Every entrepreneur’s guide to Indonesia’s tech startup scene

Photo credit: leolintang

Indonesia has been a bit of an underdog in the technology scene in Asia for a few years. With a fast-growing economy, rising internet penetration and smartphone use, Indonesia shows tremendous potential to become a technological superpower in the Asian market.

Whether you’re joining us for Tech in Asia Jakarta 2016 next week, or exploring the possibility of the archipelago as a launchpad for your startup, here’s the guide you’ll need.

People to look up

Indonesia has come a long way in building a thriving startup ecosystem. Here are some notable individuals who have played a crucial role.

• Nadiem Makarim, CEO, Go-Jek
• William Tanuwijaya, CEO, Tokopedia
• Fajrin Rasyid, CFO, Bukalapak
• Sri Widowati, Country Director, Facebook
• Radynal Nataprawira, Technology Correspondent, CNN Indonesia
• Ongki Kurniawan, Managing Director at LINE Indonesia, LINE Corp
• Veronika Linardi, Co-founder & CEO, Qerja
• Plern Tee Suraphongchai, Partner, Venturra Capital
• Andi Boediman, Managing Partner, Ideosouce

They will all be at Tech in Asia Jakarta 2016 next week – if you want to meet them, check out the stages they’ll be speaking at!

Accelerator/incubator programs

An ever-growing pool of accelerators and incubators are popping up in Indonesia’s tech scene.

Looking for a suitable accelerator to aid your startup’s journey? Check out these accelerators and incubation programs who are on the quest to aid young entrepreneurs and, possibly, help raise Southeast Asia’s next unicorn.

• Skystar Ventures
• Ideabox
• Indigo
• Ciputra GEPI Incubator
• GnB Accelerator
• Google Launchpad Accelerator

Co-working spaces

As the digital industry strengthens its foothold in Jakarta, co-working spaces are perfect for young entrepreneurs who are eager to join the bandwagon and grow their startup. It’s not startup-exclusive though. For anyone who’s looking for a convenient, hipster place to to get serious work done, this is the list you’ll need.

Getting around

If you think commuting in your city was bad, well, you haven’t been to Jakarta. Named as the worst city in the world for traffic jams, getting around can be a nightmare even for the locals.

There is no one best way, but taxis are a convenient and less frustrating option for visitors to get around Jakarta. Blue Bird and Express are two of the more reputable and trustworthy taxi companies out there. Or if you’re in an absolute rush of time and don’t mind some adrenaline high, hop on a Go-Jek, GrabBike, or UberMOTOR to beat the traffic.

Pro-tip: If you’re headed to Balai Kartini for Tech in Asia Jakarta 2016 next week, you can also take any TransJakarta bus that runs on corridor 9 (Pinang Ranti – Halte Pluit Village) and get off at Gator Subroto shelter.

It’s not too late

Tech in Asia Jakarta 2016 is happening in four days time on November 16 & 17, and we can’t wait to meet you there! If you have yet to get your passes, you’re still in time. The opportunity to mingle with over 5,500 tech fans, exchange ideas with fellow entrepreneurs and gain insights into this fast-paced industry is one you shouldn’t miss!