Event - MKVN Meetup 2025, Ho Chi Minh City

We travelled to Ho Chi Minh City as a three-man team for the MKVN Meetup 2025, held on the 7th of December. Organised by MKVN and led by Mr. Nguyen Chi Hien "Tip", the event was a massive gathering dedicated to the Vietnamese mechanical keyboard and artisan keycap community.

 

 

Our main objective for this trip was to showcase our newest prototype: Slate Zero, a 60% mechanical keyboard that we began developing back in September. However, getting it to the event was anything but smooth.

Manufacturing timelines are rarely kind, and this project was no exception. The CNC-machined aluminium cases and custom PCBs were originally scheduled to be delivered three weeks prior to the event. Due to severe logistical bottlenecks, they only arrived at our workshop a single day before our flight out of Malaysia. We had to pack our bags and leave the country without having the time to properly compile the matrix and flash the final firmware.

Thankfully, with some remote debugging and coding assistance from my brother back home, we managed to get the bootloader flashed and the firmware finalised right there in our hotel room.

Matt and Haziq setting up the showcase tables.

 

When it came to the exhibition floor, presentation is everything. We brought our custom portable showcase tables, which are elevated. This is not just an aesthetic choice; it forces a deliberate interaction. By raising the board off a standard fold-out desk, it brings the user closer to the hardware, allowing them to properly inspect the side profile, the surface finish, and experience the acoustic properties at a much more natural angle.

Attendees trying out the slate75 copper edition.

 

The hall was packed with energy from the moment the doors opened. It was brilliant to catch up with old faces and meet new friends within the local scene. The Vietnamese community is incredibly passionate, and we spent hours exchanging knowledge, discussing mounting systems, and sharing our design philosophies with the locals who stopped by our booth.

A massive highlight for us was being invited onto the main stage. Having the opportunity to present Atelier Magnus and introduce the Slate Zero prototype to a crowded hall was a surreal and humbling experience.

Talking design philosophy and the road to Slate Zero on the main stage at MKVN 2025. Photograph: MKVN.

 

Stepping off the stage, that momentum carried straight back to our booth. The rest of the afternoon was a blur of constant interaction. We had a steady stream of enthusiasts coming over to type on the prototype and examine the manufacturing tolerances up close. It was particularly rewarding to watch people running their fingers over the aluminium case, noticing the fine texture of the glass bead blasted finish we have been working so hard to perfect.

This kind of immediate, tactile feedback from seasoned builders is exactly why we rushed to bring the board to the event. Watching them inspect the seams, test the flex, and listen to the acoustic signature made all the stress worthwhile.

The man who brought it all together. Tip doing what he does best and keeping the crowd hyped at MKVN 2025. The energy in the hall was unmatched. Photograph: MKVN.

 

By the time the evening rolled around and the hall finally began to empty, the adrenaline wore off and the physical fatigue caught up with us. We packed down our custom display tables, snapped a few final group photos with the remaining attendees and organisers, and wrapped up an incredibly successful exhibition day.

Met Bao Son for the very first time today, and he walked away as our first ever adopter in Vietnam. Huge thanks for the trust and for supporting what we build.

However, the trip was far from over. The hospitality we received extended well beyond the exhibition floor. We spent the following day visiting the local vendors who had invited us to their retail spaces, including a great stop at Sói Gear and Mon Capkey. Seeing the scale and dedication of the local retail scene firsthand was deeply inspiring.


Left: Huy from Sói Gear. Right: Ms. Thảo from Mon Capkey.

 

On our final night, we were generously invited by Ms. Thảo from Mon Capkey to have supper and drinks with her and her staff. The night quickly escalated into a marathon of great conversations, shared stories, and local drinks that did not end until 4 AM. I managed a desperately short nap before heading straight to the airport for our flight home.

It was an exhausting, chaotic, and incredibly fun trip. As we continue refining the board ahead of the Slate Zero Group Buy this coming April, this event served as a perfect reminder of why we push so hard to get these details right. The community makes it all worth it.

Thank you to Tip, MKVN, Huy, Ms. Thảo, and everyone who made us feel at home in Vietnam.

KT