Over 80 startup founders, investors, ecosystem leaders, and government representatives from Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Singapore gathered at the MARKAS Indonesian HQ, Midpoint Place, for the high-impact Creative Exchange Jakarta—a strategic networking forum designed to accelerate ASEAN-wide startup collaboration under the theme “Fuelling ASEAN Digital Startups with Purpose.”
Jointly organised by Malaysia’s Satu Creative and Indonesia’s Gerakan 1000 Startup Digital—a flagship program under the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs (Komdigi)—and supported by the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), the half-day forum aimed to drive purposeful innovation across borders through a more connected, inclusive digital startup ecosystem.
Opening the session, Sonny Hendra Sudaryana, Acting Director of the Directorate of Digital Ecosystems Development at Komdigi, laid out Indonesia’s vision for an integrated digital future. “We are at a pivotal moment where a new generation of founders is reshaping Southeast Asia’s innovation landscape not just through technology, but by addressing systemic challenges with intent and impact,” he said. “Sustainable innovation requires connected ecosystems built on trust, collaboration, and shared intelligence.”
The event featured a robust exchange of ideas on regional growth, impact-driven entrepreneurship, and the importance of ecosystem alignment. Satu Creative CEO Ahmad Azuar Zainuddin reiterated the importance of platforms like Creative Exchange in nurturing sustainable, scalable innovation across ASEAN.
“Innovation should not only be scalable, but meaningful,” he said. “By building bridges between Malaysia and Indonesia, we are accelerating a more connected, resilient, and impact-driven startup landscape in Southeast Asia.”
Mia Aulia, Vice President of Programs at KUMPUL, shared insights into supporting early-stage founders. “Founders need more than funding. They need environments that understand the complexity of their growth journeys,” she noted, underscoring the value of ecosystem activation that connects local startups with national and regional infrastructure.
A moderated discussion led by Saddan Husain, Business Analyst and Accelerator Program Officer at Telkom Indonesia, focused on strategic levers for startup growth. The panel spotlighted the role of institutional partnerships, talent development, and blended capital in scaling startups across borders.
The forum also marked the soft launch of a new cross-border initiative co-led by Satu Creative and Gerakan 1000 Startup Digital. The initiative will develop a structured Malaysia–Indonesia startup support and market access platform, offering founders curated networks, regulatory insights, and collaborative ecosystems to scale regionally.
Creative Exchange Jakarta served as a catalyst for future ASEAN integration, bringing together public and private sector players to forge new partnerships and reduce barriers to market entry. With a strong turnout from accelerators, government agencies, and investors, the event reinforced the strategic value of bilateral cooperation in developing a resilient and investment-ready regional startup landscape.
As ASEAN’s innovation economy evolves, initiatives like Creative Exchange Jakarta are helping to align capital, talent, and policy across borders—laying a strong foundation for a purpose-led, future-ready digital economy.