On April 24, 2026, QiClash had the opportunity to engage in cultural exchange and share stories of creative ideas at Surabaya University (Indonesia) through the program “Chess Meets Destiny – Innovating a 12 Zodiac Board Game for the Startup Era.”

The program opens a space for interdisciplinary dialogue between culture, education, innovation, and startups. The event gathered educational managers, lecturers, researchers, and more than 250 Indonesian students to discuss ways of innovating based on local and national cultural identities.

Here, we shared a different perspective on strategy games: when a chessboard is not just a place for intellectual competition, but can also become a platform for cultural storytelling. In QiClash, the imagery of the 12 zodiac animals goes beyond familiar symbols; they are transformed into a strategic thinking system, reflecting how humans interact with nature and the community.

Specifically, the story of water—a core element of the wet rice civilization—is integrated into the game's design and philosophy. From there, a modern entertainment product can open up deeper reflections on the environment, balance, and how humanity can coexist and develop sustainably.

Through this event, we hope to continue bringing Vietnamese cultural stories into the global space of innovation, where tradition is not only preserved but also reimagined and developed in innovative ways.

Sincere thanks to Surabaya University and the delegation from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities for providing the opportunity for QiClash to contribute and share its story with international friends.

Some photos from the event 📸: