The education sector suffers from profound challenges, especially within the confines of Indonesia. Many schools have limited resources, often teachers grapple with extremely low pay, and growing costs of quality education reach way beyond the affordability of so many. Regarding this problem, we took a bold step to help solve this matter and to get that recognition. StoryJourney’s joined the ICT competition at APICTA, Brunei Darussalam, and we actually got recognition from the whole Asia-Pacific! 

At StoryJourney, we have always believed in the power of innovation to change lives. When we began this journey, our dream was simple and yet ambitious—to support teachers and reshape education to be more available, interactive, and memorable with the use of technology. The invitation to represent Indonesia in APICTA 2024 was indeed a milestone moment for us, the moment to let people see what has kept us indefatigably working. APICTA is the most prestigious award for the recognition of excellence in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) across the Asia-Pacific. It brought together the best from 17 economies, including ICT powerhouse countries like China, Japan, and Australia. The competition, held among 36 delegations with over 500 participants at Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, from December 4-7th, which was an honor we embraced with pride and determination.

For us, this wasn't just a competition. Rather, this was an opportunity to make our voice louder for the vision of innovation in education. StoryJourney is an AI-powered platform that automates plain PDF teaching materials into vivid, 3D-animated learning videos in just minutes. Trusted by more than 320 educational institutions and over 3,000 educators across Indonesia, our tool has already started reshaping classrooms. Yet, our aspirations extend far beyond that. We are continually evolving to empower teachers at the K-12 level, HR professionals, and businesses to create interactive, impactful learning experiences.

The preparation for APICTA 2024 demanded months of time, from fine-tuning our presentation to every minute detail, and leaving nothing to chance. Guided by expert mentors, we have trained in earnest to bring across not just the technical strength of our platform but also what tangible difference it has created in the lives of educators and students. So when the big day finally came, we were confident and excited as we stepped in front of the judges. In a 10-minute pitch, we shared from our hearts, from within StoryJourney, in front of a panel of investors, academics, and entrepreneurs from 14 countries. The room was electric as we walked them through our journey—the challenges, the breakthroughs, and the potential that is there to transform education for the future. The subsequent Q&A session, though heated, gave us a great opportunity to show them our passion and readiness to resolve educational challenges in the world.

The recognition we obtained far surpassed what we had even envisioned. StoryJourney was announced First Runner-Up for the category Inclusion and Communication which is a proof that it contributes to a positive influence in society. But the moment that truly defined our journey at APICTA was being called the Start-up of the Year, reserved for the top four startups in the entire competition. For more than 200 participants, this recognition cemented our commitment to creating real solutions for educators in Indonesia and around the Asia-Pacific. These are awards but reaffirmation of our purpose. The event wasn’t just about competition, but it was more about meeting ideas, collaborating, and getting inspiration from each other. Representing Indonesia felt like carrying the hopes of educators and innovators back home. We’re on a mission to break these barriers by bridging the gap in engaging more people in learning, whoever and wherever they may be.

As our CEO and Co-founder, Felecia, so rightly said,

That's the ethos driving every decision at StoryJourney, and APICTA gave us an opportunity to show, on a global platform, how well that vision translates into real action.

As our advisor, William Irawan, aptly put it,

Going forward, our journey isn’t over. APICTA has strengthened our determination to push boundaries and take our platform even higher. In developing further, we are committed to the proper and responsible use of AI. We want to collaborate with educators, parents, schools, and other creative industries to prepare students and local talents for leading Indonesia toward the vision of prosperity that is Indonesia Emas 2045. These achievements remind us why we started StoryJourney in the first place: to transform education through innovation and empower the next generation. This recognition at APICTA 2024 is a time to reflect on how far we have come, yet it is also a call to continue onward.