Apple Developer Academy expands to Bali

Today Apple announced it will open Indonesia’s fourth Apple Developer Academy in Bali, expanding on its investment to increase opportunities for developers, students, and entrepreneurs looking to embark on careers in the region’s growing iOS app economy.

Since Indonesia’s first Apple Developer Academy launched in Jakarta in 2018, Apple has opened academies in Surabaya and Batam, and more than 2,000 aspiring developers have completed the program. As a testament to the academy’s impact, 90 percent of its graduates have gone on to find meaningful employment in various sectors spanning education, e-commerce, transportation, sustainability, and more.

“We’ve seen many times over that a line of code can change the world — and in Indonesia, we’re investing in the creativity and skills of people determined to prove it,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We’re excited by the growing developer community in Indonesia, and we look forward to investing in the success of even more coders with our fourth academy in the country.”

The academy’s nine-month program covers the basics of coding, as well as areas such as design, marketing, and project management, empowering students with the full suite of skills needed to become world-class entrepreneurs and developers. To encourage cross-cultural exchange, the Bali campus will accept applications not just from Indonesia, but across the globe, regardless of educational background or coding experience. 

The academies in Indonesia have welcomed students from a variety of personal and professional backgrounds. To date, the cohorts have comprised students from over 90 cities across Indonesia, ranging between 18 and 50 years old, each of whom brings new ideas and life experiences to app designs and business plans.

Mary Santoso, who joined the academy in 2022 at the age of 38, founded WonderJack, a neurodiverse-friendly iPad game that trains executive function and mental processes for children. Inspired by her experience witnessing members of her family with dyslexia, the iPad app includes a soothing soundtrack, and tactile cards and objects so children can enjoy a stress-free, multisensory learning experience. The team is now collaborating with educational institutions, including an inclusive school in Surabaya, to research and assess the impact of the app

“As a stay-at-home mom, the Apple Developer Academy helped me transform and focus on my mission to help children facing learning challenges that are similar to ones my daughter faces,” Santoso says. “There, I found a team of learners from different backgrounds who shared my passion for education and inclusivity. The guidance from mentors helped us hone our problem-solving skills and equipped us with the tools to build WonderJack, an app that aims to unlock the potential of all children.”

The academy’s curriculum reflects Apple’s approach to Challenge Based Learning, encouraging students to address personal, community, and global challenges, while designing inclusively to make a positive impact in the world.

Alumni Graciela Gabrielle, Jessi Febria, and Yafonia Hutabarat came together at the Jakarta academy to build Indonesia’s first indoor navigation app to assist blind and low-vision users with independent travel. The app, PetaNetra, uses augmented reality paths to provide the safest and fastest routes, considering features such as walls, floor patterns, and other objects. The team has secured partnerships with major institutions, including the Jakarta Library, to map their spaces and improve its features.

“I’m truly blessed to have found supportive and committed teammates at the academy,” explains Gabrielle, PetaNetra’s co-founder and CEO, whose parents are visually impaired. “As three female founders, we are passionate about creating social impact with the work we do. This inspired us to create PetaNetra, a gift for my parents and the 4 million visually impaired in Indonesia.”

Southeast Asia is home to hundreds of thousands of developers behind more than 90,000 apps on the App Store. Beyond creating their own startups in Indonesia, many academy graduates have also gone on to join established companies throughout the region, contributing to the development of apps and digital products with skills gained at the academies.

Alumni Denis Wibisono and Rais Mohamad Najib now lead the iOS development team for Bank Mandiri, the largest bank in Indonesia. Through their work, they push the boundaries to ensure a seamless, market-leading mobile banking experience for millions of Indonesians, and almost 40 percent of the bank’s iOS development team are academy graduates.

“Being at the academy really fueled my passion for iOS app development,” says Wibisono. “I believe the experience not only equipped me with advanced coding skills, but also critical thinking training, both of which are essential qualities of professional tech engineers.”

Alumni can also participate in other Apple educational programs and resources, such as the Apple Developer Center in Singapore and Apple Entrepreneur Camp which offer additional mentorship, inspiration, and insights from Apple experts and engineers.

Since the first Apple Developer Academy opened in Brazil, the program has grown to more locations around the world, including Korea, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Italy, and the U.S.