Indonesia-based architect portal bags seed round from East Ventures

Arsitag, an online directory for architects, raised a seed round of undisclosed amount from East Ventures.

The product has yet to launch. In the first version of the website, due to be up by the end of the month, users will be able to search for architects, see their previously completed projects, and access contact information.

Edward Harjanto, one of Arsitag’s three co-founders, said the team captured the interest of several prominent local architects, but he could not disclose their names as the details of their collaboration are still being finalized.

The team’s vision is to transform Arsitag into a thriving portal that brings together aspiring home owners, architects, construction service providers, and products. Edward says the US-based startups Houzz and Architizer inspired them.

Indonesia builds 400,000 homes a year

Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta. Photo credit: Bram Pitoyo

East Ventures is one of the most active funds in Southeast Asia. This isn’t the first time it’s backing a startup before launch. In Arsitag’s case, it’s possible that the experienced founding team helped convince the VC firm to invest.

Edward and his co-founders Steven Gomedi and Michael Gani met at college in San Francisco. They went separate paths after graduation. Michael became an engineer at Apple, and Edward a consultant with Boston Consulting Group. Steven, meanwhile, learned about the ups and downs of entrepreneurship when he founded an online payments startup which didn’t work out.

When the three reunited in their home country Indonesia, they realized their skill sets complemented each other well and decided to take the plunge with a tech venture based on architecture. The time seemed right.

According to Arsitag’s estimates, only about 10 to 15 percent of homes in Indonesia are designed by architects. The majority of homeowners use contractors, who bring construction experience, but place less emphasis on design. This, Edward says, is a stark contrast to more developed countries like Singapore where about 60-70 percent of property development engages design professionals. Arsitag’s thinks that over time, more Indonesian homeowners will switch to architects for unique, site-specific designs.

“Building construction is a huge industry in Indonesia. We build 400,000 house units on a yearly basis,” Willson Cuaca of East Ventures added. “It is another huge category that needs to be disrupted.”

There’s some, but not much competition for Arsitag in the Indonesian market. The closest rival might be Balkonie, which is very similar to Houzz and focuses more on interior design than entire homes.