Jakarta Explores East Ventures Partnership to Develop Startups and Local Businesses
Jakarta is seeking to work with East Ventures on startup growth, digital talent and support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Governor Pramono Anung said.
Discussions at City Hall
Speaking on Metro TV's Selamat Pagi Indonesia on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Pramono said East Ventures could help develop Jakarta's startup ecosystem. He described the firm as a potential strategic partner for connecting and building startups in the capital and elsewhere in Indonesia, while supporting local talent and MSMEs.
The proposed cooperation was discussed a day earlier at the High Tea Reception jointly hosted by East Ventures and the Jakarta City Government. Pramono received the firm's executives at the November 2 event in Jakarta City Hall's Balairung hall.
East Ventures describes itself as a pioneering and leading Southeast Asian venture capital firm. Its materials say that under co-founder and managing partner Wilson Cuaca, it backed regional technology businesses early in their development, including Traveloka, Ruangguru, Waresix, Sociolla, ShopBack, Stockbit, Mighty Jaxx, Xendit, Fore Coffee and IDN. The firm's website also says Fortune Indonesia named Cuaca its Businessperson of the Year 2026.
Arts and events as sources of jobs
Cuaca said provincial government support was essential for expanding Jakarta's arts and cultural activities. More events and better experiences could generate employment and foreign exchange earnings, he said, but would require help from the administration.
Pramono cited estimates of the economic activity generated by several major events: about Rp 250 billion from the Weeknd concert and Pestapora music festival, about Rp 450 billion from Ye's concert, YE Live in Jakarta, and about Rp 175 billion from the Jakarta Running Festival.
According to the governor, the benefits extended to tourism, hospitality, food and beverage businesses, transportation and MSMEs.
Investment and the 2045 ambition
At the reception, Pramono and the provincial government cited Rp 249.3 trillion, or about US$13.7 billion, in realized investment in Jakarta during January through September 2026. The total was the largest among Indonesian provinces and represented roughly 16.2 percent of national investment.
Pramono also reported second-quarter economic growth of 5.52 percent in Jakarta, compared with 5.29 percent nationally. He said the capital accounted for about 16.32 percent of Indonesia's GDP.
Cuaca highlighted Jakarta's history at the event, noting its 499th anniversary in 2026 and its approaching five-century milestone in 2027. He said investment in Indonesia inevitably goes through Jakarta.
The administration linked the East Ventures discussions to its ambition to rank Jakarta among the world's top 20 global cities by 2045. It identified investment, private-sector partnerships and sustainable economic development as central to that goal.