Over 80 startup founders, investors, ecosystem builders and government officials from Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore gathered on Friday (16 May) at MARKAS Indonesian HQ for Creative Exchange Jakarta, a strategic forum focused on advancing purpose-driven digital startups across ASEAN.
Themed “Fuelling ASEAN Digital Startups with Purpose”, the half-day event was co-organised by Malaysia’s Satu Creative and Indonesia’s Gerakan 1000 Startup Digital, a programme under the Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs (Komdigi), with support from the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN).
Held at Midpoint Place in Jakarta, the gathering spotlighted regional cooperation as a catalyst for sustainable innovation and economic integration in Southeast Asia. Participants explored new cross-border opportunities in investment, talent development, and ecosystem collaboration.
“We are at a pivotal moment where a new generation of founders is reshaping South East Asia’s innovation landscape not just through technology, but by addressing systemic challenges with intent and impact,” said Sonny Hendra Sudaryana, acting director of Digital Ecosystems Development at Komdigi.
“Sustainable innovation requires more than capital. It demands connected ecosystems built on trust, collaboration, and shared intelligence. Platforms like Creative Exchange play a vital role in enabling that strategic convergence,” added Sonny.
The event featured a high-impact keynote session, panel discussions and bilateral exchanges aimed at strengthening innovation linkages between Malaysia and Indonesia — two of ASEAN’s largest startup economies.
Ahmad Azuar Zainuddin, chief executive officer of Satu Creative, said the event embodies the spirit of regional cooperation.
“We believe that innovation should not only be scalable, but meaningful,” said Azuar. “Creative Exchange Jakarta reflects our vision to foster inclusive platforms where founders, funders, and ecosystem leaders can co-create solutions that address shared regional challenges.”
“By building bridges between Malaysia and Indonesia, we are accelerating a more connected, resilient, and impact-driven startup landscape in Southeast Asia,” continued Azuar.
Mia Aulia, vice president of programmes at KUMPUL, underscored the need for enabling environments that nurture early-stage ventures.
“Founders need more than funding. They need environments that understand the complexity of their growth journeys,” she said. “Collaboration across markets like Malaysia and Indonesia is essential if we want to build startups that are not only scalable, but sustainable.”
The programme also featured a moderated session led by Saddan Husain, business analyst and accelerator startup programme officer at Telkom Indonesia, who stressed the role of institutional partnerships and blended capital in scaling startups regionally.
A key outcome of the event was the announcement of a cross-border initiative to develop a Malaysia–Indonesia startup support and market access platform. Jointly spearheaded by Satu Creative and Gerakan 1000 Startup Digital, the platform aims to offer founders access to curated networks, regulatory insights and collaborative ecosystems.
As ASEAN’s digital economy continues to mature, stakeholders say such forums are increasingly critical for aligning capital, talent and policy across national borders.
“Creative Exchange Jakarta has laid the foundation for deeper startup connectivity across ASEAN,” organisers said in a joint statement. “It marks a strategic step toward a more integrated, investment-ready, and impact-driven regional future.” 