T

he Creative Economy Agency (Bekraf) is set to hold the annual Bekraf Habibie Festival in support of the country’s fledgling creative technology industry.

Named after former president BJ Habibie, who is known for his contributions to the development of science and technology in Indonesia, the festival aims to bring together industry players and enthusiasts from the two sectors.

The technological festival, Indonesia’s largest, is set to showcase innovations from sectors such as financial technology (fintech) and transportation and will be held from Sept. 20 to 23 in Jakarta International Expo in Central Jakarta.

Bekraf Habibie Festival founder and chairman Ilham Akbar Habibie said the festival’s goal was to make technology an integral part of the country’s culture.

“We need to reduce the technological barriers so that people are not afraid to learn about technology and innovation. It has been proven that Indonesian people are not clueless, and are even fluent in using technology.” Ilham, an engineer and BJ Habibie’s oldest son, told the press recently.

“Our goal is to make technology part of our culture. This is our effort to cultivate technology. Indonesians are thirsty for information related to science and technology.”

One concern that had yet to be addressed properly was the lack of access to proper software and hardware for creative talents, said Shoeb Kagda, founder and CEO of the Indonesia Economic Forum (IEF). The IEF is among Bekraf’s partners in the festival.

“We are planning to have talks and discussions with the younger creative generation so that they can help us understand some of the obstacles they are facing in the creative industry.” he added.

The festival’s Fintech 2.0 zone will showcase the advancement of fintech, while the Innovation Bazaar will present quality local products. The Indonesia Fund Fest, which will give startup businesses the opportunity to secure funding capital, will also be a point of focus in the event.

A new aspect of the festival this year will be the launching of Work! The Academy to accommodate future jobs and skills in preparation for the fourth industrial revolution, dubbed Industry 4.0, which refers to automation and data exchange in the manufacturing sector.

Bekraf head Triawan Munaf said the agency would fully support the organization of the largest technology festival in Indonesia as part of the government’s commitment to continue to encourage the development of the creative industry through technological innovation.

“We believe that the creative economy cannot survive without using the latest technology. It has also been proven that technology can no longer survive without the creative sector. Both are interdependent and this will be a game-changer for Indonesia. Innovation is needed in all sectors if we want to be an advanced nation,” Triawan said. (acr)