It's Indonesia's 'Silicon Valley', but has Algorithm Hill done the maths?

Indonesia’s long-held ambitions for creating a tech hub in the image of Silicon Valley appear to be taking shape, with work about to start on a multibillion-dollar project that will cover 888 hectares in West Java and be known as Algorithm Hill. There’s just one problem, say critics: building a sprawling park, however well-financed, will do little to replicate the success of America’s tech champion without fundamental improvements to the country’s infrastructure and education system. 

Sulfikar Amir, assoc prof of science, technology, and society at NTU, said it was unlikely that researchers, start-up founders, and investors would be willing to move to Algorithm Hill with its limited infrastructure. “I fear that the project will be stalled. For a business to thrive they need access. There is no tollway there, internet access is also limited so I’m not sure that start-up founders and researchers will want to move there,” Sulfikar said.

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