YukYuk founder Venandya Camelia
In an industry crowded with well-funded global AI players, Venandya Camelia is taking a markedly different path. The young, first-time founder from Indonesia is building YukYuk, an AI-powered creative platform that allows users to generate images, videos, music and sound effects instantly.
Designed for speed and accessibility, YukYuk is aimed squarely at creators who want to experiment with AI without the steep learning curves or costs often associated with existing tools.
What sets YukYuk apart is not only what it offers, but how it is built. The entire startup runs on AI, from product development to marketing and customer engagement. Camelia relies heavily on generative AI and AI agents to automate operations, a setup she describes as “AI as my co-founder”.
The idea for YukYuk originated from Camelia’s own creative habits. “YukYuk began from a simple habit of creating AI videos and images on social media,” she said. “At the time, many Indonesian users were curious about AI, but there was no local, easy-to-use platform that allowed them to experiment with video, music, voice, and effects in one place.”
Many existing tools, she added, felt too complex or too expensive for the Indonesian market, or were primarily designed for Western users.
As she experimented with generative AI and used AI agents to design and prototype features, interest began to grow organically. Launched publicly in October, YukYuk has already attracted more than 1,000 organic users and early paying customers. Its early traction reflects Indonesia’s rapidly growing creator economy, where interest in AI tools is rising, but access remains uneven.
Also Read: AI augmented development: Hype vs reality
YukYuk was also selected for the Tech in Asia Startup Factory 2025 in Jakarta, signalling increasing recognition for homegrown AI startups emerging from the country.
In this email interview with e27, Camelia provides further details about the company’s work and its future direction.
The following is an edited excerpt of the conversation:
What problem do you aim to tackle, and why is your solution better than existing options?
The main issue today is that many AI creative tools are unfamiliar and overwhelming for everyday users. The interfaces are complex, the workflows are fragmented across multiple platforms, and pricing is often high compared to what local creators can comfortably afford. There is also a cultural gap because many tools do not reflect the creative preferences of Southeast Asians.
YukYuk was designed to make AI creation simple, local, and quick. It combines video, image, music, voice, and sound effects in a single place, presented in a mobile-first environment that feels familiar to users in Indonesia. The experience is easy to understand from the first try, and the prices reflect the purchasing power of local users. This combination of simplicity, cultural relevance, and affordability is what distinguishes YukYuk from global solutions.
How do you stand out and build trust as an independent Indonesian startup in a space dominated by billion-dollar companies?
Our strength comes from being fast, focused, and deeply connected to the local community. We use AI agents internally to accelerate development, design, testing, and content planning, which allows us to iterate much faster than large companies with long release cycles.
We also build with a clear understanding of Indonesian and Southeast Asian creator behaviour. This helps YukYuk feel more personal and less intimidating compared to global tools. Users trust products that understand their culture, their language, and the way they create.
Being an independent, homegrown startup also gives us the flexibility to introduce features that global tools might overlook, such as local payment support and upcoming mobile apps for both Android and iOS.
Also Read: Why AI needs context and curiosity, not toxic positivity
YukYuk has grown to over 1,000 organic users without ads. Who are these users, and what contributed to this early traction?
Most of our early users are Gen Z creators who are active on TikTok and Instagram, along with students, small business owners, and casual users who enjoy experimenting with AI visuals. Many are also fans of stylised content such as anime-inspired videos.
The traction came organically from the content I shared on my own social channels. People reposted their creations, recommended the platform to their friends, and joined out of curiosity. The onboarding experience is simple, so users can generate something interesting within minutes. This combination of word-of-mouth, community curiosity, and localised content helped YukYuk grow without any paid advertising.
What were your key takeaways from the Tech in Asia Startup Factory 2025 program?
The programme confirmed that there is a strong demand in Indonesia for a local AI creative platform. The feedback helped clarify what makes YukYuk different and encouraged us to maintain a strong focus on community interaction. I also learned how valuable it is to stay small and efficient by using AI-first operations. The experience reinforced our direction and helped us refine our next steps with more confidence.
How do you see the creative process changing as AI evolves, and what role will YukYuk play?
Creative work is shifting from technical execution toward idea direction. Instead of spending hours editing, people will be able to describe what they want and let AI handle the heavy lifting. AI will assist with brainstorming, editing, producing, and optimising content.
YukYuk aims to support this shift by offering a simple, all-in-one platform where anyone can create AI content instantly. We plan to introduce AI creative agents that help users generate ideas, follow trends, and produce consistent videos. We also plan to offer a full mobile app for Android and iOS, because most users in Southeast Asia create content directly from their phones. Local payment support will further make the platform easy to access for users who do not use credit cards.
Also Read: Navigating the Gen AI wave: A startup’s battle plan
Overall, our role is to make AI creativity friendly, fast, and accessible.
What is your plan for 2026?
In 2026, we plan to evolve YukYuk from a tool into a full creative ecosystem. This includes introducing AI creative agents, strengthening the social and remix features inside the platform, and expanding access to neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia. A major milestone is the release of our mobile apps for both Android and iOS, which will allow users to create directly from their phones.
We also aim to improve the mobile experience for faster generation and begin building early forms of creator monetisation toward the end of the year. The overall direction is to create a space where users can ideate, produce, and share AI content in one place.
—
Images Credit: YukYuk
The post One founder, many AI agents: A look inside YukYuk’s solo-built creative platform appeared first on e27.