The Asian Creative & Digital Economy Youth Summit (ACE-YS) was officially held on October 28-29, 2023 in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. This event was inaugurated by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Ad Interim and the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises of the Republic of Indonesia, Erick Thohir on Saturday (28/10). Organized by The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs of Indonesia in partnership with Selaksa and Lazada Indonesia, the summit aims to foster shared experiences and perspectives, reinforcing a joint commitment to enhancing the regional creative economy.
The Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Ad Interim and the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises, Erick Thohir, underscored the pivotal role of youth-driven collective action in the Asian region.
“This summit is more than just a gathering. It’s a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship in the creative industries. It’s a beacon for cross-border collaboration and knowledge sharing. And most importantly, it’s a bridge that connects our young creatives to international investors, creating opportunities that might have seemed out of reach. Our mission is clear. It is about fostering collective action, among young Asian creatives, to become global players. It’s about providing a platform for young creatives to develop skills, share ideas, and connect with potential investors.”
Erick Thohir, The Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Ad Interim and the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises of the Republic of Indonesia
“We are very much committed to supporting this event and connecting us to stakeholders who can make this vision a reality. I believe in our youth, and I know that collectively, there’s nothing we can’t achieve. Our journey begins here, and I look forward to seeing you all, at ACE-YS 2023, as we take those crucial steps toward a brighter, more innovative future for Asia,” said Erick.
Lazada believes that the digital economy is the key to building a more prosperous and inclusive future for Asia. James Chang, CEO of Lazada Indonesia said, “There are three main things that the young generation needs. Technology, growth, and dream. The digital realm can be a platform for innovation, a room for creativity, and most importantly, a catalyst for growth. Lazada will continue to open our ecosystem to encourage and facilitate the younger generation in utilizing technology as a driver of transformation and sustainable digital economic growth, especially in Southeast Asia.”
Fadhila Hasna Athaya, the Representative of the Steering Committee of ACE-YS stated that ACE YS is held with a focus on long-term vision. “This year’s theme, ‘New Waves from the SEA,’ symbolizes an initiative engaging Southeast Asian youth as the foundational step towards fostering collective action among stakeholders in Asia’s creative and digital industries. ACE-YS isn’t a one-off event; it’s envisioned as a recurring program, rallying all stakeholders to contribute, thereby cultivating a sustainable creative and digital ecosystem through annual pre-summit, summit, and post-summit activities.
Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said that tourism and creative economy is one of the key sectors in supporting economic growth and job creation. Youth have a strategic and central role in ensuring growth, especially through Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). “Through this event, we want to make sure that the youth take a strategic and central role, the youth that have a positive energy, creative ideas, and are innovative in empowering the MSMEs,” said Sandiaga Uno.
“AI opens up opportunities in various fields, from science to art. AI can also become the catalyst to enhance creativity, like a tool that allows us to become more productive and creative in our daily lives. The limit of our creativity will only be developed with AI that completes our imagination, like Bard. Let us all commit to becoming a part of this AI journey to develop our collective imagination, and to start, try Bard and see where your curiosity takes you.” said Amar Subramanya, VP of Engineering for Google Bard.
Apart from the conference featuring a series of keynotes and talks that are open to the public, ACE-YS also organized a Creative Catalyst program, inviting hundreds of young professionals from ASEAN, China, Japan, and South Korea (ASEAN+3) to collaborate, share experiences, and address challenges, all with the overarching goal of propelling the creative economy forward.
Among those who have confirmed their presence as speakers are Amar Subramanya, VP of Engineering at Google Bard; Dr. Allen Au Yeong, Ex-Creative VP at The Walt Disney Company Asia; Amanda Valani, Head of Business Development & Creative Innovations, Viva Digital Networks; Dita Aisyah, CBO of Binar; Ivan Chen, CEO & Founder of Anantarupa Studios; Shieny Aprilia, CEO of Agate International; Ryan Adriandhy, Animator & Artist; and Mochtar Sarman, CEO, Juara Raga Adidaya & The Licensing Guy; Arifin Putra, Founding Partner at Hi Incubator, Afgan, Singer & Musician; and Tami Aulia, Musician & Creator, are also among the confirmed speakers.
Furthermore, there are Resha Adi Pradipta, Country Manager Indonesia & Malaysia of Riot Games; Dennis Adishwara, an Actor, New Tech Enthusiast & Gamer; Andrian Pauline Husen, CEO of RRQ; Nabila “Nabbsky” Sulthana, Esport pro-player from RRQ Team; Ade Putri Paramadita, a Culinary Storyteller; Helianti Hilman, Founder & CEO of JAVARA; Muhammad Badarudin, Co-founder of Second Floor Coffee; Sonny Rustiadi, SE., MBA., Ph.D., CBAP, Head of Study Program SBM ITB.
GDP Venture also supports ACE YS by presenting a lineup of speakers within their network. This includes Antonny Liem, the Founding Partner of GDP Venture; Rangga Danu, CEO of Kincir; Wiku Baskoro, Co-founder of Hybrid.co.id; Primadi Serad, Program Director of Djarum Foundation; and Winston Utomo, Founder and CEO of IDN Media, along with many more speakers with various backgrounds
ACE-YS is open to the public with free admission. This event is supported by Asian Development Bank (ADB), GDP Venture, Telkomsel, Pertamina, Livin by Mandiri, Google, British Council, Pijar Foundation, and Gerakan Nasional 1000 Startup Digital.
