TechVibes 2018

Many startups sometimes believe government regulations can get in the way of innovation or progress. Yet some of those rules and laws are there to protect the public at large. Some, like the Indonesian government, is aware of the new trends and is working hand in hand with companies and startups to create the next generation policies. This keynote reveals what the Indonesian government, at all levels, are doing to work together with the private sector to foster innovation.

SE Asia has never been sexier than ever! With the rapid growth in mobile technology and the recent emergence of startups in the region, this session will discuss how Southeast Asia should build technological synergies to accelerate the digital economy and how it can contribute to local stakeholders, both existing companies and startups. What can Startups do for the region and how can traditional companies remain relevant in the 21st Century.

Try to scrolling through your online bank statements and you must be surprised to find how long you had not removed cash from an ATM. Thanks to the digital payment revolution, it has become increasingly easy and safe as we conduct transaction or it has not? As more shops and transport networks adapt to contactless card and touch-and-go mobile technology, many major cities around the world are in the process of relegating cash to second-class status. Could we see a whole city go cash-free? What might the rise of the cashless city mean for street vendors, small merchants and the poorest inhabitants? Some experts now fear a two-tier urban realm in which those on the lowest incomes become disconnected from mainstream commercial life by their dependence on traditional forms of currency. Now, the question remains of how the poorest might connect with the digitised world of the middle-class consumer?