Twelve French companies just landed in Jakarta — and they're not here to sell croissants. They're here to talk video games, architecture, immersive tech, and music. This is ICC Immersion Indonesia 2026, a week-long creative industry program running from April 11 to 16, 2026, organized by the French Embassy in Indonesia and Institut français d'Indonésie (IFI), in partnership with Business France.

What is ICC Immersion Indonesia 2026?

ICC Immersion is a French government initiative under the France 2030 investment plan, designed to help French companies expand internationally in the cultural and creative industries. Think of it as a curated matchmaking program — but for creative businesses instead of tech startups. The Indonesia edition is the program's first stop in Southeast Asia, and it landed here because Indonesia has been named a strategic partner under the initiative.
The 12 companies involved work across architecture, immersive experiences, video games, cultural heritage, and music. Over six days, they meet Indonesian stakeholders, form partnerships, and build connections for long-term collaboration — not just one-off deals.

Why Indonesia? Why now?

Here's the part that's easy to miss in the press release: this isn't France doing Indonesia a favor. It's the opposite. Indonesia was selected because its creative economy is growing fast enough to make French companies want in. The whole program aligns with the Borobudur Declaration for a Joint Cultural Strategy, a bilateral agreement that puts culture and creativity at the center of how France and Indonesia work together.
The 2026 edition also falls during the France–Indonesia Year of Innovation, which adds extra weight to what might otherwise look like a standard trade visit.
"Indonesia has been selected as a strategic partner, reflecting the growing dynamism of its creative economy." — Official program statement, ICC Immersion Indonesia 2026

What happened at the press reception?

On Tuesday, April 14 at 17:45 WIB, the French Embassy hosted a press conference and reception at Résidence de France, Jalan Syamsu Rizal No. 18, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat. The venue — the official French ambassador's residence — was the backdrop for journalists and media to meet representatives from both the French delegation and Indonesia's cultural and creative sectors in person.
The evening was designed for real conversations, not just photo ops. Think ambient chatter in a formal garden, French and Indonesian creative people in the same room, and the kind of networking that actually turns into a collaboration six months later.

Who should pay attention to this?

If you work in Indonesia's creative industries — gaming, music, architecture, digital arts — this week is worth tracking. The 12 French companies are actively looking for Indonesian partners, not just pitching their own work. That's a rare window for local studios, agencies, and independent creators to get in a room with serious European industry players.
And here's the counterintuitive part: France brought immersive experience companies and video game developers — not fashion houses or heritage museums. This is France's future-facing creative sector knocking on Jakarta's door.