The Head of the Expo’s Committee Ben Yura Rimba conveyed that this event is expected to provide information about the progress of smart city development and the establishment of Nusantara Capital City (IKN) to attract investments from stakeholders and foster opportunities for local industry players in the global market. 

Rimba further highlighted that the expo, organised in partnership with the Chinese Indonesian Association (INTI), seeks to expedite the implementation of government initiatives targeting the development of 100 smart cities and IKN Nusantara.

Expo as a launchpad for global market entry

Around 50 high-tech manufacturing companies, mostly from Guangdong province, China, are participating in the expo. With their expertise, these companies could help to facilitate the integration of cutting-edge ideas and technologies into the development of smart cities, as per Rimba’s statement.

"Some of the companies have carried out their businesses in Indonesia for many years, with the confidence that Indonesia is a promising market. This expo is a bridge for the companies to step onto the world stage," he added.

Meanwhile, KIKT chairperson Garibaldi Thohir said he expected that the event would serve as a platform for knowledge transfer, educational initiatives, promotional activities, and the exploration of opportunities to identify ideal partners for smart city development in Indonesia.

"We invite companies engaged in smart city development, especially companies from China that have experience in the development of Internet-based digital technology and innovation," Thohir said.

To support this statement, INTI chairperson Teddy Sugianto affirmed that smart city development is poised to become a future trend in Indonesian cities.

Smart city development plan in Indonesia

The development of 100 smart cities is a collaborative program involving the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), and the Presidential Staff Office.

The primary aim of this project is to provide guidance to regencies and cities in drafting their own Smart City Master Plans, to enhance the utilization of technology, both in improving public services and accelerating the potential present in each respective region.

In the initial phase, the development of smart cities is primarily focused on 24 cities, with one of the key criteria being the availability of fiscal space.

Moreover, the Investment Ministry and National Investment Coordinating Board is targeted by the government to generate IDR 1,400 trillion in investment. The high investment target is expected to push Indonesia's economic growth beyond 5 percent, he added.