From Pulse Lab Jakarta to UN Global Pulse Asia Pacific: Expanding to Become a Regional Innovation Powerhouse
When Pulse Lab Jakarta was created in 2012, they were seen as a big data pioneer advocating for stakeholders to recognize the importance of data innovation when it was still a relatively new concept. Over the following decade, the Lab would build a solid reputation for developing innovative data-driven solutions and in the present day, are recognized as an influential player with a high demand for support. Building on this momentum, and as a natural evolution in the Lab’s growth, Pulse Lab Jakarta transformed into UN Global Pulse Asia Pacific in June 2023. This expansion as a regional hub marks a milestone for driving innovation and sustainable development in the region.
Historical forerunners of Big Data in Indonesia
Established as a joint innovation facility between the United Nations (Global Pulse) and Indonesia (Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas) in response to global challenges at the time, Pulse Lab Jakarta aimed to provide data innovation services to the public sector focusing mainly on big data for development and humanitarian assistance. In this “first phase” of our evolutionary journey, we explored the social life of data, built links with researchers and academia and supported communities of practice. We also highlighted the benefits of using new data sources for actionable insights resulting in the development of various prototypes.
For example, in one of our earliest collaborations with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), we developed “VAMPIRE”, an early warning system that tracks changes in environmental conditions and impacts on food security. VAMPIRE was eventually installed in the situation room of the Executive Office of the President of Indonesia and further scaled up by WFP and leveraged as PRISM.
Moving beyond data to accelerating analytic partnerships
Over time, the continuous evolution of the data ecosystem, growing in complexity and volume, also changed the operational context of the Lab. Our focus gradually shifted with the increasing demand for evidence production and rising focus on digital transformation. The next phase in our journey moved beyond prototyping to applying human-centered design principles with a strong emphasis on the systems-thinking approach in our work. We recognized the need to complement our core data analytics work with a deeper understanding of how people make sense of data by combining “thick data” or qualitative research and analysis.
This resulted in research projects such as “After Dark” which sought to understand the mobility patterns and perceptions of safety among women workers who travel at night and “Banking on Fintech” which sought to understand why most low-income communities remain unbanked.
Through the long-term support of multiple stakeholders including the Government of Indonesia and the Government of Australia, we were able to pursue partnerships that have strengthened the effectiveness of governments, as well as the public and private sectors. These collaborations also facilitated the exploration of a wider range of data sets and the experimentation with emerging technologies to strengthen impact for sustainable development and humanitarian action.
Expanding our horizons across the Asia Pacific region
In 2015, towards the end of its first 5-year program cycle, we found ourselves responding to an increasing number of opportunities in the broader Asia Pacific region. The hub established projects in the region analyzing various datasets, for example, mobile network data to strengthen disaster response and humanitarian action in Samoa, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. Other projects, particularly in Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia and Thailand, focused on financial inclusion and public transport.
With the spaces we operate in continuing to rapidly evolve and the challenges we address continuing to gain complexity, there is a need to develop and apply innovative solutions to create more effective and widespread impact.
The newly transformed Jakarta-based UN Global Pulse Asia Pacific Regional Hub will build on over a decade of Pulse Lab Jakarta’s success encompassing more than 100 prototypes and 50 new partnerships — placing Indonesia and the United Nations at the forefront of innovation initiatives across the region. As the UN Secretary-General’s Innovation Lab, we utilize a powerful set of capabilities on data, innovation, digital expertise, foresight, and behavioral science, contributing to the vision of a UN 2.0 that is empowered by forward-thinking culture and cutting-edge skills fit for the modern world. From enhancing humanitarian crisis responses, strengthening climate resilience, and improving the decision-making process in digital transformation, we will continue to apply innovation to accelerate the achievement of the sustainable development agenda for a better future.
We are grateful for the continued partnership and support from the Government of Indonesia and the Government of Australia. But we are also excited to engage in more collaborations through new partnerships to broaden our scale of impact and to co-create forward-thinking solutions that inform policy and decision-making processes across the Asia Pacific region. Looking forward to working with you!
Authors: Andini Kamayana (Communications Manager), with editorial support from Femmy Soemantri (Partnerships and Advocacy Lead)
UN Global Pulse Asia Pacific is grateful for the generous support from the Government of Indonesia and the Government of Australia.
