[Panel] Builders vs Bureaucracy: How can Hacker Culture Fit Into Corporate Innovation?

​You’ve built cool stuff at hackathons. Now what?

This session breaks down how to turn prototypes into pilots — and how to work with corporates across SEA.

Who It’s For:
Corporate innovation and digital transformation teams, startup ecosystem leaders, community organizers, venture builders, and anyone exploring structured collaboration between enterprises and independent creators.

​Description:
Across Southeast Asia, a new innovation loop is forming between established enterprises and the region’s fast-moving hacker communities. Builders in these ecosystems prototype at record speed, often uncovering opportunities corporates overlook — while companies hold the data, domain expertise, and distribution needed to bring those ideas to scale.

​This session examines how forward-thinking organizations are turning grassroots creativity into structured innovation pipelines. Through real case studies and strategic discussion, panelists will explore how corporates can collaborate directly with AI builders, open-source collectives, and hackathon networks to accelerate digital transformation and product experimentation.

​Expect actionable insight on:

• ​Designing collaboration frameworks that go beyond sponsorship

• ​Structuring pilots, co-builds, and spin-outs with clear incentives

• ​Navigating governance, IP, and compliance while keeping agility

• ​Building long-term relationships between enterprises and builder ecosystems

​Moderator:

• ​Shawn Tham - Founder of Unilah

​Panelists:

• ​Andre Teow - Founder of Build With AI

• ​Jeng Yee - Co-Founder of ALPHV Technologies & Developer Kaki

• ​May Law - Co-Founder of Rosary Labs

​Goal:
To chart a new model for corporate innovation in Southeast Asia — where enterprises don’t just fund the next generation of builders, but build with them.