IDByte, Bubu.com Hunt for the Next Big Thing in Indonesia's Digital Scene
Jakarta. Homegrown web development and digital advertising firm Bubu.com is set to hold the third IDByte conference in Jakarta next month, in search of Indonesia’s next rising star in the local start-up scene.
“The rapid growth of the digital and technology industry has transformed people’s lives. IDByte aims to place Indonesia on the global digital map,” said Shinta Dhanuwardoyo, founder of Bubu.com, during a luncheon with reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday.
With the theme “Connected e-Conomy,” the IDByte conference will run from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 in Pacific Place mall, South Jakarta, with an array of speakers that includes Communication and Informatics Minister Rudiantara and Facebook vice president of business development John Lagerling.
As part of the conference, Bubu.com will also hold the ninth annual Bubu Awards to dub one local start-up company as “The Best Start-Up Company in Indonesia.” The winner will fly to the United States for a one-week boot camp with Silicon Valley Asia Technology Alliance (SVATA).
The prestigious title in 2013 went to gaming company DreadOut, which developed a psychological survival horror PC video game under the same name.
“One of the challenges for local start-ups is a lack of skilled developers who can help the company grow globally. This is where we seek to open a network between local start-ups and Silicon Valley,” Shinta said, referring to a neighborhood in northern California, home to many of the world’s largest tech companies.
“We want to encourage more tech entrepreneurs in Indonesia… to prove that the country is not just a market, but we can also be industry players,” she added.
Bubu.com will start its quest for the country’s best start-up firm next week with visits to several big cities across Indonesia, including Jakarta, Bandung and Makassar, South Sulawesi.
The company typically receives up to 500 entries for the award, according to Shinta.
First held in 2011, the IDByte conference attracted up to 600 participants in 2013. For this year, Shinta hopes to see as many as 700 people participating in the conference.
“People are now more [tech] savvy and curious about the digital world,” she said.
GlobeAsia
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