If you are a tool or platform.
We design and run builder-facing programs such as hackathon tracks, sprints, co-build sessions, and pilots. This gives you real usage, technical feedback, and early adopters, not just impressions.
See engagement models
For partners
Reach 10,000+ active AI builders across APAC
Stop paying for low-signal leads. Get direct access to builders who actually ship and give real feedback.
Proof, not promises
10,000+
builders
5
countries
US$200k+
committed
Who we've worked with
Who we help
We work with teams that need measurable product and ecosystem outcomes, not just awareness campaigns.
If you are a company or operator.
We help you explore, test, and deploy AI in realistic environments. This can take the form of scoped build sprints, problem-driven challenges, or embedded collaborations with experienced builders across the region.
See engagement modelsIf you are a fund or ecosystem partner.
We surface high-signal builders, teams, and projects through our activities. This includes deal flow, founder visibility, and early access to experiments before they become obvious.
See engagement modelsWays to work with us
Bounties
Well-scoped problems with clear acceptance criteria. We help define the problem, set reward tiers, distribute it to the right builders, and handle submissions and evaluation.
Best for: rapid experimentation, targeted tasks, early technical validation.
Challenges & Activations
Time-boxed build sprints (from 48 hours to a few weeks) focused on a theme, product, or problem space. We handle builder recruitment, onboarding, tooling enablement, and demo coordination. Partners provide the problem framing, success criteria, and optional mentorship.
Best for: idea generation, early adoption, ecosystem activation, surfacing talent.
Pilot Builds
Curated builder pods working on a real problem under realistic constraints. Unlike challenges, pilots are narrower and execution-focused. We form small teams, define success metrics upfront, and aim for production-minded prototypes that could realistically be deployed or extended internally. Each pilot ends with a technical handover and evaluation.
Best for: testing real use cases, validating ROI, de-risking larger builds.
Infrastructure & Enablement
Support that helps builders succeed with your tools across the ecosystem. This includes tool credits, API access, datasets, documentation, and hands-on workshops run with AI.SEA chapters. The goal: get builders to ship with your stack and continue using it beyond a single event.
Best for: sustained adoption, ecosystem pull-through, long-term usage.
Case Studies
Real engagements. Real numbers.
Cursor × Anthropic
~500 senior builders onboarded in Southeast Asia in one day
2,000signups
Read full case study
ElevenLabs
New product feature validated through 150+ builders in 2 hours
150+builders in 2 hrs
Read full case study
Lovable
200+ non-coders reached through targeted hackathon
200+non-coder builders
Read full case studyHow to tell if we're the right fit
We work best with organisations that have a clear objective, a real problem, and a willingness to act on what they learn.
Good fit
- You need validated usage and practitioner feedback, not vanity metrics.
- You can define success criteria before launch.
- You are open to adapting product or GTM based on evidence.
- You want quality builder participation under real constraints.
Likely not a fit
- You only want logo exposure or passive sponsorship visibility.
- You are not ready to act on the outcomes of the program.
- You need broad impressions instead of validated technical usage.
- You expect open-ended consulting with no clear scope.
Sponsor marketplace
Run activations with verified chapter leads
Register your company, submit programs for review, and let approved city leads propose real-world activations — all through the dashboard.
- Sign in required — contact email is locked to your account for a clean approval handoff.
- Staff reviews new sponsor applications before anything goes live.
- After approval, manage your sponsor presence from the company portal and marketplace.
Get in touch.
If you want to run a track, pilot a product, sponsor a program, or explore a longer-term partnership, reach out and we will scope something concrete.
FAQ
What makes AI.SEA different?
AI.SEA combines regional reach with precise matching.
We operate a hub-and-spoke network of local builder communities across Southeast Asia. That gives partners access to a wide pool of builders, while still allowing us to surface the right people for specific tools, problems, or use cases.
Most communities offer either scale or depth. We're built to do both.
Who do you work with?
We work with teams building serious AI products: developer tools, platforms, infrastructure, startups, and funds that care about real usage, feedback, and long-term adoption.
If you're looking for logo exposure or passive sponsorships, we're not a fit.
What does "working with AI.SEA" actually involve?
It means collaborating on build-driven initiatives. This can include hackathon tracks, co-build sessions, sprints, pilot programs, or regionally coordinated activations — all designed around real usage and execution.
How do you ensure quality, not just volume?
Distribution happens at the community level. Selection happens at the builder level.
We don't broadcast everything to everyone. We route opportunities through local leads and formats that surface builders with the right skills, intent, and readiness to ship.
What do partners get out of this?
Access to high-signal builders across SEA, real product usage in live builds, direct practitioner feedback, and the ability to activate multiple markets through a single coordinated surface.
Can we run something locally or regionally?
Both are possible.
You can activate a single city or community, or run a coordinated effort across multiple countries using shared formats and infrastructure.
How do we get started?
Reach out with what you're building, who you want to reach, and what success looks like for you.
If there's a clear fit, we'll design something concrete and execution-focused together.