I didn’t expect to spend an entire day at Smesco Hall, from ten in the morning to seven in the evening, but that’s exactly what happened. My husband and I walked in expecting a typical tech event. Instead, we found ourselves swept into a crowd so huge and so alive that it felt more like a reunion festival than a conference.
Everywhere I turned, there were familiar faces. Some I knew from the early days of StartupLokal in 2010, others were people I’d only recently met through newer circles. It was surreal, really, to feel time folding into itself like that. More than a decade of community, innovation, friendships and projects, all met in one buzzing venue.
What also impressed me was how the hall stayed full the entire day. Morning, afternoon, evening, still full. At first I thought it was just the early hype, but no. By the end of the event it was still packed and later I understood why. The closing was a mini-concert by Tulus, and honestly, who wouldn’t stay for that?
As for the talks, the content was quite solid. I’ll admit I got lost a few times because some sessions went a little too deep into the tech-geek territory. Acronyms flying everywhere, pipelines, agents, architectures, all the fun stuff that made me mentally whisper “lost in translation”. But I tried to keep up.
There was one speaker who actually made the room come alive. His jokes landed, his delivery was good, and for a moment I thought I had found my favorite speaker of the day. But then, right there on stage, he casually took a vape. On stage. In the middle of his talk. I instantly lost respect. It felt jarring, unprofessional, unnecessary. Just no.
Later in the afternoon, my friend Denny Santoso was on the panel. I happened to watch from the balcony and took some photos and videos. I sent them to him on WhatsApp just for fun, not expecting anything. And there he was, replying from the stage. Literally from the stage. Somehow he still had the time and the thumbs for that. I had to laugh. Only Denny.
Around five, hunger hit me hard. I escaped to the canteen, a hidden gem. Cheap, cheerful and delicious. The patin fish was fresh, big and satisfying. While eating, we chatted with Mas Yugo from Surabaya. He’s an expert in social media, especially TikTok, and the insights he shared were gold. It’s funny how some of the best parts of events happen outside the official schedule, usually around food.
Back in the hall, the energy was changing. The lights dimmed, the crowd shifted and then Tulus appeared. The moment he started singing, the entire room softened and brightened at the same time. The audio, the visuals, the atmosphere... everything felt elevated. I understood instantly why the hall never emptied. People were waiting for that moment.
And it was worth it.
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