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Exclusive: Michael Bennalack, CEO of Republik Labs, on blockchain in Indonesia
Republik Labs CEO Michael Bennalack discusses the development of Mandala Chain, bridging with government services in Indonesia.
Headline
Republik Labs CEO Michael Bennalack discusses the development of Mandala Chain, bridging with government services in Indonesia.
Context
Republik Labs CEO Michael Bennalack has shared insights into the company’s journey in developing Mandala Chain, a blockchain ecosystem that bridges decentralised Web3 technology with government-led public infrastructure projects in Indonesia. Bennalack, who has lived in Indonesia for seven years and entered the blockchain space in 2017, explained that Republik Labs began as an Indonesian-language blockchain education initiative during the COVID-19 lockdown. Within a short time, the project built a community of over 100,000 YouTube subscribers, eventually evolving into a research hub supporting blockchain projects in Southeast Asia.
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
The pivotal moment came when a local developer introduced Republik Labs to parts of the Indonesian government seeking blockchain solutions. This led to the creation of Mandala Chain, an L1 blockchain secured by Polkadot, featuring interconnected application chains operated by government departments. The dual-chain design ensures decentralisation and community governance via the KPG token, while enabling private data control for government use cases. Michael: At one point, a developer house in Indonesia mentioned that the government wanted blockchain solutions. We wanted to create a project where the government could use blockchain in a decentralized permissionless way. Inspired by Polkadot’s relay chain and parachain model, we developed Mandala Chain, an L1 secured by Polkadot, with government-run side chains or application chains. Mandala Chain connects government, retail, and enterprise in a single decentralized network. It is co-founded by Republik Labs, the Indonesian community, and our developer partner Baliola.” Michael: “Like any good business, if you’re just trying to make money, it won’t succeed. You need to solve real problems. Many regions here are underserved in infrastructure and have had data security challenges. We started by offering free research and education. For example, we hosted a two-day bootcamp for 80 politicians, teaching blockchain fundamentals, practical applications, and why it can be better than traditional systems. By upskilling them for free and providing a knowledge base, we developed trust. Once curiosity grew, government officials began asking how blockchain could help their departments. We proposed potential solutions, created MVP products, and gradually expanded the ecosystem. Providing solutions first, rather than chasing profit, opened doors for broader adoption.”
Key Points
- Mandala Chain combines a governance chain and compliance chain to maintain decentralization while meeting government requirements.
- Republik Labs focuses on real-world adoption, enabling millions of wallets and practical use cases in health, banking, and digital identity.
Actions
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