under pressure.
