From Energy to Legacy: Irvan Putra on Leading Jakarta’s Build Club
Saanvi
Mon, 02 Feb 2026 23:17:20 GMT
<h2>🔥 The Spark: How AI Captured Irvan’s Imagination</h2><p>For Irvan Putra, the fascination with artificial intelligence didn’t arrive as a single lightning-bolt moment. It was more like = sunrise. What started as curiosity about how machines could learn and make decisions grew into a deep passion that would eventually shape his career and community work in Jakarta.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6jcs!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6jcs!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6jcs!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6jcs!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6jcs!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6jcs!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg" width="1456" height="1941" data-attrs="{"src":"https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1941,"width":1456,"resizeWidth":null,"bytes":328073,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/jpeg","href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"topImage":true,"internalRedirect":"https://buildclub.substack.com/i/180791967?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg","isProcessing":false,"align":null,"offset":false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6jcs!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6jcs!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6jcs!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!6jcs!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F973a5221-b47d-4031-9e2c-a743ef5fff0c_2448x3264.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" style="height:20px;width:20px" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p></p><p>As AI evolved from niche research into a transformative global force, Irvan found himself drawn deeper into the ecosystem, reading papers, experimenting with models, and attending every event he could find. The more he learned, the more he wanted to share that excitement with others.</p><p><em>“The journey has been like travel, sometimes fun, sometimes exhausting, and often taking more energy than expected.”</em></p><h2>🚀 Why AI Excites Irvan</h2><p>What keeps Irvan passionate about AI isn’t just the technology itself. It’s the potential it unlocks for people. He sees AI as a great equalizer: a tool that can give students in Jakarta access to the same cutting-edge capabilities as engineers in Silicon Valley. For Irvan, every new breakthrough is an invitation to experiment, to build, and to bring others along for the ride.</p><p>He’s particularly energised by the democratisation of AI tools. The barrier to entry has never been lower, and Irvan believes that Indonesia’s developer community is uniquely positioned to make a global impact if they’re given the right environment to learn and collaborate.</p><p><em>“I make sure people leave with something valuable, but I also encourage them to demo what they’ve built to others, so learning is shared and the community grows together.”</em></p><h2>🙌 Stepping Up as City Lead</h2><p>Irvan’s path to becoming Jakarta’s City Lead wasn’t driven by ambition. It was driven by necessity. When the local meetup needed someone to keep things going, Irvan had the energy and the will to step up. What started as “someone has to do it” became a deeply personal mission to nurture a space where AI enthusiasts could connect, learn, and build together.</p><p>But the role wasn’t always glamorous. There were events where only city leads showed up. It was a humbling realisation that the old meetup format wasn’t enough. Rather than give up, Irvan experimented: varying topics and speakers, creating interactive sessions that went beyond coding demos, partnering with communities like Python Indonesia, and hosting events in fresh venues beyond the usual cafés.</p><p>These experiments transformed the meetups from transactional gatherings into experiences people genuinely looked forward to.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!w3D1!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca51896c-c913-49a6-8546-d8fc51cce269_1600x900.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!w3D1!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca51896c-c913-49a6-8546-d8fc51cce269_1600x900.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!w3D1!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca51896c-c913-49a6-8546-d8fc51cce269_1600x900.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!w3D1!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca51896c-c913-49a6-8546-d8fc51cce269_1600x900.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!w3D1!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca51896c-c913-49a6-8546-d8fc51cce269_1600x900.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img 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class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" style="height:20px;width:20px" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><h2>🌟 Proudest Moments</h2><p>Ask Irvan about his proudest moments, and he doesn’t point to a packed room or a viral event. His answer is simpler and more meaningful: it’s whena new city leads sign up.</p><blockquote><p><em>“It shows that I’ve held the line long enough for the community to continue and grow. Seeing others step up to lead and contribute has been incredibly rewarding.”</em></p></blockquote><h2>💡 What He’s Learned Along the Way</h2><p>Running a community taught Irvan lessons that go well beyond AI. On the sponsorship side, he learned that goodwill isn’t enough. Sponsors care about measurable outcomes like registration numbers, check-in rates, event photos, and whether the room includes experts who could become future hires or product advocates.</p><p>On the personal side, he discovered the importance of pacing. Leading a community is a marathon, not a sprint, and burnout helps no one.</p><h2>🔮 Passing the Torch: What’s Next</h2><p>Today, Irvan is stepping into a new chapter. With new city leads ready to carry the community forward, he’s transitioning from front-line organiser to mentor and advisor, proof that a healthy community doesn’t depend on one person forever.</p><p>His vision for the future is bold: bigger experiments, deeper collaborations across Indonesia’s tech ecosystem, and opening doors for students to interact with global AI leaders. He’s confident the best is yet to come.</p><blockquote><p><em>“Take care of yourself before you take care of others. Set a healthy pace, and the community will grow sustainably.”</em></p></blockquote><div><hr></div><p>Connect with Irvan on LinkedIn to follow Jakarta’s AI community journey: <strong><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/irvanputra/">Irvan Putra</a></strong></p><h2><strong>Community Events</strong></h2><p>Want to get in on the action our city leads are running? Build Club has launched in several new cities around the world, including: Singapore, New York, San Francisco, Wollongong, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.</p><p>Explore our global events calendar: <a href="https://lu.ma/buildercommunityanz">https://lu.ma/buildercommunityanz</a></p><h2><strong>Get access to our platform</strong></h2><p>We have begun to take 100 people off our waitlist every week. You can bypass this by joining here as a newsletter subscriber if you are not on the waitlist ;)</p><p>See you next time!</p><p>Build Club Team!</p><p></p>