TernakAja is an agritech social startup providing an AI-based smart platform with IoT integration in the form of an ear tag that monitors cattle health in real-time. Our smart ear tag is equipped with sensors that measure the cattle’s vital signs, which are its body temperature, heart rate, and oxygen saturation. In the cloud-based web app, TernakAja’s AI utilizes the data from the sensors to classify the health status of specific cattle.
TernakAja was founded as a solution to a significant problem faced by farmers in Indonesia, which is Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). It is a highly contagious animal disease that lowers cattle productivity (meat and milk), and may even cause death to the animal. In 2024, around 14,630 cows in Indonesia contracted FMD. This leads to significant losses for the farmer, as the average price of one dairy cow in the market as of 2025 is IDR 32 million (USD 1,900).
TernakAja is one of the biggest projects that I have had the opportunity to be a part of. A good friend of mine and fellow lab assistant, David Christian, started with the idea of a smart ear tag that could help monitor cattle health. I was skeptical at first, but after more in-depth research through scientific journals and interviews with farmers, I was convinced that this idea could really create a positive impact. Together as a team of 6 university students, we created TernakAja to help Indonesian farmers keep their cattle healthy and minimize loss.
My Role in TernakAja
As one of the co-founders of TernakAja, I took on the role of CFO. I built financial models and forecasts to support decision-making and estimate future revenue/expenses. With feedback from my team, I developed a roadmap for TernakAja as a plan for future operations. Finally, I also oversaw the overall finances of the team, including budgeting and cash management.
Taking on the role of CFO meant stepping out of my comfort zone as someone who was frequently developing software. However, it turned out to be a valuable learning experience because it gave me a real experience in managing the finances of a startup. Equipped with the business knowledge as an Information Systems undergraduate student, I helped manage all things finance-related for our team. My other team members, consisting of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering students, could better focus on the technical side of things, including research and development for the web app and ear tag device.
Awards and Future Plans
TernakAja started off as a social idea to help farmers in Indonesia deal with Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in their cattle. We realized this was a big problem that we could not have solved alone with our current resources. Hence, so far, TernakAja has secured a grant through Pikiran Terbaik Negeri x ElevAIte, a nation-wide grant competition held by Yayasan BUMN (The State-Owned Enterprises Foundation) in collaboration with Microsoft’s ElevAIte AI program. TernakAja won as one of top 3 AI-based ideations, which was a huge step forward for the team.
We are now in the process of research and development of the product to further refine its functionality and design. At the same time, we are conducting more extensive market research to better understand farmers’ needs so our product can become a relevant solution to their problems.
If you are interested in what we’re creating at TernakAja, feel free to contact us. We are open to collaboration and constructive criticism, both being essential for growth. Thanks for taking the time to read about TernakAja, and here’s to the future of agricultural technology!
Website: https://ternakaja.vercel.app
Demo Video: YouTube
TernakAja, Ternak Sehat Bebas Repot Tiap Saat