How TIA’s Product Development Conference evolves with stakeholder needs

Product development is never static – experts in the field must adapt to changing demands, refine their practices, and innovate constantly.

Tech in Asia’s Product Development Conference (PDC), curated by Tech in Asia Studios, embodies these concepts to a tee. Year after year, PDC has adjusted its scope so that product professionals across Asia come away equipped with relevant insights, tools, and connections.

Here’s how PDC has navigated the evolving demands of product innovation, delivering timely learning and networking opportunities for attendees as well as impactful connections for partners and sponsors.

PDC 2022: Navigating new frontiers in a virtual world

The context:

In 2022, the world was facing a period of continued recalibration. While everyone was adapting to a new normal being shaped by Covid-19, many event organizers approached large-scale physical gatherings with caution.

As such, virtual interactions leveled up, giving people the opportunity to safely connect with each other and gain specialized knowledge.

It was also a trending year for Web3, offering exciting opportunities for product builders.

How PDC adapted:

PDC 2022 was delivered as a fully virtual event. This format ensured broad accessibility and safety while catering to the tech ecosystem’s digital habits. The content blended foundational product development principles with sessions on Web3 product management, helping attendees equip themselves with relevant industry knowledge and understand Web3’s implications for general product development.

The conference helped attendees, speakers, and sponsors network and share their product knowledge effectively, even with the switch to an online medium.

Delivery:

• Comprehensive virtual event: The conference attracted 6,016 participants from 61 countries, highlighting its extensive reach.
• Diverse industry representation: Attendees hailed from 47 industries, including finance, SaaS, edtech, and ecommerce.
• Expert-led sessions: The conference featured 26 speakers across 19 sessions, covering topics from product strategy and growth to Web3.
• Key partner support: Platinum sponsors Amplitude, Searce, Applause, and New Relic as well as Jade sponsors Auth0, Google Cloud, PubNub, and Twilio underscored the industry’s commitment to product excellence.

Impact:
PDC 2022 successfully served as Tech in Asia’s largest virtual conference for the product community to date, demonstrating the strong demand for specialized knowledge as well as Tech in Asia’s ability to engage a global audience online.

Moreover, the inclusion of Web3 content showed that PDC’s sponsors and partners understood its impact on the broader product development landscape and the importance of bringing attendees up to speed on a rapidly developing topic.

PDC 2023: The tangible return to product excellence

The context:

By 2023, the desire for in-person interaction and deeper collaborative learning was on the rise.

There was also a renewed focus on practical application and hands-on learning, as well as more regard given to sustainability in event execution.

How PDC adapted:

PDC 2023 marked the return to an in-person format, and it was held at Menara Mandiri in Jakarta, an ideal location given the city’s status as a tech hub. Having a physical event was a great way to reintroduce attendees to face-to-face interactions and collaborative learning.

The conference theme and content focused on “all things product,” offering deep dives into trends and best practices as well as providing actionable insights from industry leaders. It also featured a career fair, addressing talent development demands, and a “green report,” which was developed in partnership with waste management tech firm Jubelo, showcasing a commitment to environmental responsibility.

Further, partners such as Amartha got the opportunity to position themselves as innovators, especially in serving less-catered market segments like Indonesia’s unbanked women, generating meaningful leads in the process.

Delivery:

• Immersive in-person experience: The event saw 2,471 registrations, with strong participation from product designers, managers, engineers, and business development professionals.
• High-caliber speakers: There were 41 speakers who shared their insights, including Figma CPO Yuhki Yamashita, Grab CPO Philipp Kandal, and former Tokopedia CPO Ramesh Gururaja.
• Partner integration: Fintech firm Amartha, a Platinum partner, leveraged the event for thought leadership through a dedicated side-stage session on “Future of Fintech: AI Technology Innovation for 3rd Tier Cities and Grassroot Segments” and enhanced visibility via a booth and post-event content. Diamond partner AWS and Platinum partners Amplitude and JobStreet also played key roles.
• Sustainability focus: The “green report” highlighted that 803 kilograms of waste was recycled through the event.

Impact:

“Partnering for PDC 2023 helped us better understand our industry presence. The event also enabled us to introduce and share our insights about the grassroots segment … The Tech in Asia team was also so professional in handling the event and content creation,” says Alysha Paxia Susilo, senior lead product manager of Amartha.

PDC 2024: Mastering scale – from startup agility to enterprise impact

The context:

Going into 2024, a new challenge emerged: How could companies effectively scale product innovation from nimble startup beginnings to robust enterprise operations? Even larger established institutions like major banks were embracing disruption and agile methodologies.

There was a strong need for insights on user research, as well as lessons on how to build habit-forming products and develop offerings with global appeal.

How PDC adapted:

PDC 2024 centered on the theme “Scaling product innovation from startup to enterprise,” encapsulated by the tagline: “Build Faster. Scale Further. Learn Together.”

The content was designed to bridge the gap between startups’ scrappy innovations and enterprise-level execution, reflecting the evolving needs of product teams. Sessions were organized in a manner that fostered cross-learning between startups and enterprises, so that each side could learn from the other’s journey.

Meanwhile, title sponsor BRI, one of Indonesia’s largest state-owned banks, got to showcase its digital transformation initiatives, positioning it as a thought leader.

Delivery:

• Strong attendance: The conference attracted 2,790 attendees eager to enhance their product-building skills.
• Diverse speaker lineup: The event featured 49 sessions led by 71 industry experts, including former BRI digital and IT director Arga M. Nugraha, Bumble associate director for global product marketing Aashima Praveen, and Kitabisa CEO Vikra Ijas.
• Multifaceted learning environment: Content was delivered across five stages, including a BRI Stage for the bank’s executives and a Demo Stage for startups to present their products.
• Innovation showcase: The “FutureMakers Challenge,” sponsored by BRI, encouraged developers to leverage the bank’s API to create solutions that address real-world finance challenges, such as enhancing customer experience or streamlining banking processes.
• Key partner collaboration: BRI’s prominent role as Title Partner stood alongside Platinum Partners Amplitude, GrabMaps, and Twilio; Gold Partner Sendbird; and Silver Partners Okta and PubNub.

Impact:
PDC 2024 addressed the critical theme of scaling innovation, providing valuable takeaways on user research, habit formation, and global product development. The partnership with BRI highlighted the increasing convergence of startup thinking and enterprise transformation. Having other large institutions come in as sponsors and partners also provided attendees with more learning opportunities regarding large-scale execution.

PDC 2025: A new chapter within Tech in Asia Conference

This year, PDC is set to evolve yet again, becoming a dedicated Product Track at the flagship Tech in Asia Conference in October. Merging the two events provides an exciting opportunity for attendees and partners to engage not only with product specialists but also with the rest of TIA’s diverse range of attendees, which include founders, investors, and C-suite leaders from across the region.

Fill in the form below to download the Tech in Asia Conference 2025 Sponsorship Deck and learn more.