UNAIR NEWS – Proposing innovation of used cooking oil management, Abdul Rohman, a student of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), clinched an award. He secured the second place in the Global Student Entrepreneur Award (GSEA) 2024.
This competition is specifically designed for student entrepreneurs. It is a collaboration between GSEA and the Ngalup Collaborative Network. The competition started in October 2023 and wrapped in January 2024.
Introducing “Gelatah”
The innovation brought forth by Abdur Rohman is “Gelatah”, a startup focusing on used cooking oil processing. The used cooking oil will undergo various processing stages to become more beneficial materials.
The idea arose when Rohman’s mother suffered from high cholesterol. “At that time, my mother had a high cholesterol level. From there, I was determined to reduce the use of used cooking oil for those around me,” he said on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.
Rohman expressed his disappointment at the prevalence of individuals selling used cooking oil as if it were new. “It’s disheartening to discover that many people selling used cooking oil as new. Hence, this innovation provides an alternative approach to process used cooking oil, making it more beneficial,” he elaborated.
Initially, Gelatah’s establishment only focused on collecting used cooking oil. However, over time, various beneficial products have been produced using used cooking oil as the base material.
“The product segmentation caters to different target consumers. Some of the products include food warming gel, biodiesel, and soap crafted from used cooking oil,” he said.
Even with limited competition in this industry, Rohman remains unwavering in his commitment to continuous innovation. Founded in 2021, his startup has grown to encompass various regions, including Sidoarjo, Gresik, and Madura. Gelatah has officially become PT Karya Energi Samimulyo.
For Rohman, the focus is not solely on financial gains but also on the positive impact his business can have on people. “I want to be an entrepreneur to create an impact. It’s not just about profits but also about the social benefits for the broader community. The innovation is evolving and expanding to cover all regions of Java and potentially overseas,” he explained.
Furthermore, Rohman has collaborated with various sectors to provide education that is related to used cooking oil processing. Collaboration with environmental organizations has also been established.
“This collaboration aims as a campaign on the proper disposal of used cooking oil and to educate the public against its consumption,” he said.
Penulis: Icha Nur Imami Puspita
Editor: Nuri Hermawan
