This paper aims to address the dearth of scientific literature on the communication process of sustainability transition in emerging markets/countries, as well as the newly arising literature on New Business Model. At the current stage, some developing countries still have an unfavorable infrastructure for sustainability. New Business Model with global partnership can take an essential role in the sustainability transition for developing countries by providing multiple value creation as well as knowledge transfer from advanced countries (and opportunity for advanced countries to expand globally). However, International Business scholars stress the obstacle in information flow once any involvement of cross-country partnership is initiated. Sustainability transition needs to be perceived correctly by society as a prerequisite to obtaining the process legitimacy. The study provides an overview of how communication takes a role in influencing the sustainability transition perception of local people on the Dutch–Indonesia New Business Model setup. The study suggested communication as process enabler that comprises of three main parts: cross-country knowledge transfer, local agents’ mediating the process with the “telling” and “showing” way of communications, and sustainability transition scenarios according to the content of the most trusted channel. Local agents (i.e. local government, local actor leader, social media) have different roles depending on the inherent determinants of the process (with what-how approach). However, research of the strategic interaction of local actors in sustainability transition is still underdeveloped. Using a case study of Dutch – Indonesia New Business Model enterprise, this research will fill the literature gap as well as explain the practical challenge on sustainability transition mechanism in a developing country.