Indonesian Tech Startups Compete to Represent Indonesia at SelectUSA Investment Summit
JAKARTA - The Deputy US Ambassador to Indonesia, Heather Merritt, delivered the opening remarks and served as a judge at the SelectUSA Indonesia Pitching Competition 2026 on 26 March at the @america cultural centre. This competition is part of the SelectUSA Investment Summit, the flagship event of the US Department of Commerce to promote foreign direct investment into the United States. It was participated in by Indonesia’s top tech startups aiming to expand into the US market.
The judging panel consisted of Melisa Irene, a Partner at East Ventures with over a decade of experience investing in startups in Southeast Asia; Firlie Ganinduto, Chair of ADIGSI, the industry association promoting digital transformation, data governance, and cybersecurity standards across Indonesia; and Novrizal Pratama, Managing Director of Tech in Asia Indonesia.
In the final round of the competition, Indonesian tech startup QuantumByte was selected as the winner and will represent Indonesia at the World Finals of the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026 in National Harbor, Maryland, USA, from 3–6 May 2026. The summit brings together thousands of investors, companies, and industry leaders, offering valuable opportunities for startups from around the world. Delta Air Lines supported the programme by providing free round-trip tickets for the winner to attend the Summit.
“This competition highlights the strength of Indonesia’s innovation ecosystem and the exciting opportunities for these companies to expand and invest in the United States,” said Deputy Chief of Mission Merritt.
Last year’s winner, Fixransomware.com, competed at the World Finals in Maryland and achieved third place in its category. Through the exposure and connections formed during the Summit, the company successfully established a distribution channel in Missouri in the same year—demonstrating how SelectUSA can help turn connections into tangible business opportunities.
SelectUSA is the US government’s flagship initiative to encourage cross-sector investment—from advanced manufacturing and IT/ICT to food and beverages, hospitality, agriculture, and retail. The programme connects global companies with US economic development organisations to facilitate investment opportunities. Since its launch, SelectUSA has attracted over $130 billion in foreign investment to the United States and supported the creation of more than 100,000 jobs in the US.