Academy Alum’s Growing Business Is Transforming Urban Transport in Jakarta

Ojeks, freelance motorcycle cabbies, are ubiquitous on the streets of Jakarta, Indonesia. Ojek service is being significantly upgraded by a thriving business called Go-Jek, the creation of Academy grad Michaelangelo Moran and his partner.

Academy of Art University alum Michaelangelo Moran grew up with ojeks darting in and out of the gridlocked traffic of Jakarta, Indonesia. Ojeks are freelance motorcycle cabs; they’re now the focus of a business helmed by the former student and his partner. Their goal: revolutionize transport in Jakarta and bring prosperity to the two-wheeled entrepreneurs.

“Ojeks in Jakarta are a way of life. They’ve been around for a while … and people use them to beat the traffic, which is just really bad in the city,” says Moran, a 2010 BFA graduate of the university’s School of Web Design + New Media. Each ojek driver works independently, negotiating small, hard-fought territories with other drivers. After giving a ride, the driver travels all the way back to his territory to wait in line for the next customer. There has never been an official trip rate, and with zero advertisement or self-promotion, profits were scant for the drivers.

To inject a modern, wired sensibility into an old Javanese institution, Moran teamed up with a friend, Nadiem Makarim, to found the company Go-Jek. Makarim had just returned to Jakarta after completing his MBA at Harvard Business School when he saw a golden opportunity on the busy Indonesian streets. He then did research with the ojek drivers, interviewing them on their views of the industry. He found they lacked any formal organization, and more importantly, branding.

Go-Jek's drivers sport uniforms that conform with the company's comprehensive branding program, developed by Moran.

Go-Jek’s business plan essentially mirrors many taxi services found stateside. A potential customer calls Go-Jek and sets up pick-up and drop-off times, and is immediately given the total cost of the trip by using online mapping. At the routing facility, drivers get the route and are on their way. The drivers are then paid part of the revenue by a commission system.

The company has also added courier functionality, allowing customers to have food and other necessities driven straight to their doors from a list of approved vendors. Additionally, regular weekly or monthly rates for deliveries can be negotiated at a discounted cost.

Moran says none of this would have been possible without his education from the Academy of Art University (where he also participated in the school’s Urban Forest initiative). He speaks with admiration for his instructors there, including Bob Rigel, Web Design + New Media director, and Gino Nave, BFA associate director. “They were the ones that taught me the basics. Bob then went on to teach my portfolio class, which prepped me for real world experiences, revamped all my artwork and made my portfolio more solid. Gino was the last teacher I had for Academy for senior portfolio and was my solid motion graphics teacher, an element of design that I love doing. … They both were very in tune with what was required from the industry and not only advised me but pushed me to test new heights in my designs.”

Michaelangelo "Mikey" Moran, 2010 graduate of the Academy's School of Web Design + New Media

With Go-Jek, Moran was able to put his communication skills to the test. “I also realized with this company the power of social media, and how a community can help spread the word. We have spent very little on marketing — no advertising. It has just been through Facebook, Twitter and different media that have written about us. Initially it was really hard getting the word out about our company.” That slow-but-steady word-of-mouth approach is paying off the for two AAU grads, who by providing an honest community-enriching service are now benefiting from the goodwill generated.

In July 2011, Go-Jek won first place in the non-tech category at the Global Entrepreneur Program Indonesia (GEPI) in Bali, elevating their brand’s visibility significantly. They even received personal praise from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Google Chairman Eric Schmidt for the accomplishment. Continuing the wave of good publicity, in December of 2011, CNN ran a feature story about Go-Jek on national television. Their innovative concept for 21st-century urban transportation has arrived.

Check out Go-Jek’s website and the transportation services they offer. Also watch this video about Go-Jek, featured on Time magazine’s website.