RegiNet: A Turning Point for Timor-Leste’s Business Registration System
Managing a large database manually can be overwhelming and inefficient. This was the challenge faced by Timor-Leste’s Business and Verification Service (SERVE), the government agency responsible for business registration. For many years, SERVE relied on Microsoft Excel and Access to store and organise its growing list of registered businesses. However, these tools were not designed for large-scale data management. They lacked robust security, were vulnerable to viruses, and made it difficult and time-consuming to access information.
Mateus Castro, with the RegiNet system displaying business data on the screen behind him.
This is changing as SERVE adopts RegiNet, a modern digital database system. With RegiNet, data is securely stored, centralised, and quickly accessible. Staff from SERVE’s branch offices no longer need to travel long distances to deliver USB files, as this can now be done online.
For Mateus Castro, SERVE’s General Coordinator for Branch Operations, RegiNet has been a major turning point. “RegiNet has really made our work easier,” Mateus shares. “Whenever we need to find specific information, whether it’s the gender of a business owner, their location, or the type of business, we can simply search for it online through RegiNet. It is fast, accurate, and allows us to track progress across all branches.”
He adds that he no longer needs to rely on programs like Microsoft Excel and Access to manage data. Mateus recalls the challenges of using old programs: “We couldn’t store all the information in one place, and they couldn’t handle large volumes of business registration data.”
Dulce Victor, a Database Officer at SERVE’s Dili branch, shares the same relief. “It’s so much easier now to input business registration data.” She explained that when her team requests a report or a specific entry, she can now locate the information quickly and without difficulty.
RegiNet has helped SERVE work more efficiently by improving data analysis, decision-making, and response times, as well as enabling the sharing of valuable insights with stakeholders who need detailed business information in Timor-Leste.
Dulce Victor inputs business registration data into RegiNet system.
Mateus Castro trains SERVE’s database officer
This major improvement was made possible with the support of Australia’s PROSIVU program, which funded the platform and provided technical expertise. “PROSIVU helped to develop and customise the system for our needs,” Mateus explains. “Once the system was in place, PROSIVU trained me and a few others on how to use it, and then I trained our staff in the municipalities.”
Now, with trained teams across the country and a centralised digital system in place, SERVE’s municipal database officers are better equipped to manage business data effectively. RegiNet has saved time, reduced stress, and improved service delivery, marking a new chapter in business registration for Timor-Leste towards online business registration.