Tech in Asia’s 2025 Product Dev Conference spotlights startup momentum and regional talent
Jakarta played host to the Tech in Asia Product Development Conference 2025 from June 25 to 26. The event brought together product leaders, startup founders, and venture operators from across Southeast Asia. With panel sessions, live demos, and the competitive FutureMakers Challenge, the conference showcased how SEA product innovation is gaining speed. The focus was clear—build fast, scale smart, and localize effectively for Southeast Asia’s diverse markets.
This year’s theme reflected a maturing ecosystem. Founders and product teams no longer focused only on launching quickly. Instead, they explored how to scale responsibly while adapting to new technologies and fragmented consumer bases. Across the board, participants emphasized long-term product thinking and collaboration.
A regional stage for builders and backers
Now in its fifth edition, this conference has grown into Tech in Asia’s flagship product event. Hosted in Jakarta—one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing tech cities—the 2025 edition drew over 2,000 participants from more than 15 countries.
Earlier editions focused heavily on product-market fit and mobile design. However, this year’s agenda expanded significantly. It featured tracks on AI-driven product development, Web3 user experience, and inclusive localization—especially for underserved markets like Myanmar and Laos.
Notably, over 40% of speakers were product leads from Series A to Series C startups. This shift—from corporate theory to practical experience—demonstrates the growing weight of on-the-ground product leadership in the region.
Demos, challenges, and cross-border ambition
One of the biggest draws was the FutureMakers Challenge, a competitive tournament for emerging product teams. Over 200 entries competed in rapid-fire pitch and prototype rounds. The winners included a Vietnamese UX startup for logistics and a Singapore-based fintech firm using AI for credit scoring in underbanked markets.
Finalists gained mentorship from top product executives at Gojek, Grab, and Bukalapak, emphasizing how serious the region is about grooming product talent.
Outside the challenge, the conference floor hosted demo booths from startups like Carsome, Shipper, and Timo Bank. The common theme: “Build once, localize fast.” Sessions explored how to adapt product features for different languages, infrastructure gaps, and compliance rules across ASEAN.
Southeast Asia’s maker mindset matures
The real story wasn’t just about innovation—it was about maturity. Southeast Asian startups are moving past “growth at all costs” to focus on durable, user-first product strategies. This change came through in session after session.
Speakers shared honest stories—feature flops, hiring mistakes, and tough onboarding lessons in Tier 2 cities. These insights stood in sharp contrast to the unicorn-chasing energy of past years.
VCs like Wavemaker and Insignia Ventures didn’t show up as judges. They came to listen and learn, signaling how seriously they now take product execution as a key investment factor. For many, strong product design and clear user feedback loops are more important than flashy growth metrics.
From Jakarta to the region’s product playbook
As the event wrapped up, one thing became clear: this conference is no longer just a networking space. It’s a regional accelerator for product talent, where PMs, designers, and founders learn to navigate SEA’s complex digital terrain.
There’s already talk of expanding the event to Kuala Lumpur or Manila in 2026. That expansion would reflect the growing demand for practical product knowledge across the region.
In a landscape full of users but still short on seasoned builders, the Tech in Asia Product Development Conference has become a beacon. It’s shaping the way Southeast Asia conceives, tests, and scales its next generation of digital products.
