Creative Exchange Jakarta Ignites Asean Impact Startup collaboration

• The event aimed to foster cross-border impact startup collaboration
• United Asean startup leaders to foster collaboration and regional growth

Creative Exchange Jakarta, themed “Fuelling Asean digital startups with purpose”, convened over 80 impact-driven startup founders, investors, ecosystem leaders, and government representatives from Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore for a high-level, half-day strategic networking forum at Markas Indonesian HQ, Midpoint Place.

Jointly organised by Satu Creative Malaysia and Gerakan 1000 Startup Digital—a programme under Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Digital Affairs (Komdigi)—and supported by the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), the event aimed to deepen cross-border collaboration in promoting an impact-driven and innovative startup ecosystem.

The forum brought together key players from the startup ecosystems of Malaysia and Indonesia, with participation from across Asean, to foster collaboration and unlock regional growth opportunities. It connected founders to capital, expertise, and institutional support to help scale digital ventures with purpose throughout the region.

The session opened with a keynote address by Sonny Hendra Sudaryana, acting director of the Directorate of Digital Ecosystems Development at Komdigi, who outlined Indonesia’s bold vision to scale a high-impact digital startup ecosystem rooted in regional collaboration, inclusive growth, and long-term economic resilience across Asean. He said, “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. 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.”

Ahmad Azuar Zainuddin, CEO of Satu Creative, highlighted the organisation’s commitment to cultivating sustainable impact across Asean through purposeful innovation and strategic ecosystem partnerships. “We believe that innovation should not only be scalable, but meaningful. 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,” he said. He added that by building bridges between Malaysia and Indonesia, the initiative aims to accelerate a more connected, resilient and impact-driven startup landscape in Southeast Asia.

Mia Aulia, vice president of programmes at KUMPUL, reinforced this direction by sharing models for ecosystem activation that support early-stage scalability. “Founders need more than funding. They need environments that understand the complexity of their growth journeys,” she said. “At KUMPUL, we focus on enabling those environments by linking local ecosystems with national and regional infrastructure. Collaboration across markets like Malaysia and Indonesia is essential if we want to build startups that are not only scalable, but sustainable.”

Building on these insights, a moderated discussion led by Saddan Husain, business analyst and accelerator startup programme officer at Telkom Indonesia, explored strategic levers to support startup growth. The panel emphasised the importance of cross-border institutional partnerships, talent development, and blended capital strategies that enable founders to scale beyond their domestic markets.

Creative Exchange Jakarta brought together a broad range of startup ecosystem stakeholders, including investors, accelerators and government agencies—actively strengthening Malaysia–Indonesia innovation linkages. The event also served as a launchpad for a cross-border initiative by Satu Creative and Gerakan 1000 Startup Digital to co-develop a structured startup support and market access platform. Aimed at helping founders scale through curated networks, regulatory insights and collaborative ecosystems, the initiative lays the groundwork for regional expansion and integration.

The event reaffirmed the strategic value of cross-border collaboration in building a connected, future-ready startup ecosystem. Through bilateral dialogue, curated networking and founder exchange, Creative Exchange Jakarta showcased how ecosystem-led efforts can unlock growth, reduce market-entry risks, and forge enduring Malaysia–Indonesia partnerships. As the ASEAN innovation economy matures, such platforms are vital for aligning capital, talent and policy across borders—paving the way for a more integrated, investment-ready regional future.