![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/theneed.png\")
Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), the oldest international bank in the country, has been named Best Bank for Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) in the Philippines at the 2023 Asiamoney Awards, announced yesterday. The bank was cited for its commitment to promote economic inclusion by lifting participation of the youth, especially young women, in the community through education and livelihood support.\u00a0 Futuremakers by Standard Chartered is the bank\u2019s global initiative to tackle inequality by supporting disadvantaged young people to learn new skills, increase their employability or provide them access to funding to start their own businesses.\u00a0 SCB Philippines currently works with the largest microfinance institutions in the country to provide equitable access to financial support for women-led micro and small businesses nationwide.
\nLeader in diversity and inclusion
\nSCB has received numerous accolades in recent years for its policies in promoting diversity and inclusion.\u00a0 It ranked 36th in the 2022 Equileap Top 100 organizations for gender equality globally; 7th in the top 10 financial sector companies; recognized on the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index 2022 for the seventh year in a row; and ranked 73rd in the Refinitiv D&I Index Score 2022 for the second time in a row.\u00a0
\nFor years, SCB has embedded diversity and inclusion into its organizational DNA, celebrated female role models and allies to reaffirm its commitment to gender equality.
\nIn 2018, SCB signed a statement of support for the UN Women Empowerment Principles to reinforce its ongoing commitment to gender equality.\u00a0 The bank also signed the UK HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter and has seen a positive trend in female representation in its senior leadership roles.\u00a0 As of end of 2022, women represented 32% of Standard Chartered Bank\u2019s senior leadership roles across its markets, and working to achieve its global target of 35% by 2025.
\nAs part of its commitment to fostering an equitable and inclusive culture, the bank continuously looks at how progressive, purpose-led benefits can improve employees\u2019 experience and help them achieve their potential.
\nSCB offers industry-leading policies and benefits. It is the only bank which offers its employees minimum 20-week paid maternity and parental leaves, irrespective of gender, relationship status or how a child comes to permanently join an employee\u2019s family.\u00a0\u00a0 This is part of the bank\u2019s commitment to address globally prevalent societal norms around traditional roles, improve workforce participation, and provide options to those who want to take up shared childcare responsibilities.
\nEven before the pandemic, SCB already has a flexible workplace policy in place.\u00a0 The bank has implemented a permanent hybrid working model giving its employees the opportunity to work flexibly without sacrificing client service delivery and commitments. This data-led approach to work combines remote and office-based working with greater flexibility in working patterns and locations with the objective to redesign jobs, enable its workforce and prepare for the way forward.
\nSCB\u2019s policy on flexible working practice and enhanced employee benefits is aligned with its aspiration to be a human organisation and a great place to work.\u00a0 Following the global roll-out of the policy, every employee across all its markets now has the opportunity to balance their professional and personal responsibilities.
\nRowena Kapunan, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank Philippines, said: \u201cAn inclusive environment enables us to bring the best out of our people. We are proud to take a holistic approach in empowering our staff to succeed at work and in their private lives through our enhanced policies, and are confident that an environment that genuinely respects professional and personal balance is a remarkable competitive edge.\u201d
\nGender inclusive Philippines
\nIn the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2023 Global Gender Gap Report released in June, Philippines ranked 16th place in gender equality among 146 countries in the world, based on 4 categories: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.
\nSCB Philippines has 59:41 women to men gender ratio, and women hold 73% of the bank\u2019s senior management positions.
\nSCB Philippines was recognized as the 2021 UN Women WEP Award Champion for Leadership Commitment, and in 2022 won 1st Runner Up in the Gender Inclusive Workplace category.
\nThe bank believes that an inclusive culture is central to enabling its unique diversity and driving performance. It values and celebrates diversity across its markets and ensures that all employees are entitled to be treated fairly, equally and with respect.\u00a0\u00a0 By focusing on employee wellbeing, Standard Chartered strives to be a differentiated workplace and best place to work.
\n\n
Spotlight is 大象传媒\u2019s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with 大象传媒\u2019s audience by enabling them to publish their stories directly on the 大象传媒 website. For more information, send an email to\u00a0online@bworldonline.com.
\nJoin us on Viber at\u00a0https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA\u00a0to get more updates and subscribe to 大象传媒\u2019s titles and get exclusive content through\u00a0www.bworld-x.com.
\n", "content_text": "Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), the oldest international bank in the country, has been named Best Bank for Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) in the Philippines at the 2023 Asiamoney Awards, announced yesterday. The bank was cited for its commitment to promote economic inclusion by lifting participation of the youth, especially young women, in the community through education and livelihood support.\u00a0 Futuremakers by Standard Chartered is the bank\u2019s global initiative to tackle inequality by supporting disadvantaged young people to learn new skills, increase their employability or provide them access to funding to start their own businesses.\u00a0 SCB Philippines currently works with the largest microfinance institutions in the country to provide equitable access to financial support for women-led micro and small businesses nationwide.\nLeader in diversity and inclusion\nSCB has received numerous accolades in recent years for its policies in promoting diversity and inclusion.\u00a0 It ranked 36th in the 2022 Equileap Top 100 organizations for gender equality globally; 7th in the top 10 financial sector companies; recognized on the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index 2022 for the seventh year in a row; and ranked 73rd in the Refinitiv D&I Index Score 2022 for the second time in a row.\u00a0\nFor years, SCB has embedded diversity and inclusion into its organizational DNA, celebrated female role models and allies to reaffirm its commitment to gender equality.\nIn 2018, SCB signed a statement of support for the UN Women Empowerment Principles to reinforce its ongoing commitment to gender equality.\u00a0 The bank also signed the UK HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter and has seen a positive trend in female representation in its senior leadership roles.\u00a0 As of end of 2022, women represented 32% of Standard Chartered Bank\u2019s senior leadership roles across its markets, and working to achieve its global target of 35% by 2025.\nAs part of its commitment to fostering an equitable and inclusive culture, the bank continuously looks at how progressive, purpose-led benefits can improve employees\u2019 experience and help them achieve their potential.\nSCB offers industry-leading policies and benefits. It is the only bank which offers its employees minimum 20-week paid maternity and parental leaves, irrespective of gender, relationship status or how a child comes to permanently join an employee\u2019s family.\u00a0\u00a0 This is part of the bank\u2019s commitment to address globally prevalent societal norms around traditional roles, improve workforce participation, and provide options to those who want to take up shared childcare responsibilities.\nEven before the pandemic, SCB already has a flexible workplace policy in place.\u00a0 The bank has implemented a permanent hybrid working model giving its employees the opportunity to work flexibly without sacrificing client service delivery and commitments. This data-led approach to work combines remote and office-based working with greater flexibility in working patterns and locations with the objective to redesign jobs, enable its workforce and prepare for the way forward.\nSCB\u2019s policy on flexible working practice and enhanced employee benefits is aligned with its aspiration to be a human organisation and a great place to work.\u00a0 Following the global roll-out of the policy, every employee across all its markets now has the opportunity to balance their professional and personal responsibilities.\nRowena Kapunan, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank Philippines, said: \u201cAn inclusive environment enables us to bring the best out of our people. We are proud to take a holistic approach in empowering our staff to succeed at work and in their private lives through our enhanced policies, and are confident that an environment that genuinely respects professional and personal balance is a remarkable competitive edge.\u201d\nGender inclusive Philippines\nIn the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2023 Global Gender Gap Report released in June, Philippines ranked 16th place in gender equality among 146 countries in the world, based on 4 categories: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.\nSCB Philippines has 59:41 women to men gender ratio, and women hold 73% of the bank\u2019s senior management positions.\nSCB Philippines was recognized as the 2021 UN Women WEP Award Champion for Leadership Commitment, and in 2022 won 1st Runner Up in the Gender Inclusive Workplace category.\nThe bank believes that an inclusive culture is central to enabling its unique diversity and driving performance. It values and celebrates diversity across its markets and ensures that all employees are entitled to be treated fairly, equally and with respect.\u00a0\u00a0 By focusing on employee wellbeing, Standard Chartered strives to be a differentiated workplace and best place to work.\n \n\nSpotlight is 大象传媒\u2019s sponsored section that allows advertisers to amplify their brand and connect with 大象传媒\u2019s audience by enabling them to publish their stories directly on the 大象传媒 website. For more information, send an email to\u00a0online@bworldonline.com.\nJoin us on Viber at\u00a0https://bit.ly/3hv6bLA\u00a0to get more updates and subscribe to 大象传媒\u2019s titles and get exclusive content through\u00a0www.bworld-x.com.", "date_published": "2023-09-01T10:18:41+08:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-01T10:18:41+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/mktg4_mark-cn3w/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9099ae0f6662fea04a24831872880e73a9b3c73fd30aa626af391f9f80fd0c16?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/mktg4_mark-cn3w/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9099ae0f6662fea04a24831872880e73a9b3c73fd30aa626af391f9f80fd0c16?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Standard-Chartered-Logo.png", "tags": [ "EntrepreNews", "Spotlight" ] }, { "id": "/?p=418316", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/12/17/418316/citing-tremendous-growth-of-e-commerce-locad-launches-shipping-platform-for-smes/", "title": "Citing \u2018tremendous growth\u2019 of e-commerce, Locad launches shipping platform for SMEs", "content_html": "Spurred by the \u201ctremendous growth\u201d of e-commerce, as seen from\u00a0online mega sales generating\u00a0several\u00a0billions\u2019 worth of\u00a0transactions, cloud logistics provider\u00a0Locad\u00a0launched a shipping solution that allows small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to manage multiple couriers and deliveries.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cThrough the shipping platform, SMEs who are banking on the strong growth of e-commerce, especially this coming holiday season, will be able to tap Locad\u2019s wide third-party logistics integrations,\u201d said the company in a statement.\u00a0\u00a0
\nConstantin\u00a0Robertz, Locad\u2019s co-founder and chief executive officer, recently told ANC that the estimated sales coming from 12.12 this year is P15 billion in total, reflecting the exponential growth of the Philippine e-commerce industry in the pandemic.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cI think Philippine e-commerce has seen a tremendous growth spurt, with industry estimates at $12 billion or P600 billion for total [in] 2021,\u201d he told ANC. \u201c12.12, as well as 11.11, are big drivers of that where we see up to 10x growth versus normal day.\u201d\u00a0
\nAfter a successful beta run with Kumu and\u00a0Havaianas\u00a0this year,\u00a0Locad\u2019s\u00a0modular service is piloting in the Philippines, with indefinite plans of expanding\u00a0to the rest of Asia Pacific.\u00a0\u00a0
\nThis\u00a0iteration aggregates trusted third-party logistics providers (3PL) such as\u00a0NinjaVan, J&T Express, DHL,\u00a0Entrego, XDE, LBC, and\u00a0Lalamove, among others.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nThe platform also enables direct-to-consumer (D2C) e-commerce brands to access various delivery options, from same-day delivery to affordable day-definite shipping. This should ease the challenge of \u201cmanaging multiple platforms,\u201d according to Locad.\u00a0\u00a0
\nCiting the 2021 e-Conomy\u00a0SEA report by Bain & Company, Google, and Temasek, Locad\u00a0pointed out that 95% of consumers will continue to use at least one digital service even after the pandemic, with 7 out of 10 rating delivery as the most important factor in online shopping.\u00a0\u00a0
\nThe holidays are expected to \u201cdrive the rising demand in 3PL services, which further supports the need for efficient shipping management.\u201d \u2014\u00a0B. H. Lacsamana\u00a0
\n", "content_text": "Spurred by the \u201ctremendous growth\u201d of e-commerce, as seen from\u00a0online mega sales generating\u00a0several\u00a0billions\u2019 worth of\u00a0transactions, cloud logistics provider\u00a0Locad\u00a0launched a shipping solution that allows small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to manage multiple couriers and deliveries.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cThrough the shipping platform, SMEs who are banking on the strong growth of e-commerce, especially this coming holiday season, will be able to tap Locad\u2019s wide third-party logistics integrations,\u201d said the company in a statement.\u00a0\u00a0\nConstantin\u00a0Robertz, Locad\u2019s co-founder and chief executive officer, recently told ANC that the estimated sales coming from 12.12 this year is P15 billion in total, reflecting the exponential growth of the Philippine e-commerce industry in the pandemic.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cI think Philippine e-commerce has seen a tremendous growth spurt, with industry estimates at $12 billion or P600 billion for total [in] 2021,\u201d he told ANC. \u201c12.12, as well as 11.11, are big drivers of that where we see up to 10x growth versus normal day.\u201d\u00a0\nAfter a successful beta run with Kumu and\u00a0Havaianas\u00a0this year,\u00a0Locad\u2019s\u00a0modular service is piloting in the Philippines, with indefinite plans of expanding\u00a0to the rest of Asia Pacific.\u00a0\u00a0\nThis\u00a0iteration aggregates trusted third-party logistics providers (3PL) such as\u00a0NinjaVan, J&T Express, DHL,\u00a0Entrego, XDE, LBC, and\u00a0Lalamove, among others.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nThe platform also enables direct-to-consumer (D2C) e-commerce brands to access various delivery options, from same-day delivery to affordable day-definite shipping. This should ease the challenge of \u201cmanaging multiple platforms,\u201d according to Locad.\u00a0\u00a0\nCiting the 2021 e-Conomy\u00a0SEA report by Bain & Company, Google, and Temasek, Locad\u00a0pointed out that 95% of consumers will continue to use at least one digital service even after the pandemic, with 7 out of 10 rating delivery as the most important factor in online shopping.\u00a0\u00a0\nThe holidays are expected to \u201cdrive the rising demand in 3PL services, which further supports the need for efficient shipping management.\u201d \u2014\u00a0B. H. Lacsamana\u00a0", "date_published": "2021-12-17T15:33:51+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-12-17T15:33:51+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/GMCI_LOCAD_Cloud_logistics_provider_LOCAD_launches_new_shipping_platform_for_SMEs_Photo_2.jpg", "tags": [ "e-commerce", "Locad", "logistics", "shipping", "SMEs", "EntrepreNews" ] }, { "id": "/?p=417937", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/12/16/417937/trust-and-evangelism-how-marketing-is-like-religion/", "title": "Trust and evangelism: how marketing is like religion", "content_html": "As in religion, trust and evangelism are critical in making a powerful brand, according to Martin Lindstrom, founder of branding consulting firm Lindstrom Company.\u00a0
\n\u201cIf you are\u00a0a strong believer of a brand, the same region of the brain is activated as if you are a strong believer in faith,\u201d said Mr. Lindstrom in a\u00a0recent\u00a0webinar organized by Adobe Commerce, a digital commerce platform.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nNext to trust and evangelism, are the \u201cessential\u201d (a clear purpose, storytelling, and symbols); the \u201cnecessary\u201d (a sense of belonging, sensory appeal, and authenticity); and the \u201cdesirable\u201d (rituals and grandeur).\u00a0\u00a0
\nA 2016 study published in\u00a0Social Neuroscience\u00a0found that religious experience was associated with brain activation in areas commonly associated with reward: the nucleus\u00a0accumbens, frontal attentional, and ventromedial prefrontal cortical loci.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cOur craving spot is the nucleus\u00a0accumbens,\u201d Mr. Lindstrom said. A study his company conducted on smokers, he added, found that this part of the brain lit up whenever a smoker thought of the cigarette brand Marlboro or any of its related images.\u00a0\u00a0
\nSki Dubai, an indoor ski resort in the United Arab Emirates, is as an example of a brand whose ads are driven by a sense of purpose. Lindstrom Company found that it was a dream of Dubai residents to create a snow angel, hence the marketing tag, \u201cSnowflakes that make every day ordinary.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0
\nSensory appeal likewise plays a role in how people buy. Most don\u2019t like the taste of their first beer, Mr. Lindstrom said, but the desire to be an adult is so high that people continue to imbibe the beverage until they end up developing a taste for it.\u00a0\u00a0
\nCiting a quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin\u00a0\u2014 \u201cTell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.\u201d \u2014 Mr. Lindstrom advised involving people in order to create rosy memories associated with a brand.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cA sense of belonging is almost like a religion, which is based on storytelling,\u201d he said, while warning against the use of \u201chard core\u201d religious symbols in branding since people have differing opinions about faith. \u2014\u00a0Patricia B. Mirasol\u00a0
\n", "content_text": "As in religion, trust and evangelism are critical in making a powerful brand, according to Martin Lindstrom, founder of branding consulting firm Lindstrom Company.\u00a0\n\u201cIf you are\u00a0a strong believer of a brand, the same region of the brain is activated as if you are a strong believer in faith,\u201d said Mr. Lindstrom in a\u00a0recent\u00a0webinar organized by Adobe Commerce, a digital commerce platform.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nNext to trust and evangelism, are the \u201cessential\u201d (a clear purpose, storytelling, and symbols); the \u201cnecessary\u201d (a sense of belonging, sensory appeal, and authenticity); and the \u201cdesirable\u201d (rituals and grandeur).\u00a0\u00a0\nA 2016 study published in\u00a0Social Neuroscience\u00a0found that religious experience was associated with brain activation in areas commonly associated with reward: the nucleus\u00a0accumbens, frontal attentional, and ventromedial prefrontal cortical loci.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cOur craving spot is the nucleus\u00a0accumbens,\u201d Mr. Lindstrom said. A study his company conducted on smokers, he added, found that this part of the brain lit up whenever a smoker thought of the cigarette brand Marlboro or any of its related images.\u00a0\u00a0\nSki Dubai, an indoor ski resort in the United Arab Emirates, is as an example of a brand whose ads are driven by a sense of purpose. Lindstrom Company found that it was a dream of Dubai residents to create a snow angel, hence the marketing tag, \u201cSnowflakes that make every day ordinary.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\nSensory appeal likewise plays a role in how people buy. Most don\u2019t like the taste of their first beer, Mr. Lindstrom said, but the desire to be an adult is so high that people continue to imbibe the beverage until they end up developing a taste for it.\u00a0\u00a0\nCiting a quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin\u00a0\u2014 \u201cTell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.\u201d \u2014 Mr. Lindstrom advised involving people in order to create rosy memories associated with a brand.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cA sense of belonging is almost like a religion, which is based on storytelling,\u201d he said, while warning against the use of \u201chard core\u201d religious symbols in branding since people have differing opinions about faith. \u2014\u00a0Patricia B. Mirasol\u00a0", "date_published": "2021-12-16T17:14:14+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-12-17T17:48:50+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/megaphone.png", "tags": [ "brand campaigns", "branding", "faith", "Lindstrom Company", "Marketing", "Martin Lindstrom", "neuroscience", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "Religion", "EntrepreNews" ] }, { "id": "/?p=414737", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/12/02/414737/consultancy-firm-helps-phl-businesses-set-up-shop-in-dubai/", "title": "Consultancy firm helps PHL businesses set up shop in Dubai", "content_html": "Enter PH, a local consultancy firm that helps foreign companies expand to the Philippines, has partnered with Dubai-based business setup firm\u00a0Creative Zone\u00a0to help Filipino businesses enter Dubai and other Gulf Cooperation Council markets (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates or UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman).\u00a0\u00a0
\nThe partnership provides coaching and business support services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and investor-seeking startups from the Philippines.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cThe Filipino community is the third-largest expatriate community in the UAE and is an important demographic,\u201d said Lorenzo\u00a0Jooris, Creative Zone chief executive officer, to\u00a0大象传媒.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cFilipinos in the UAE have a thriving business community, with a diverse range of businesses, including food and beverage, fashion, and various types of professional services,\u201d he said. \u201cAligning with this is Dubai\u2019s vibrant consumer base that constitutes tech-savvy, high-income, and young professionals.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0
\nMr.\u00a0Jooris\u00a0cited the Philippines\u2019 young and English-speaking workforce, its strategic location in the Southeast Asian market, and its strong industrial sector as among the factors for the company\u2019s decision to extend its services to the country.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cThe Philippines has introduced various incentives to create an investor-friendly climate and attract foreign business ventures,\u201d he added. \u201cThe creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), tax benefits, and entrepreneur-friendly commercial laws make it relatively easy for foreign companies to set up in the Philippines\u201d\u00a0\u00a0
\nIn a press statement, Rene \u201cRJ\u201d A. Ledesma, Jr., founding partner of Enter PH, said that his firm\u2019s partnership with Creative Zone encourages the spirit of entrepreneurship.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cDubai has always been\u00a0close\u00a0to my heart, and educating my fellow entrepreneurs on the overlying opportunities and business potential that can be leveraged whilst within the country is a novel approach,\u201d Mr. Ledesma said.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nThe economy of the UAE, of which Dubai is a part, is\u00a0rebounding faster\u00a0than expected, according to a chief economist for Oxford Economics Middle East in Dubai. The economy has been open for months, and is buoyed by a well-equipped health system as well as a population that is about 90% fully vaccinated.\u00a0Bloomberg\u00a0reported in September that\u00a0Dubai\u2019s job market was at its strongest in two years.\u00a0\u00a0
\nThe UAE\u2019s latest foreign direct investment laws,\u00a0which took effect on June 1, allow foreign investors and entrepreneurs full ownership of onshore companies. \u2014\u00a0Patricia B. Mirasol\u00a0\u00a0
\n", "content_text": "Enter PH, a local consultancy firm that helps foreign companies expand to the Philippines, has partnered with Dubai-based business setup firm\u00a0Creative Zone\u00a0to help Filipino businesses enter Dubai and other Gulf Cooperation Council markets (Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates or UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman).\u00a0\u00a0\nThe partnership provides coaching and business support services to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and investor-seeking startups from the Philippines.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cThe Filipino community is the third-largest expatriate community in the UAE and is an important demographic,\u201d said Lorenzo\u00a0Jooris, Creative Zone chief executive officer, to\u00a0大象传媒.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cFilipinos in the UAE have a thriving business community, with a diverse range of businesses, including food and beverage, fashion, and various types of professional services,\u201d he said. \u201cAligning with this is Dubai\u2019s vibrant consumer base that constitutes tech-savvy, high-income, and young professionals.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\nMr.\u00a0Jooris\u00a0cited the Philippines\u2019 young and English-speaking workforce, its strategic location in the Southeast Asian market, and its strong industrial sector as among the factors for the company\u2019s decision to extend its services to the country.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cThe Philippines has introduced various incentives to create an investor-friendly climate and attract foreign business ventures,\u201d he added. \u201cThe creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), tax benefits, and entrepreneur-friendly commercial laws make it relatively easy for foreign companies to set up in the Philippines\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\nIn a press statement, Rene \u201cRJ\u201d A. Ledesma, Jr., founding partner of Enter PH, said that his firm\u2019s partnership with Creative Zone encourages the spirit of entrepreneurship.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cDubai has always been\u00a0close\u00a0to my heart, and educating my fellow entrepreneurs on the overlying opportunities and business potential that can be leveraged whilst within the country is a novel approach,\u201d Mr. Ledesma said.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nThe economy of the UAE, of which Dubai is a part, is\u00a0rebounding faster\u00a0than expected, according to a chief economist for Oxford Economics Middle East in Dubai. The economy has been open for months, and is buoyed by a well-equipped health system as well as a population that is about 90% fully vaccinated.\u00a0Bloomberg\u00a0reported in September that\u00a0Dubai\u2019s job market was at its strongest in two years.\u00a0\u00a0\nThe UAE\u2019s latest foreign direct investment laws,\u00a0which took effect on June 1, allow foreign investors and entrepreneurs full ownership of onshore companies. \u2014\u00a0Patricia B. Mirasol\u00a0\u00a0", "date_published": "2021-12-02T16:43:57+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-12-03T11:06:51+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Dubai-buildings-cityscape.jpg", "tags": [ "Creative Zone", "Dubai", "Enter PH", "entrepreneurs", "EntrepreNews", "Lorenzo Jooris", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "RJ Ledesma" ] }, { "id": "/?p=379471", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/07/01/379471/to-tap-global-market-msmes-should-digitalize-shift-to-indirect-exports-study/", "title": "To tap global market, MSMEs should digitalize, shift to indirect exports \u2014 study", "content_html": "As lockdown restrictions\u00a0ease, micro, small, and medium enterprises\u00a0(MSMEs)\u00a0that\u00a0possess niche specializations and technologies should\u00a0consider\u00a0supplying\u00a0raw materials\u00a0to larger enterprises, according to a study\u00a0recommending\u00a0a\u00a0\u201cshift to a value-chain approach from a firm-centric approach.\u201d\u00a0
\nThis\u00a0approach\u00a0does away with the challenges presented by direct exportation,\u00a0said\u00a0John Paolo R. Rivera, associate director of the Asian Institute of Management\u2019s Dr. Andrew L. Tan Center for Tourism,\u00a0who presented the findings of the\u00a0study\u00a0he co-authored with Brian C. Gozun, former Dean of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business at De La Salle University,\u00a0at a\u00a0recent symposium\u00a0organized by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies and the Philippine APEC Study Center Network.\u00a0
\nTitled \u201cNavigating the New Normal: Restarting and Rebuilding Global MSMEs,\u201d the virtual event\u00a0mapped a post-pandemic path for\u00a0MSMEs.\u00a0\u201cI prefer to call it a better normal because we can\u2019t call it a new normal, particularly for business models rendered obsolete by the pandemic,\u201d said Mr. Rivera.\u00a0
\n\u201cIf direct exporting is too gargantuan for MSMEs, indirect exporting, outsourcing, or subcontracting can be an alternative where entrepreneurs provide inputs in the form of raw materials and work-in-progress to other larger domestic businesses who have exporting capabilities and who have access to the global value chain,\u201d\u00a0recommended\u00a0the\u00a0study\u00a0co-authored by Mr. Rivera.\u00a0
\nAt the symposium, he added that it is\u00a0important for entrepreneurs\u00a0to go digital to normalize peer-to-peer connections, and to take advantage of government-sponsored capacity-building and mentoring programs.\u00a0
\n“Capacity-building and mentoring programs should touch on both hard and soft skills, as well as micro- and macro- perspectives,\u201d said Mr. Rivera. Micro-perspectives\u00a0include crowdfunding, total quality management, and risk management, whereas macro-perspectives referred to familiarity and proficiency in regulatory and economic policies.\u00a0
\n\u201cThese will allow MSMEs to proficiently and confidently participate in a globalized business environment, not only because risks have been mitigated, but also because they are well-equipped to strengthen their value chain,\u201d he\u00a0said. \u201cMSMEs are ready, but they need assistance.\u201d\u00a0
\nThe 2019 List of Establishments of the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded\u00a0a total of 1,000,506 business enterprises operating in the country. Of these, 995,745 (99.5%) are MSMEs.\u00a0The top five industry sectors according to the number of MSMEs that year were: wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; accommodation and food service activities; manufacturing; other service activities; and financial and insurance activities. A majority of MSMEs can be found in the National Capital Region (NCR), followed by\u00a0Region\u00a04-A (CALABARZON), and Region 3 (Central Luzon).\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "As lockdown restrictions\u00a0ease, micro, small, and medium enterprises\u00a0(MSMEs)\u00a0that\u00a0possess niche specializations and technologies should\u00a0consider\u00a0supplying\u00a0raw materials\u00a0to larger enterprises, according to a study\u00a0recommending\u00a0a\u00a0\u201cshift to a value-chain approach from a firm-centric approach.\u201d\u00a0\nThis\u00a0approach\u00a0does away with the challenges presented by direct exportation,\u00a0said\u00a0John Paolo R. Rivera, associate director of the Asian Institute of Management\u2019s Dr. Andrew L. Tan Center for Tourism,\u00a0who presented the findings of the\u00a0study\u00a0he co-authored with Brian C. Gozun, former Dean of the Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business at De La Salle University,\u00a0at a\u00a0recent symposium\u00a0organized by the Philippine Institute of Development Studies and the Philippine APEC Study Center Network.\u00a0\nTitled \u201cNavigating the New Normal: Restarting and Rebuilding Global MSMEs,\u201d the virtual event\u00a0mapped a post-pandemic path for\u00a0MSMEs.\u00a0\u201cI prefer to call it a better normal because we can\u2019t call it a new normal, particularly for business models rendered obsolete by the pandemic,\u201d said Mr. Rivera.\u00a0\n\u201cIf direct exporting is too gargantuan for MSMEs, indirect exporting, outsourcing, or subcontracting can be an alternative where entrepreneurs provide inputs in the form of raw materials and work-in-progress to other larger domestic businesses who have exporting capabilities and who have access to the global value chain,\u201d\u00a0recommended\u00a0the\u00a0study\u00a0co-authored by Mr. Rivera.\u00a0\nAt the symposium, he added that it is\u00a0important for entrepreneurs\u00a0to go digital to normalize peer-to-peer connections, and to take advantage of government-sponsored capacity-building and mentoring programs.\u00a0\n“Capacity-building and mentoring programs should touch on both hard and soft skills, as well as micro- and macro- perspectives,\u201d said Mr. Rivera. Micro-perspectives\u00a0include crowdfunding, total quality management, and risk management, whereas macro-perspectives referred to familiarity and proficiency in regulatory and economic policies.\u00a0\n\u201cThese will allow MSMEs to proficiently and confidently participate in a globalized business environment, not only because risks have been mitigated, but also because they are well-equipped to strengthen their value chain,\u201d he\u00a0said. \u201cMSMEs are ready, but they need assistance.\u201d\u00a0\nThe 2019 List of Establishments of the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded\u00a0a total of 1,000,506 business enterprises operating in the country. Of these, 995,745 (99.5%) are MSMEs.\u00a0The top five industry sectors according to the number of MSMEs that year were: wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; accommodation and food service activities; manufacturing; other service activities; and financial and insurance activities. A majority of MSMEs can be found in the National Capital Region (NCR), followed by\u00a0Region\u00a04-A (CALABARZON), and Region 3 (Central Luzon).\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-07-01T13:28:53+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-07-01T13:31:36+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/winseciontainkes/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5aebc87a76b327f90fc9671dea4220c74092c328c9b13ee03e93a20601e350d3?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/winseciontainkes/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5aebc87a76b327f90fc9671dea4220c74092c328c9b13ee03e93a20601e350d3?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/port-container-van.jpg", "tags": [ "digitalization", "MSMEs", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "EntrepreNews" ] }, { "id": "/?p=373868", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/06/07/373868/startups-trying-to-solve-plastic-problem-receive-support-from-wwf-investor-groups/", "title": "Startups\u00a0trying to\u00a0solve plastic problem\u00a0receive support from WWF, investor groups", "content_html": "Five startups working on a different piece of the plastic waste puzzle will receive support from\u00a0World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-PH)\u00a0and several investor groups.\u00a0\u00a0
\nAtoANI BioPack,\u00a0AUDEO,\u00a0Cloop,\u00a0Nanolabs, and\u00a0Salin PH\u00a0were selected from a pool of enterprises that were part of\u00a0earlier incubation programs\u00a0by\u00a0makesense, a social entrepreneurship community;\u00a0and\u00a0The Incubation Network (TIN), a connected network of innovators, investors, organizations, and government leaders across South and Southeast Asia.\u00a0
\n\u201cWhile all the innovations and business models in the pool were promising, these five enterprises were selected because the entrepreneurs behind them expressed their commitment to solve the problem, embark on this learning journey, and move their enterprises forward,\u201d said Love Gregorie M. Perez, director of\u00a0xchange, an active investor in early-stage impact enterprises in the Philippines.\u00a0
\nAtoANI\u00a0BioPack\u00a0is working on\u00a0packaging alternatives\u00a0made from agricultural waste, Salin PH is working on finding a refilling model that is scalable, while AUDEO,\u00a0Cloop, and\u00a0Nanolabs\u00a0are taking plastic waste and using them in innovative ways to come up with value-added products.\u00a0
\nPlastic pollution threatens communities, marine life, and the Earth\u2019s ecosystems. An\u00a0October 2020 WWF Philippines report\u00a0estimated that about 2.15 million tons of plastics are generated annually in the country. The average Filipino generates about 15.43 kilograms of plastic per year. Packaging wastes that are commonly found in wastes streams include packaging for consumer goods, disposable food containers, and multi-layered sachets.\u00a0
\nTINGI\u00a0MENTALITY
\nUntil August, the five\u00a0enterprises\u00a0are undergoing\u00a0a program with activities on innovation and systems thinking, marketing, accounting, strategic planning, the circular economy, gender lens investing, and pilot designing.\u00a0
\u201cIt\u2019s been a learning and collaborative process especially during a pandemic. We learned that there are many ways to solve the plastic problem, so clarity is key because it provides direction. Going in the right direction is much more important than scaling because we have to consider social and environmental issues; we have to be more inter-sectional. With a possible ban on single-use plastics, it\u2019s important to start opening conversations with key stakeholders to ease the transition by collaborating on possible solutions,\u201d said Donna\u00a0Formalejo,\u00a0cofounder and chief creative officer of\u00a0Salin PH.\u00a0
\nAmong the mentors are TJ Agulto of AHA! Behavioral Consulting, who will conduct a masterclass on understanding behavioral science and applying these concepts to drive behavior change in individuals and organizations towards\u00a0zero waste\u00a0and\u00a0the circular economy. Another is Marie Torres of Investing in Women, who will conduct a masterclass on understanding the principles of gender, diversity, and inclusivity and how these impact businesses.\u00a0
\nThe role of impact entrepreneurs is to ideate, test, and execute innovative market-based solutions, said Czarina Constantino-Panopio, WWF-PH project manager for Plastic Smart Cities and national lead for the No Plastics in Nature Initiative.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cWe acknowledge the\u00a0tingi\u00a0mentality is something that has been instilled in Filipinos due to reasons of buying capacity and current need for the item,\u201d she told\u00a0大象传媒\u00a0in a separate e-mail interview. \u201cWe want to come up with ways on how Filipinos can still buy in\u00a0tingi\u00a0while taking in consideration the environmental impact of these plastics. What we want to emphasize is that sustainability is something that is also economical.\u201d\u00a0
\nApart from working with impact entrepreneurs, WWF is also working with other stakeholders to address the Philippines\u2019\u00a0plastic pollution situation. This includes working with policy makers to advocate for an Extended Producer Responsibility where producers take responsibility for the full life cycle of the plastics they bring into the market.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe believe that we need to work with stakeholders in the entire plastic value chain to stop plastic waste leakage into nature,\u201d added Ms. Panopio.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Patricia B. Mirasol\u00a0
\n", "content_text": "Five startups working on a different piece of the plastic waste puzzle will receive support from\u00a0World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-PH)\u00a0and several investor groups.\u00a0\u00a0\nAtoANI BioPack,\u00a0AUDEO,\u00a0Cloop,\u00a0Nanolabs, and\u00a0Salin PH\u00a0were selected from a pool of enterprises that were part of\u00a0earlier incubation programs\u00a0by\u00a0makesense, a social entrepreneurship community;\u00a0and\u00a0The Incubation Network (TIN), a connected network of innovators, investors, organizations, and government leaders across South and Southeast Asia.\u00a0\n\u201cWhile all the innovations and business models in the pool were promising, these five enterprises were selected because the entrepreneurs behind them expressed their commitment to solve the problem, embark on this learning journey, and move their enterprises forward,\u201d said Love Gregorie M. Perez, director of\u00a0xchange, an active investor in early-stage impact enterprises in the Philippines.\u00a0\nAtoANI\u00a0BioPack\u00a0is working on\u00a0packaging alternatives\u00a0made from agricultural waste, Salin PH is working on finding a refilling model that is scalable, while AUDEO,\u00a0Cloop, and\u00a0Nanolabs\u00a0are taking plastic waste and using them in innovative ways to come up with value-added products.\u00a0\nPlastic pollution threatens communities, marine life, and the Earth\u2019s ecosystems. An\u00a0October 2020 WWF Philippines report\u00a0estimated that about 2.15 million tons of plastics are generated annually in the country. The average Filipino generates about 15.43 kilograms of plastic per year. Packaging wastes that are commonly found in wastes streams include packaging for consumer goods, disposable food containers, and multi-layered sachets.\u00a0\nTINGI\u00a0MENTALITY\nUntil August, the five\u00a0enterprises\u00a0are undergoing\u00a0a program with activities on innovation and systems thinking, marketing, accounting, strategic planning, the circular economy, gender lens investing, and pilot designing.\u00a0\n\u201cIt\u2019s been a learning and collaborative process especially during a pandemic. We learned that there are many ways to solve the plastic problem, so clarity is key because it provides direction. Going in the right direction is much more important than scaling because we have to consider social and environmental issues; we have to be more inter-sectional. With a possible ban on single-use plastics, it\u2019s important to start opening conversations with key stakeholders to ease the transition by collaborating on possible solutions,\u201d said Donna\u00a0Formalejo,\u00a0cofounder and chief creative officer of\u00a0Salin PH.\u00a0\nAmong the mentors are TJ Agulto of AHA! Behavioral Consulting, who will conduct a masterclass on understanding behavioral science and applying these concepts to drive behavior change in individuals and organizations towards\u00a0zero waste\u00a0and\u00a0the circular economy. Another is Marie Torres of Investing in Women, who will conduct a masterclass on understanding the principles of gender, diversity, and inclusivity and how these impact businesses.\u00a0\nThe role of impact entrepreneurs is to ideate, test, and execute innovative market-based solutions, said Czarina Constantino-Panopio, WWF-PH project manager for Plastic Smart Cities and national lead for the No Plastics in Nature Initiative.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cWe acknowledge the\u00a0tingi\u00a0mentality is something that has been instilled in Filipinos due to reasons of buying capacity and current need for the item,\u201d she told\u00a0大象传媒\u00a0in a separate e-mail interview. \u201cWe want to come up with ways on how Filipinos can still buy in\u00a0tingi\u00a0while taking in consideration the environmental impact of these plastics. What we want to emphasize is that sustainability is something that is also economical.\u201d\u00a0\nApart from working with impact entrepreneurs, WWF is also working with other stakeholders to address the Philippines\u2019\u00a0plastic pollution situation. This includes working with policy makers to advocate for an Extended Producer Responsibility where producers take responsibility for the full life cycle of the plastics they bring into the market.\u00a0\n\u201cWe believe that we need to work with stakeholders in the entire plastic value chain to stop plastic waste leakage into nature,\u201d added Ms. Panopio.\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Patricia B. Mirasol\u00a0", "date_published": "2021-06-07T17:56:59+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-06-07T17:56:59+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/garbage-102017.jpg", "tags": [ "Patricia B. Mirasol", "plastic", "startups", "WWF", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "Five startups working on a different piece of the plastic waste puzzle will receive support from\u00a0World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-PH)\u00a0and several investor groups.\u00a0\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=369826", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/05/20/369826/a-year-into-the-pandemic-small-businesses-are-still-solidifying-digital-marketing-efforts/", "title": "A year into the pandemic, small businesses are still solidifying digital marketing efforts", "content_html": "By Patricia B. Mirasol\u00a0
\nWanderskye, a travel and everyday essentials brand, beefed up its digital presence to\u00a0keep afloat during\u00a0the pandemic.\u00a0
\n\u201cSocial media has been our ally\u00a0\u2026,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Wanderskye\u00a0Chief\u00a0Executive\u00a0Officer\u00a0Bianca S.\u00a0Larra\u00f1aga. \u201cWhen\u00a0the\u00a0pandemic hit, we didn\u2019t stop our social media efforts and made sure we kept our presence felt despite what\u2019s happening in the world.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0
\nDigital sales\u00a0through the brand\u2019s website and shopping platforms like Shopee\u00a0now make up 40% of\u00a0Wanderskye\u2019s\u00a0total monthly sales. Prior to the pandemic, that figure was 5%, as\u00a0most\u00a0sales were made through mall terminals alongside retail shops such as The Travel Club.\u00a0
\nTHE RIGHT CHANNELS
\nDigital marketing\u00a0includes leveraging websites, search engines, social media, and e-mail to reach customers.\u00a0
\u201cIt is about choosing the right channels for your brand, depending on your target market,\u201d said Vanya P. Tantoco, freelancer and owner of digital agency\u00a0Z Digital Studios.\u00a0Where social management\u00a0is for brand consistency\u00a0(which\u00a0helps with platform algorithms), ad placement or management\u00a0is\u00a0for reaching\u00a0more potential customers and yielding\u00a0better sales.\u00a0
\nOnline consumer behavior has evolved a year into the pandemic, with more Filipinos embracing e-commerce.\u00a0An April 2021 by\u00a0ShopBack, an Asia Pacific pre-shopping portal, found that\u00a092%\u00a0of Filipino shoppers\u00a0purchase\u00a0from online\u00a0marketplaces such as\u00a0Amazon,\u00a0Lazada, and Shopee and\u00a0another 71.3% buy from other online\u00a0platforms\u00a0\u2014\u00a0such as brand websites and social media\u00a0\u2014\u00a0when they offer\u00a0exclusive brand promotions, wider selections, and better discounts.\u00a0
\nThis is a jump from the findings of an\u00a0April 2020\u00a0report by We Are Social, Hootsuite, and Kepios, which\u00a0found\u00a0that 23% of Filipino Internet users\u00a0spent more time\u00a0shopping online.\u00a0\u00a0
\nKEY INDICATORS\u00a0
\nNumbers and results are important indicators of digital marketing success, said Reiner Cadiz,\u00a0chief executive officer\u00a0of digital marketing agency\u00a0iAdvertise Solutions,\u00a0in a May 17 webinar organized by\u00a0The Manila Times.\u00a0\u00a0
\u201cNo matter how great the product, no matter how great the service of a company, if no one sees\u00a0the content the company puts\u00a0up, then all that effort\u00a0is\u00a0wasted,\u201d he\u00a0said\u00a0in the vernacular.\u00a0
\nThe agency\u2019s sister company,\u00a0iWatch, has community\u00a0of more than 600,000 members\u00a0to help newbies\u00a0gain the traction needed to garner results online.\u00a0The numbers provided by their team, Mr. Cadiz said,\u00a0are both guaranteed and organic, translating to real leads and sales.\u00a0\u00a0
\nAmong the clients in\u00a0iAdvertise\u2019s\u00a0roster is digital banking solutions provider\u00a0PearlPay Solutions, whose\u00a0explainer YouTube video\u00a0generated\u00a02.4 million views\u00a0with the help of the agency.\u00a0
\nMANAGING EXPECTATIONS
\nResults don\u2019t happen overnight, cautioned Ms. Tantoco.\u00a0\u201cWhat\u2019s challenging for us is whenever clients expect immediate results,\u201d she said. \u201cThey feel like since digital is fast-paced, they can expect changes in 24 hours when,\u00a0in fact,\u00a0it\u2019s more than that.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0
Z Digital Studios sets expectations at the onset by having a minimum number of months for every contract, the better to monitor each account\u2019s growth and set better key performance indicators each month.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s really the process of putting your brand into the intricate webspace and finding the right spot for your audience to find you and get results,\u201d said Ms. Tantoco.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nAmong the clients of Z Digital Studios is\u00a0Wanderskye,\u00a0which\u00a0is solidifying its marketing\u00a0strategies\u00a0and adding\u00a0Google Ads\u00a0as a new growth channel. \u201cWe understand the need to reach our customers digitally to make it easy for them to buy our products without leaving their homes,\u201d Ms.\u00a0Larra\u00f1aga\u00a0\u00a0said. \u201cThis way, we\u2019ll be able to be\u00a0where our customers need us when they need us.\u201d\u00a0
\n", "content_text": "By Patricia B. Mirasol\u00a0\nWanderskye, a travel and everyday essentials brand, beefed up its digital presence to\u00a0keep afloat during\u00a0the pandemic.\u00a0\n\u201cSocial media has been our ally\u00a0\u2026,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0Wanderskye\u00a0Chief\u00a0Executive\u00a0Officer\u00a0Bianca S.\u00a0Larra\u00f1aga. \u201cWhen\u00a0the\u00a0pandemic hit, we didn\u2019t stop our social media efforts and made sure we kept our presence felt despite what\u2019s happening in the world.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\nDigital sales\u00a0through the brand\u2019s website and shopping platforms like Shopee\u00a0now make up 40% of\u00a0Wanderskye\u2019s\u00a0total monthly sales. Prior to the pandemic, that figure was 5%, as\u00a0most\u00a0sales were made through mall terminals alongside retail shops such as The Travel Club.\u00a0\nTHE RIGHT CHANNELS\nDigital marketing\u00a0includes leveraging websites, search engines, social media, and e-mail to reach customers.\u00a0\n\u201cIt is about choosing the right channels for your brand, depending on your target market,\u201d said Vanya P. Tantoco, freelancer and owner of digital agency\u00a0Z Digital Studios.\u00a0Where social management\u00a0is for brand consistency\u00a0(which\u00a0helps with platform algorithms), ad placement or management\u00a0is\u00a0for reaching\u00a0more potential customers and yielding\u00a0better sales.\u00a0\nOnline consumer behavior has evolved a year into the pandemic, with more Filipinos embracing e-commerce.\u00a0An April 2021 by\u00a0ShopBack, an Asia Pacific pre-shopping portal, found that\u00a092%\u00a0of Filipino shoppers\u00a0purchase\u00a0from online\u00a0marketplaces such as\u00a0Amazon,\u00a0Lazada, and Shopee and\u00a0another 71.3% buy from other online\u00a0platforms\u00a0\u2014\u00a0such as brand websites and social media\u00a0\u2014\u00a0when they offer\u00a0exclusive brand promotions, wider selections, and better discounts.\u00a0\nThis is a jump from the findings of an\u00a0April 2020\u00a0report by We Are Social, Hootsuite, and Kepios, which\u00a0found\u00a0that 23% of Filipino Internet users\u00a0spent more time\u00a0shopping online.\u00a0\u00a0\nKEY INDICATORS\u00a0\nNumbers and results are important indicators of digital marketing success, said Reiner Cadiz,\u00a0chief executive officer\u00a0of digital marketing agency\u00a0iAdvertise Solutions,\u00a0in a May 17 webinar organized by\u00a0The Manila Times.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cNo matter how great the product, no matter how great the service of a company, if no one sees\u00a0the content the company puts\u00a0up, then all that effort\u00a0is\u00a0wasted,\u201d he\u00a0said\u00a0in the vernacular.\u00a0\nThe agency\u2019s sister company,\u00a0iWatch, has community\u00a0of more than 600,000 members\u00a0to help newbies\u00a0gain the traction needed to garner results online.\u00a0The numbers provided by their team, Mr. Cadiz said,\u00a0are both guaranteed and organic, translating to real leads and sales.\u00a0\u00a0\nAmong the clients in\u00a0iAdvertise\u2019s\u00a0roster is digital banking solutions provider\u00a0PearlPay Solutions, whose\u00a0explainer YouTube video\u00a0generated\u00a02.4 million views\u00a0with the help of the agency.\u00a0\nMANAGING EXPECTATIONS\nResults don\u2019t happen overnight, cautioned Ms. Tantoco.\u00a0\u201cWhat\u2019s challenging for us is whenever clients expect immediate results,\u201d she said. \u201cThey feel like since digital is fast-paced, they can expect changes in 24 hours when,\u00a0in fact,\u00a0it\u2019s more than that.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\nZ Digital Studios sets expectations at the onset by having a minimum number of months for every contract, the better to monitor each account\u2019s growth and set better key performance indicators each month.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s really the process of putting your brand into the intricate webspace and finding the right spot for your audience to find you and get results,\u201d said Ms. Tantoco.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nAmong the clients of Z Digital Studios is\u00a0Wanderskye,\u00a0which\u00a0is solidifying its marketing\u00a0strategies\u00a0and adding\u00a0Google Ads\u00a0as a new growth channel. \u201cWe understand the need to reach our customers digitally to make it easy for them to buy our products without leaving their homes,\u201d Ms.\u00a0Larra\u00f1aga\u00a0\u00a0said. \u201cThis way, we\u2019ll be able to be\u00a0where our customers need us when they need us.\u201d\u00a0", "date_published": "2021-05-20T17:03:26+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-05-20T17:03:26+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/social-media.jpg", "tags": [ "digital marketing", "e-commerce", "iAdvertise\u00a0Solutions", "iWatch", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "ShopBack", "Wanderskye", "Z Digital Studios", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "Wanderskye, a travel and everyday essentials brand, beefed up its digital presence to\u00a0keep afloat during\u00a0the pandemic.\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=365535", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/05/03/365535/protecting-innovation-from-patent-trolls/", "title": "Protecting innovation from patent trolls", "content_html": "Orbital Exploration Technologies (OrbitX), a space technology startup based in Quezon City, recently joined the LOT Network, an international community of tech companies that shelters members from patent assertion entities (PAEs).\u00a0
\n\u201cIt was important to our entire team of researchers, scientists, developers, and everyone at OrbitX to join a protective organization like the LOT Network,\u201d said Dexter P. Ba\u00f1o Jr., founder and president of OrbitX, in a press statement. \u201cAs a new space tech player \u2014 and a pioneering one from the Philippines \u2014 we want to set an example for all future deep tech and space tech players that protecting innovation is paramount to the success of any tech startup.\u201d
\nA PAE, sometimes called a patent troll, is considered by the network to be a patent holder, in combination with its affiliates, that generates more than 50% of its gross revenue from patent assertion.\u00a0
\nMembers of the LOT Network agree that if \u2014 and only if \u2014 a patent owned by a member company falls into the hands of a patent troll, then that company grants the other members a license to that patent, which means the patent can no longer be used by trolls to sue the members of the community.\u00a0
\nIn a 2016 interview with Intellectual Property Watch, Ken S. Seddon, chief executive officer of the LOT Network, noted that smaller companies have a higher likelihood of being sued by PAEs. \u201cOver 50% of companies sued by patent trolls make less than $10 million in revenue,\u201d he said, \u201cbecause the PAEs know that smaller companies will often settle, not having the financial and IP (intellectual property)-specific resources in-house to defend themselves.\u201d
\nFREE FOR STARTUPS
\nAccording to the LOT Network, its members still retain the traditional use of their patents: \u201cFor example, members are still free to sell or transfer their patents, participate in patent pools, license patents for revenue, or assert them. LOT Network is purely defensive immunization against costly PAE litigation.\u201d\u00a0
OrtbitX, which was endorsed to the LOT Network by the International Trade Council, is filing patents for its new engine designs, together with its injectors and plumbing. \u201cThese parts have new measurements and specifications intended to work just for our Haribon rocket,\u201d said Mr. Ba\u00f1o. \u201cEven the fuselage, fuel, and oxidizer tanks will be subject to intellectual property.\u201d
\n\u201cOur team is now more at ease working on bringing sustainable space exploration to the market with our protections afforded by the LOT agreement,\u201d he added.
\nIt is important to recognize the contributions that innovative companies make \u2014 as well as the importance of patent systems in protecting these innovators \u2014 said Mr. Seddon. Membership at the network is free for startups with less than $25 million in annual revenue.\u00a0
\n\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled that OrbitX saw the value in joining our community,\u201d he added. \u201cTheir membership affords them, their stakeholders, and their clients proof that their innovations, R&D (research and development), and future patents are part of [the protection] offered by our community.\u201d
\nLenovo, The Walt Disney Company, Netflix, Inc., Pinterest Inc., and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), are among the 1,400 members of the LOT Network. The one other Philippine-based member company is business solutions provider Mustard Seed Systems Corporation, which joined in October 2018. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "Orbital Exploration Technologies (OrbitX), a space technology startup based in Quezon City, recently joined the LOT Network, an international community of tech companies that shelters members from patent assertion entities (PAEs).\u00a0\n\u201cIt was important to our entire team of researchers, scientists, developers, and everyone at OrbitX to join a protective organization like the LOT Network,\u201d said Dexter P. Ba\u00f1o Jr., founder and president of OrbitX, in a press statement. \u201cAs a new space tech player \u2014 and a pioneering one from the Philippines \u2014 we want to set an example for all future deep tech and space tech players that protecting innovation is paramount to the success of any tech startup.\u201d\nA PAE, sometimes called a patent troll, is considered by the network to be a patent holder, in combination with its affiliates, that generates more than 50% of its gross revenue from patent assertion.\u00a0\nMembers of the LOT Network agree that if \u2014 and only if \u2014 a patent owned by a member company falls into the hands of a patent troll, then that company grants the other members a license to that patent, which means the patent can no longer be used by trolls to sue the members of the community.\u00a0\nIn a 2016 interview with Intellectual Property Watch, Ken S. Seddon, chief executive officer of the LOT Network, noted that smaller companies have a higher likelihood of being sued by PAEs. \u201cOver 50% of companies sued by patent trolls make less than $10 million in revenue,\u201d he said, \u201cbecause the PAEs know that smaller companies will often settle, not having the financial and IP (intellectual property)-specific resources in-house to defend themselves.\u201d\nFREE FOR STARTUPS\nAccording to the LOT Network, its members still retain the traditional use of their patents: \u201cFor example, members are still free to sell or transfer their patents, participate in patent pools, license patents for revenue, or assert them. LOT Network is purely defensive immunization against costly PAE litigation.\u201d\u00a0\nOrtbitX, which was endorsed to the LOT Network by the International Trade Council, is filing patents for its new engine designs, together with its injectors and plumbing. \u201cThese parts have new measurements and specifications intended to work just for our Haribon rocket,\u201d said Mr. Ba\u00f1o. \u201cEven the fuselage, fuel, and oxidizer tanks will be subject to intellectual property.\u201d\n\u201cOur team is now more at ease working on bringing sustainable space exploration to the market with our protections afforded by the LOT agreement,\u201d he added.\nIt is important to recognize the contributions that innovative companies make \u2014 as well as the importance of patent systems in protecting these innovators \u2014 said Mr. Seddon. Membership at the network is free for startups with less than $25 million in annual revenue.\u00a0\n\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled that OrbitX saw the value in joining our community,\u201d he added. \u201cTheir membership affords them, their stakeholders, and their clients proof that their innovations, R&D (research and development), and future patents are part of [the protection] offered by our community.\u201d\nLenovo, The Walt Disney Company, Netflix, Inc., Pinterest Inc., and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), are among the 1,400 members of the LOT Network. The one other Philippine-based member company is business solutions provider Mustard Seed Systems Corporation, which joined in October 2018. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-05-03T16:42:03+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-05-03T16:42:03+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/right-4926156_1280-e1620031314429.jpg", "tags": [ "LOT Network", "OrbitX", "patent trolls", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "Orbital Exploration Technologies (OrbitX), a space technology startup based in Quezon City, recently joined the LOT Network, an international community of tech companies that shelters members from patent assertion entities (PAEs).\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=364440", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/04/28/364440/akadsph-streamlines-process-of-booking-an-online-tutor/", "title": "AkadsPH streamlines process of booking an online tutor", "content_html": "AkadsPH, an online tutoring service, offers one-on-one tutorial sessions to students who undergo its matching system. Clients can book and pay on a single platform.
\n\u201cMost of the tutorial services that transitioned to offer online tutorials have unorganized booking systems and limited payment modes,\u201d said Angela Nicole M. Mercado, chief executive officer of AkadsPH. \u201cThey operate mainly on Facebook and Zoom, which could be time-consuming for busy parents who wouldn\u2019t want to go through multiple platforms just to book a tutor.\u201d
\nStudents are matched to a tutor in the AkadsPH platform based on the details they include in their profile. All eligible tutors are notified afterwards, with the first one to accept getting the booking.\u00a0
\nThe platform also has a chat feature, which allows for easy communication among parents, tutors, and students; email and text notifications, to remind parents of upcoming tutorial sessions for their children; a files drive similar to Google Drive, to help a tutor align with the current lessons of the student; and a favorite tutor function, for parents who prefer to book a particular tutor.
\nAkads Meet, the platform\u2019s video call component, provides a stable learning experience by adjusting each call\u2019s video quality based on the tutor and the student\u2019s Internet connection.
\n\u201cBeing software scalable, we can easily add helpful features that can make this experience better for both parents and tutor,\u201d said Gabriel Lucas M. Reganit, chief sales officer of Akads.\u00a0
\nAkadsPH, which launched with the help of startup incubator QBO Innovation Hub, targets parents of students in grades 1 to 10 who are affected by the closure of tutorial centers due to the pandemic. It has conducted over 180 sessions with 26 students since its launch in January, with most of its clients coming from private schools in Metro Manila. It has also onboarded 84 college-student tutors.\u00a0
\nA rigorous application process is conducted for its tutors, which includes assessments that weigh heavily on mock tutorials, said Ms. Mercado. \u201cMost of our tutors are college students who can teach Math, English, Filipino, and Science, which is why we only offer these subjects for now.\u201d
\nParents usually book math tutorials for their children, added Mr. Reganit. \u201cWe ensure that we enrich the student\u2019s knowledge by giving exercises during and after the session to promote mastery and constant practice,\u201d he said. \u201cParents are satisfied because of the improvement of their kid\u2019s grades.\u201d
\nTUTORING INDUSTRY
\nTechnavio, a global technology research and advisory company, forecasts the global K-12 online tutoring market to grow by $60.03 billion during 2019\u20132023, progressing at a compound annual growth rate of 12% during the forecast period. Forty-eight percent of this growth will originate from the Asia Pacific region. One of the key drivers for this market will be the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.
A report released in December 2020 by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) said that the Philippines fared worst among 58 countries in an assessment for mathematics and science for Grade 4 students. The Philippines scored 297 in math and 249 in science, according to the IEA\u2019s Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019.
\n\u201cSeeing as students in this generation live in a digital age, schools and tutorials would be able to teach better by adapting technology in their education programs,\u201d said Mr. Reganit. \u201cWe aim to address these gaps starting with online tutoring. Looking forward, we believe that digitizing education will empower students to help them achieve their academic goals and beyond.\u201d\u00a0
\nAkadsPH offers a free one-hour trial session. Rates range from P500 for an hour to P6,760 for 15 hours. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "AkadsPH, an online tutoring service, offers one-on-one tutorial sessions to students who undergo its matching system. Clients can book and pay on a single platform.\n\u201cMost of the tutorial services that transitioned to offer online tutorials have unorganized booking systems and limited payment modes,\u201d said Angela Nicole M. Mercado, chief executive officer of AkadsPH. \u201cThey operate mainly on Facebook and Zoom, which could be time-consuming for busy parents who wouldn\u2019t want to go through multiple platforms just to book a tutor.\u201d\nStudents are matched to a tutor in the AkadsPH platform based on the details they include in their profile. All eligible tutors are notified afterwards, with the first one to accept getting the booking.\u00a0\nThe platform also has a chat feature, which allows for easy communication among parents, tutors, and students; email and text notifications, to remind parents of upcoming tutorial sessions for their children; a files drive similar to Google Drive, to help a tutor align with the current lessons of the student; and a favorite tutor function, for parents who prefer to book a particular tutor.\nAkads Meet, the platform\u2019s video call component, provides a stable learning experience by adjusting each call\u2019s video quality based on the tutor and the student\u2019s Internet connection.\n\u201cBeing software scalable, we can easily add helpful features that can make this experience better for both parents and tutor,\u201d said Gabriel Lucas M. Reganit, chief sales officer of Akads.\u00a0\nAkadsPH, which launched with the help of startup incubator QBO Innovation Hub, targets parents of students in grades 1 to 10 who are affected by the closure of tutorial centers due to the pandemic. It has conducted over 180 sessions with 26 students since its launch in January, with most of its clients coming from private schools in Metro Manila. It has also onboarded 84 college-student tutors.\u00a0\nA rigorous application process is conducted for its tutors, which includes assessments that weigh heavily on mock tutorials, said Ms. Mercado. \u201cMost of our tutors are college students who can teach Math, English, Filipino, and Science, which is why we only offer these subjects for now.\u201d\nParents usually book math tutorials for their children, added Mr. Reganit. \u201cWe ensure that we enrich the student\u2019s knowledge by giving exercises during and after the session to promote mastery and constant practice,\u201d he said. \u201cParents are satisfied because of the improvement of their kid\u2019s grades.\u201d\nTUTORING INDUSTRY\nTechnavio, a global technology research and advisory company, forecasts the global K-12 online tutoring market to grow by $60.03 billion during 2019\u20132023, progressing at a compound annual growth rate of 12% during the forecast period. Forty-eight percent of this growth will originate from the Asia Pacific region. One of the key drivers for this market will be the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.\nA report released in December 2020 by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) said that the Philippines fared worst among 58 countries in an assessment for mathematics and science for Grade 4 students. The Philippines scored 297 in math and 249 in science, according to the IEA\u2019s Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019.\n\u201cSeeing as students in this generation live in a digital age, schools and tutorials would be able to teach better by adapting technology in their education programs,\u201d said Mr. Reganit. \u201cWe aim to address these gaps starting with online tutoring. Looking forward, we believe that digitizing education will empower students to help them achieve their academic goals and beyond.\u201d\u00a0\nAkadsPH offers a free one-hour trial session. Rates range from P500 for an hour to P6,760 for 15 hours. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-04-28T17:23:41+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-04-28T18:33:18+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/online-study-computer-e1619601814282.jpg", "tags": [ "AkadsPH", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "QBO", "startup", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "AkadsPH, an online tutoring service, offers one-on-one tutorial sessions to students who undergo its matching system. Clients can book and pay on a single platform." }, { "id": "/?p=363589", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/04/26/363589/career-coaching-platform-to-help-people-find-jobs-amid-pandemic/", "title": "Career-coaching platform to help people find jobs amid pandemic\u00a0", "content_html": "\n
Sociov, an on-demand career-coaching platform, connects students who need help identifying their professional goals with suitable mentors. It also acts as a hub for coaches (who may be looking for higher-level coaches themselves) and training companies.\u00a0
\nThe startup, short for Social Innovation, aims to capitalize on the Philippines\u2019s untapped market. Similar coaching platforms abroad include San Francisco\u2019s Better Up, Berlin\u2019s CoachHub, and Vancouver\u2019s Noomii.
\nThe 2020 ICF (International Coaching Federation) Global Coaching Study, the largest coaching industry research study in history, reported that in 2019, the estimated revenue from coaching was $2.849 billion \u2014 a 21% increase over the 2015 estimate. The numbers of leaders using coaching skills is estimated to have risen by almost half (+46%). In Asia, the estimated number of such leaders more than doubled (+124%).\u00a0
\n\u201cCoaching is a saturated market in western countries like Canada, USA, and England, but [the industry] is a very open space in Asia,\u201d said Danille Fritzgerald O. Soria, Sociov\u2019s chief executive officer. \u201cIf you were to ask me five years ago, which was the time I received my first coaching session, no one would have ever predicted this kind of growth.\u201d
\nSociov automates the client-to-coach matching process and provides information that helps clients decide on the right coach for them, while considering quality, accessibility, and affordability, said Mr. Soria.
\nSociov is raising another round of investments this June, with a group of Filipino executives and an Indonesian angel investor indicating their interest. The funds will be used to launch resume and job interview coaching for job seekers and graduating students. The career coaching niche, said Mr. Soria, makes sense because a lot of people lost their jobs in this pandemic.\u00a0
\nIts private beta will launch this July. \u201cWe are initially targeting graduating students from big universities with 6\u201315 months left before graduation. We also plan to cater to other private colleges and institutions anytime soon,\u201d he said. \u201cOur partner-coaches love to work with fresh graduates and students coming from business, finance, economics, psychology, or communication courses.\u201d
\nLast year, Sociov raised capital from several angel investors, an Australia-based professor, and a Filipino management consultant.\u00a0
\nThere are currently 18 partner coaches earning with Sociov, 94 coaching hours served by these coaches, and 14 clients matched to date through Sociov’s concierge model. There are also 19 learners in its Coaching Academy.
\nIn the web platform, the suggested ceiling price for resume coaching is P500 for a bronze coach, P1,500 for a silver coach, and P4,500 for a gold coach. For job interview coaching, the suggested ceiling price is P800, P1,800, P5,000, and 6,000 for bronze, silver, gold, and platinum coaches, respectively. The startup gets a 20\u201330% commission for each match. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "Image via Sociov\n \nSociov, an on-demand career-coaching platform, connects students who need help identifying their professional goals with suitable mentors. It also acts as a hub for coaches (who may be looking for higher-level coaches themselves) and training companies.\u00a0\nThe startup, short for Social Innovation, aims to capitalize on the Philippines\u2019s untapped market. Similar coaching platforms abroad include San Francisco\u2019s Better Up, Berlin\u2019s CoachHub, and Vancouver\u2019s Noomii.\nThe 2020 ICF (International Coaching Federation) Global Coaching Study, the largest coaching industry research study in history, reported that in 2019, the estimated revenue from coaching was $2.849 billion \u2014 a 21% increase over the 2015 estimate. The numbers of leaders using coaching skills is estimated to have risen by almost half (+46%). In Asia, the estimated number of such leaders more than doubled (+124%).\u00a0\n\u201cCoaching is a saturated market in western countries like Canada, USA, and England, but [the industry] is a very open space in Asia,\u201d said Danille Fritzgerald O. Soria, Sociov\u2019s chief executive officer. \u201cIf you were to ask me five years ago, which was the time I received my first coaching session, no one would have ever predicted this kind of growth.\u201d\nSociov automates the client-to-coach matching process and provides information that helps clients decide on the right coach for them, while considering quality, accessibility, and affordability, said Mr. Soria.\nSociov is raising another round of investments this June, with a group of Filipino executives and an Indonesian angel investor indicating their interest. The funds will be used to launch resume and job interview coaching for job seekers and graduating students. The career coaching niche, said Mr. Soria, makes sense because a lot of people lost their jobs in this pandemic.\u00a0\nIts private beta will launch this July. \u201cWe are initially targeting graduating students from big universities with 6\u201315 months left before graduation. We also plan to cater to other private colleges and institutions anytime soon,\u201d he said. \u201cOur partner-coaches love to work with fresh graduates and students coming from business, finance, economics, psychology, or communication courses.\u201d\nLast year, Sociov raised capital from several angel investors, an Australia-based professor, and a Filipino management consultant.\u00a0\nThere are currently 18 partner coaches earning with Sociov, 94 coaching hours served by these coaches, and 14 clients matched to date through Sociov’s concierge model. There are also 19 learners in its Coaching Academy.\nIn the web platform, the suggested ceiling price for resume coaching is P500 for a bronze coach, P1,500 for a silver coach, and P4,500 for a gold coach. For job interview coaching, the suggested ceiling price is P800, P1,800, P5,000, and 6,000 for bronze, silver, gold, and platinum coaches, respectively. The startup gets a 20\u201330% commission for each match. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-04-26T16:37:48+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-04-26T16:38:00+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/theneed.png", "tags": [ "career coaching", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "Sociov", "startup", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "Sociov, an on-demand career-coaching platform, connects students who need help identifying their professional goals with suitable mentors. It also acts as a hub for coaches (who may be looking for higher-level coaches themselves) and training companies.\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=361016", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/04/15/361016/tech-enabled-coffee-chain-to-expand-in-the-philippines-six-other-markets-this-year/", "title": "Tech-enabled coffee chain to expand in the Philippines, six other markets this year", "content_html": "![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Flash-Coffee-e1618477933985.jpg\")
Flash Coffee, a Singapore-based, tech-enabled coffee chain, announced that it raised $15 million in Series A funding in a round led by White Star Capital, with participation from investors including Delivery Hero-backed DX Ventures, Global Founders Capital, and Conny & Co.\u00a0
\nThe Series A round sets the total capital raised to $20 million, and will be used to expand the brand in 10 markets across the Asia Pacific this year, including seven new markets: Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.\u00a0
\nThe company aims to digitize the offline-dominated coffee industry with a consumer app that has a streamlined pick-up feature, loyalty program, personalized promotions, and interactive challenges. It also has a barista app that improves operational store efficiency and enables performance-based incentives for its baristas.
\n\u201cFlash Coffee\u2019s business model has proven successful during the pandemic in all of its markets,\u201d said co-founder and Chief Executive Officer David Jonathan Brunier. \u201cOur app\u2019s pick-up feature together with our focus on grab-and-go locations enable customers to pick up their orders quickly and safely.\u201d
\nDrinks in the coffee menu are curated by World Latte Art Champion Arnon Thitiprasert, and are also available in custom packaging through delivery platforms like Foodpanda and Grab.
\n\u201cNot implementing a tech-first strategy is an antiquated way of doing business,\u201d said Mr. Brunier. \u201cThis model is better suited for young, lifestyle-savvy middle-class consumers.\u201d
\nPHILIPPINE COFFEE MARKET
\nThe coffee chain launched in January 2020, and operates 50 locations across Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. It plans to open its first 10 branches in the Philippines in the second half of 2021, with the first locations in Metro Manila.\u00a0
In an e-mail interview with 大象传媒, Mr. Brunier said that the Philippine coffee chain market\u2019s appeal is due to the high population density in the country\u2019s key cities, a rising middle class eager to try new products, and an ever-growing coffee per capita consumption.
\n\u201cWe see a very large potential for disrupting the Philippines\u2019 coffee industry with our high-quality coffee at affordable prices,\u201d he said. \u201cGiven the fact that mobile usage is especially high in the Philippines, we also foresee our intuitive and convenient consumer app to revolutionize the way Filipinos enjoy their daily caffeine fix.\u201d
\nCoffee from well-known brands is expensive and hence inaccessible to the Asian middle class, Mr. Brunier said, referencing as an example the average daily income in the Philippines being equivalent to the price of three Starbucks lattes.\u00a0
\nFor the majority of industry players, the operational backend (shops, stock management, purchasing, and staffing) is mostly offline, which opens opportunities for digitization and optimized processes.\u00a0
\n\u201cCustomers are constantly paying high prices for coffee from large outlets with extensive seating in expensive neighborhoods, while the majority of orders are grab-and-go and delivery,\u201d he added. \u2014\u00a0 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "Flash Coffee, a Singapore-based, tech-enabled coffee chain, announced that it raised $15 million in Series A funding in a round led by White Star Capital, with participation from investors including Delivery Hero-backed DX Ventures, Global Founders Capital, and Conny & Co.\u00a0\nThe Series A round sets the total capital raised to $20 million, and will be used to expand the brand in 10 markets across the Asia Pacific this year, including seven new markets: Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.\u00a0\nThe company aims to digitize the offline-dominated coffee industry with a consumer app that has a streamlined pick-up feature, loyalty program, personalized promotions, and interactive challenges. It also has a barista app that improves operational store efficiency and enables performance-based incentives for its baristas.\n\u201cFlash Coffee\u2019s business model has proven successful during the pandemic in all of its markets,\u201d said co-founder and Chief Executive Officer David Jonathan Brunier. \u201cOur app\u2019s pick-up feature together with our focus on grab-and-go locations enable customers to pick up their orders quickly and safely.\u201d\nDrinks in the coffee menu are curated by World Latte Art Champion Arnon Thitiprasert, and are also available in custom packaging through delivery platforms like Foodpanda and Grab.\n\u201cNot implementing a tech-first strategy is an antiquated way of doing business,\u201d said Mr. Brunier. \u201cThis model is better suited for young, lifestyle-savvy middle-class consumers.\u201d\nPHILIPPINE COFFEE MARKET\nThe coffee chain launched in January 2020, and operates 50 locations across Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia. It plans to open its first 10 branches in the Philippines in the second half of 2021, with the first locations in Metro Manila.\u00a0\nIn an e-mail interview with 大象传媒, Mr. Brunier said that the Philippine coffee chain market\u2019s appeal is due to the high population density in the country\u2019s key cities, a rising middle class eager to try new products, and an ever-growing coffee per capita consumption.\n\u201cWe see a very large potential for disrupting the Philippines\u2019 coffee industry with our high-quality coffee at affordable prices,\u201d he said. \u201cGiven the fact that mobile usage is especially high in the Philippines, we also foresee our intuitive and convenient consumer app to revolutionize the way Filipinos enjoy their daily caffeine fix.\u201d\nCoffee from well-known brands is expensive and hence inaccessible to the Asian middle class, Mr. Brunier said, referencing as an example the average daily income in the Philippines being equivalent to the price of three Starbucks lattes.\u00a0\nFor the majority of industry players, the operational backend (shops, stock management, purchasing, and staffing) is mostly offline, which opens opportunities for digitization and optimized processes.\u00a0\n\u201cCustomers are constantly paying high prices for coffee from large outlets with extensive seating in expensive neighborhoods, while the majority of orders are grab-and-go and delivery,\u201d he added. \u2014\u00a0 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-04-15T17:12:29+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-04-15T17:12:29+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Flash-Coffee-e1618477933985.jpg", "tags": [ "coffee", "David Jonathan Brunier", "Flash Coffee", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "Singapore", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "Flash Coffee, a Singapore-based, tech-enabled coffee chain, announced that it raised $15 million in Series A funding in a round led by White Star Capital, with participation from investors including Delivery Hero-backed DX Ventures, Global Founders Capital, and Conny & Co.\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=351924", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/03/22/351924/women-entrepreneurs-find-opportunities-on-youtube/", "title": "Women entrepreneurs find opportunities on YouTube", "content_html": "\u201cMa-digiskarteng\u201d Pinays (digitally savvy Filipinas) are using YouTube to bounce back from the pandemic. A recent Google Philippines event highlighted four female YouTube content creators who have created livelihood opportunities through the video-sharing platform.\u00a0
\nJudy Ann S. Agoncillo, an actress with more than 1.5 million subscribers, started her channel as an outlet to share what she enjoys doing. Judy Ann\u2019s Kitchen has now also paved a way for women to learn new skills that create entrepreneurial opportunities.
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Judy_Ann_s_Kitchen_2.jpg\")
\u201cWith the situation now, what else do you have to lose?,\u201d said Ms. Agoncillo. \u201cYou want to evolve and do something and, of course, you also want to earn. You can do this for free. The only limit is your imagination.\u201d She added that the pandemic is a good time to take a risk. \u201cLife\u2019s too short to box yourself. What\u2019s important is you\u2019re able to do something for yourself.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0
\nTinmay A. Arcenas, for her part, pivoted from maarte (artsy) to madiskarte (resourceful) content when she realized that a lot of people lost their jobs over the pandemic. The lifestyle-turned-business vlogger, who has 40,000 subscribers, shares scenes from her family\u2019s poultry farm business, together with tips on how to be more productive.\u00a0
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Tinmay_Arcenas.jpg\")
Also featured at the same event were Dielian E. Certeza and Juliette B. Piquero, who both turned to YouTube to start their own businesses when the pandemic struck.\u00a0
\nMs. Certeza had to look for alternative sources of income last year when she lost her part-time job. \u201cI was scared that I\u2019d stop schooling, scared that I\u2019d be a burden,\u201d she told the audience. Having no prior background in culinary arts, she began to develop her concept for a food business by mining the information found on such channels as The Sauce and Gravy Channel, Gneth\u2019s Life, Kuya Fern\u2019s Cooking, Lian Lim, Friend-Cheap Menu, Fixitsamo, Epoy\u2019s Kitchen, Panlasang Pinoy, and Ninong Ry.\u00a0
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Dielian_Certeza_2.png\")
Hot Chicks, the restaurant born from all these efforts, is now able to meet all her family\u2019s needs. \u201cI am proud that I am able to help others though my business,\u201d Ms. Certeza said. \u201cTrust the process, calm your mind and heart, find what you are passionate about, and trust the Lord.\u201d\u00a0
\nMs. Piquero also began conceptualizing her idea of an online business after picking up tips from local channels like Madiskarteng Nanay, Chef RV Manabat, and Lutong Tinapay, the result of which became Nenita’s CAKES and Pastries.
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Juliette_Piquero.jpg\")
\u201cI ventured into other businesses first, such as succulents, but that didn\u2019t pick up,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was my fondness for cooking that led me to baking cakes as a hobby, and which eventually turned into a business,\u201d she said, adding that she uses YouTube as a reference for recipes and baking trends. \u201c[My sales] definitely helps me and my family during these challenging times,\u201d she added.\u00a0
\nAspiring content creators were advised to start small as well as be authentic and willing to learn.\u00a0
\n\u201cI don\u2019t advise you to give advice on something you haven\u2019t done yet,\u201d Ms. Agoncillo told the audience. \u201cIt\u2019s okay to be honest and say, \u2018Let me try it first, then I\u2019ll share my experience with you,\u2019 so you build that relationship [with your subscribers].\u201d \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "\u201cMa-digiskarteng\u201d Pinays (digitally savvy Filipinas) are using YouTube to bounce back from the pandemic. A recent Google Philippines event highlighted four female YouTube content creators who have created livelihood opportunities through the video-sharing platform.\u00a0\nJudy Ann S. Agoncillo, an actress with more than 1.5 million subscribers, started her channel as an outlet to share what she enjoys doing. Judy Ann\u2019s Kitchen has now also paved a way for women to learn new skills that create entrepreneurial opportunities.\nJudy Ann S. Agoncillo\n\u201cWith the situation now, what else do you have to lose?,\u201d said Ms. Agoncillo. \u201cYou want to evolve and do something and, of course, you also want to earn. You can do this for free. The only limit is your imagination.\u201d She added that the pandemic is a good time to take a risk. \u201cLife\u2019s too short to box yourself. What\u2019s important is you\u2019re able to do something for yourself.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\nTinmay A. Arcenas, for her part, pivoted from maarte (artsy) to madiskarte (resourceful) content when she realized that a lot of people lost their jobs over the pandemic. The lifestyle-turned-business vlogger, who has 40,000 subscribers, shares scenes from her family\u2019s poultry farm business, together with tips on how to be more productive.\u00a0\nTinmay A. Arcenas\nAlso featured at the same event were Dielian E. Certeza and Juliette B. Piquero, who both turned to YouTube to start their own businesses when the pandemic struck.\u00a0\nMs. Certeza had to look for alternative sources of income last year when she lost her part-time job. \u201cI was scared that I\u2019d stop schooling, scared that I\u2019d be a burden,\u201d she told the audience. Having no prior background in culinary arts, she began to develop her concept for a food business by mining the information found on such channels as The Sauce and Gravy Channel, Gneth\u2019s Life, Kuya Fern\u2019s Cooking, Lian Lim, Friend-Cheap Menu, Fixitsamo, Epoy\u2019s Kitchen, Panlasang Pinoy, and Ninong Ry.\u00a0\nDielian E. Certeza\nHot Chicks, the restaurant born from all these efforts, is now able to meet all her family\u2019s needs. \u201cI am proud that I am able to help others though my business,\u201d Ms. Certeza said. \u201cTrust the process, calm your mind and heart, find what you are passionate about, and trust the Lord.\u201d\u00a0\nMs. Piquero also began conceptualizing her idea of an online business after picking up tips from local channels like Madiskarteng Nanay, Chef RV Manabat, and Lutong Tinapay, the result of which became Nenita’s CAKES and Pastries.\nJuliette B. Piquero\n\u201cI ventured into other businesses first, such as succulents, but that didn\u2019t pick up,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was my fondness for cooking that led me to baking cakes as a hobby, and which eventually turned into a business,\u201d she said, adding that she uses YouTube as a reference for recipes and baking trends. \u201c[My sales] definitely helps me and my family during these challenging times,\u201d she added.\u00a0\nAspiring content creators were advised to start small as well as be authentic and willing to learn.\u00a0\n\u201cI don\u2019t advise you to give advice on something you haven\u2019t done yet,\u201d Ms. Agoncillo told the audience. \u201cIt\u2019s okay to be honest and say, \u2018Let me try it first, then I\u2019ll share my experience with you,\u2019 so you build that relationship [with your subscribers].\u201d \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-03-22T16:59:58+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-03-22T16:59:58+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Dielian E. Certeza", "entrepreneurs", "Judy Ann S. Agoncillo", "Juliette B. Piquero", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "SMEs", "Tinmay A. Arcenas", "vlogging", "youtube", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "\u201cMa-digiskarteng\u201d Pinays (digitally savvy Filipinas) are using YouTube to bounce back from the pandemic. A recent Google Philippines event highlighted four female YouTube content creators who have created livelihood opportunities through the video-sharing platform.\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=349675", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/03/11/349675/startup-monitors-electricity-consumption-helps-users-to-improve-energy-efficiency/", "title": "Startup monitors electricity consumption, helps users to improve energy efficiency", "content_html": "SmarterMeter, a platform that monitors electricity consumption via Wi-Fi, allows consumers to track their usage prior to receiving their official bill. The collected data\u2014said to be 96% to 99% accurate\u2014can be used to double-check kilowatt-hour (kWh) readings from an electricity provider.
\nFounded in May 2019 as a spinoff project from an electronics engineering undergraduate thesis, it consists of an electricity meter installed onto a household circuit panel and an electricity management platform capable of comparing consumption results, generating user-friendly charts, and sending notifications when a user is about to exceed a set electricity budget.\u00a0
\n\u00a0A performance report is also sent via e-mail every other week, along with feedback aimed at\u00a0 improving energy efficiency.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe believe that real energy efficiency comes from a community of informed smarter consumers,\u201d said Reinelle Jan C. Bugnot, founder and CEO of SmarterMeter Inc.
\n\u201cWe plan to partner with condominiums, housing developers, or subdivisions to launch multiple SmarterMeter units at scale to produce localized communities of Smarter consumers, which then yields a culture of energy efficiency,\u201d he added.
\nSmarterMeter won the Blue Legacy Innovation competition last year, which provided the company enough funding to have it incorporated in the Securities and Exchange Commission in November 2020.
\nThree- to 12-month subscription plans, starting at P375 per month, are available. A bond fee is collected at the start of subscription as insurance for the device installed in the subscriber\u2019s home, which will be returned in full upon device retrieval at the end of subscription.\u00a0
\nSmarterMeter participated in QBO Innovation Hub\u2019s incubation program. Launched in 2020 in partnership with the US Embassy in the Philippines, the program provides financial support in the form of grants, loans, and fundraising opportunities, and mentorship to startups. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "SmarterMeter, a platform that monitors electricity consumption via Wi-Fi, allows consumers to track their usage prior to receiving their official bill. The collected data\u2014said to be 96% to 99% accurate\u2014can be used to double-check kilowatt-hour (kWh) readings from an electricity provider.\nFounded in May 2019 as a spinoff project from an electronics engineering undergraduate thesis, it consists of an electricity meter installed onto a household circuit panel and an electricity management platform capable of comparing consumption results, generating user-friendly charts, and sending notifications when a user is about to exceed a set electricity budget.\u00a0\n\u00a0A performance report is also sent via e-mail every other week, along with feedback aimed at\u00a0 improving energy efficiency.\u00a0\n\u201cWe believe that real energy efficiency comes from a community of informed smarter consumers,\u201d said Reinelle Jan C. Bugnot, founder and CEO of SmarterMeter Inc.\n\u201cWe plan to partner with condominiums, housing developers, or subdivisions to launch multiple SmarterMeter units at scale to produce localized communities of Smarter consumers, which then yields a culture of energy efficiency,\u201d he added.\nSmarterMeter won the Blue Legacy Innovation competition last year, which provided the company enough funding to have it incorporated in the Securities and Exchange Commission in November 2020.\nThree- to 12-month subscription plans, starting at P375 per month, are available. A bond fee is collected at the start of subscription as insurance for the device installed in the subscriber\u2019s home, which will be returned in full upon device retrieval at the end of subscription.\u00a0\nSmarterMeter participated in QBO Innovation Hub\u2019s incubation program. Launched in 2020 in partnership with the US Embassy in the Philippines, the program provides financial support in the form of grants, loans, and fundraising opportunities, and mentorship to startups. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-03-11T16:56:05+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-03-11T16:56:05+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "app", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "QBO", "SmarterMeter", "startup", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "SmarterMeter, a platform that monitors electricity consumption via Wi-Fi, allows consumers to track their usage prior to receiving their official bill. The collected data\u2014said to be 96% to 99% accurate\u2014can be used to double-check kilowatt-hour (kWh) readings from an electricity provider." }, { "id": "/?p=348924", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/03/08/348924/moneybees-opens-three-crypto-exchange-outlets/", "title": "Moneybees opens three crypto exchange outlets", "content_html": "Moneybees, a cryptocurrency over-the-counter (OTC) service in the Philippines, opened three new outlets in February in the Trinoma, Glorietta, and Okada branches of Tivoli Money Exchange, a money changer service.\u00a0
\n“With the rising demand for cryptocurrency trading and investment, we aim to facilitate P2 billion worth of transaction volume in 2021. To serve more customers, we’re also looking at opening more outlets in malls around the Philippines and partnering with major market players in the remittance and money exchange industry. We target to open 100 outlets by the end of the year,” said Paulo E. Del Puerto, Moneybees chief executive officer, in a statement.\u00a0
\nIts other outlets are Monteal Money Changer in Venice Grand Canal Mall, Psulit Money Changer in Intrepid Plaza, Willyn Villarica Jewelry in Market Market, and Erus Maerd Pawnshop and Money Exchange in Resorts World Manila.\u00a0
\nIn an interview with 大象传媒, he added that more institutions will embrace cryptocurrency, bitcoin, and blockchain by adding them as part of their assets or using them as part of their technology stack.
\n\u201cWe will see some big companies supporting or even issuing out their own cryptocurrencies,\u201d Mr. Del Puerto said. \u201cThis, in turn, can give the general public more access and more confidence in cryptocurrency, making it more acceptable.\u201d
\nFounded in 2017, the local company provides the technology to make the exchange between currencies and digital currencies accessible to government-licensed money changers with physical outlets. This technology makes it possible for money changers to accept and facilitate cryptocurrency transactions without the risk of market volatility.
\nAlmost all cryptocurrency users with Binance, Bitmex, and other exchange wallets are supported by the platform. Users can transact as much as P5 million in one day. They can also cash out their trading gains from exchanges that don\u2019t have peso cashouts like Binance, Bittrex, and Bitstamp.\u00a0
\nThe most popular cryptocurrencies in the Philippines are Bitcoin and Ethereum, according to Moneybees, with Bitcoin accounting for the most transactions on its platform.\u00a0\u00a0
\nMoneybees is registered with the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) as a remittance agent with Virtual Currency Exchange (VCE) service. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "Moneybees, a cryptocurrency over-the-counter (OTC) service in the Philippines, opened three new outlets in February in the Trinoma, Glorietta, and Okada branches of Tivoli Money Exchange, a money changer service.\u00a0\n“With the rising demand for cryptocurrency trading and investment, we aim to facilitate P2 billion worth of transaction volume in 2021. To serve more customers, we’re also looking at opening more outlets in malls around the Philippines and partnering with major market players in the remittance and money exchange industry. We target to open 100 outlets by the end of the year,” said Paulo E. Del Puerto, Moneybees chief executive officer, in a statement.\u00a0\nIts other outlets are Monteal Money Changer in Venice Grand Canal Mall, Psulit Money Changer in Intrepid Plaza, Willyn Villarica Jewelry in Market Market, and Erus Maerd Pawnshop and Money Exchange in Resorts World Manila.\u00a0\nIn an interview with 大象传媒, he added that more institutions will embrace cryptocurrency, bitcoin, and blockchain by adding them as part of their assets or using them as part of their technology stack.\n\u201cWe will see some big companies supporting or even issuing out their own cryptocurrencies,\u201d Mr. Del Puerto said. \u201cThis, in turn, can give the general public more access and more confidence in cryptocurrency, making it more acceptable.\u201d\nFounded in 2017, the local company provides the technology to make the exchange between currencies and digital currencies accessible to government-licensed money changers with physical outlets. This technology makes it possible for money changers to accept and facilitate cryptocurrency transactions without the risk of market volatility.\nAlmost all cryptocurrency users with Binance, Bitmex, and other exchange wallets are supported by the platform. Users can transact as much as P5 million in one day. They can also cash out their trading gains from exchanges that don\u2019t have peso cashouts like Binance, Bittrex, and Bitstamp.\u00a0\nThe most popular cryptocurrencies in the Philippines are Bitcoin and Ethereum, according to Moneybees, with Bitcoin accounting for the most transactions on its platform.\u00a0\u00a0\nMoneybees is registered with the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and with the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) as a remittance agent with Virtual Currency Exchange (VCE) service. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-03-08T17:19:42+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-03-08T17:19:42+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Moneybees", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "Moneybees, a cryptocurrency over-the-counter (OTC) service in the Philippines, opened three new outlets in February in the Trinoma, Glorietta, and Okada branches of Tivoli Money Exchange, a money changer service.\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=347939", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/03/03/347939/online-palengke-delivers-wet-and-dry-goods-to-ones-doorstep/", "title": "Online palengke delivers wet and dry goods to one\u2019s doorstep", "content_html": "PalengkeLink, a local digital delivery and online palengke (wet market) app for wet and dry goods, allows customers to place orders with a merchant identified as a palengke stall owner or local market partner, and have their goods delivered by a rider partner within the day.
\nLaunched on March 1, the app offers the convenience of local market selections with affordable fees. The app\u2019s convenience fee is 8% for cashless transactions and 15% for cash transactions. Its share in delivery fees is 10%.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe created an app that caters to a different client base,\u201d said Mark Ryan T. Penafiel, PalengkeLink programming and accounting officer. \u201cOur goal is to serve the other sectors: palengkes and home-based food sellers that have no available platform to sell their products.\u201d\u00a0
\nThe PalengkeLink team visited wet markets and taught vendors how to use the platform. They were soon trying to outdo each other in photographing their items and writing product descriptions. \u201cThey are empowered to upload their items themselves on the app,\u201d said Mr. Penafiel.\u00a0
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/PalengkeLink-app-in-use.jpg\")
There are more than 150 merchants on the app. A five-star rating system weeds out merchants with consistently low ratings (or those with fewer than three stars). The platform has 15 rider partners, with more than 100 others waiting for their applications to be approved. The company said they do not overhire to ensure that all rider partners registered have enough bookings.\u00a0
\nCustomers can pay with cash, debit or credit card, or GCash. Only one fee is necessary for transactions, including multi-stall transactions.
\nPalengkiLink serves Quezon City, Marikina City, and the City of Manila, through stall owners in Farmers Market Cubao, Mega Q Mart, Altura Bagsakan Market, Guadalupe Commercial Complex, Marikina Public Market, Maypajo Public Market, and Choice Market Ortigas.\u00a0
\nIt is in talks with areas such as Davao, Cebu, and Tarlac that are interested in the app.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re trying to compete with giants in the market but [we will do it] slowly but surely,\u201d Mr. Penafiel said. \u201cWe\u2019re Philippine-based and we have low funding.\u201d
\nPalengkeLink is available on Android phones at the moment. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "PalengkeLink, a local digital delivery and online palengke (wet market) app for wet and dry goods, allows customers to place orders with a merchant identified as a palengke stall owner or local market partner, and have their goods delivered by a rider partner within the day.\nLaunched on March 1, the app offers the convenience of local market selections with affordable fees. The app\u2019s convenience fee is 8% for cashless transactions and 15% for cash transactions. Its share in delivery fees is 10%.\u00a0\n\u201cWe created an app that caters to a different client base,\u201d said Mark Ryan T. Penafiel, PalengkeLink programming and accounting officer. \u201cOur goal is to serve the other sectors: palengkes and home-based food sellers that have no available platform to sell their products.\u201d\u00a0\nThe PalengkeLink team visited wet markets and taught vendors how to use the platform. They were soon trying to outdo each other in photographing their items and writing product descriptions. \u201cThey are empowered to upload their items themselves on the app,\u201d said Mr. Penafiel.\u00a0\n\nThere are more than 150 merchants on the app. A five-star rating system weeds out merchants with consistently low ratings (or those with fewer than three stars). The platform has 15 rider partners, with more than 100 others waiting for their applications to be approved. The company said they do not overhire to ensure that all rider partners registered have enough bookings.\u00a0\nCustomers can pay with cash, debit or credit card, or GCash. Only one fee is necessary for transactions, including multi-stall transactions.\nPalengkiLink serves Quezon City, Marikina City, and the City of Manila, through stall owners in Farmers Market Cubao, Mega Q Mart, Altura Bagsakan Market, Guadalupe Commercial Complex, Marikina Public Market, Maypajo Public Market, and Choice Market Ortigas.\u00a0\nIt is in talks with areas such as Davao, Cebu, and Tarlac that are interested in the app.\n\u201cWe\u2019re trying to compete with giants in the market but [we will do it] slowly but surely,\u201d Mr. Penafiel said. \u201cWe\u2019re Philippine-based and we have low funding.\u201d\nPalengkeLink is available on Android phones at the moment. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-03-03T10:56:32+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-03-03T10:56:32+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "e-commerce", "PalengkeLink", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "EntrepreNews" ] }, { "id": "/?p=344696", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/02/15/344696/educational-tech-platform-helps-upskill-jobless-filipinos/", "title": "Educational tech platform helps upskill jobless Filipinos\u00a0", "content_html": "Course Belt, an online learning platform that offers courses and resources, helps unemployed Filipinos and freelancers acquire skills relevant to the job market.\u00a0
\nBorn at the beginning of the community quarantine and patterned after Udemy, an American online course provider, the platform has thus far attracted 21,000 students. A majority of the learners are between the ages of 20 to 40 years old, according to the company, and reflects the Filipino workforce\u2019s demand to upskill for jobs in the digital space.
\nCourse Belt founder Paolo R. Isyasa started as a one-man team with a one-page website offering a single course. The founder realized the potential of e-learning when the website got 1,000 paying students after a month of pre-selling.\u00a0
\n\u201cWhen I launched Course Belt, I only spent P1,000,\u201d he said. \u201cI used it to buy the domain name and run paid ads. I then used all the revenues I got at the beginning to reinvest on the business and allot more budget on marketing to scale the business faster.\u201d
\nCIIT College of Arts and Technology, a multimedia arts school, has since invested and contributed to Course Belt\u2019s initial fund of P2 million for setting up the business.
\n\u201cEight months ago, I was severely burdened to see some of my friends lose their jobs because of the pandemic. So I asked myself, how can I help? That\u2019s how Course Belt was born,\u201d Mr.\u00a0 Isyasa. \u201cIt\u2019s a platform for learning new skills at one\u2019s own pace. Filipinos have the guts and skills. We just need to empower them.\u201d\u00a0
\nThe learning platform has self-paced courses in copywriting, digital marketing, web development, SEO (search engine optimization) writing, Facebook Ads, graphic design, and social media management, among others. The price of each ranges from P199 to P499.
\n\u201cTwo of our most popular courses are the WordPress and marketing course, which teaches students to develop websites with a marketing touch, and the social media management course, which enables them to manage social media for personal brands or businesses,\u201d Mr. Isyasa said.
\n\u201cWe currently don\u2019t have partnerships with other businesses yet since most of the students who complete our courses apply to foreign companies,\u201d he added, \u201cso from our end, we make sure they have the skills foreign employers need in their businesses.\u201d
\nAccording to the International Labor Organization, the economic recession due to the pandemic has led to 81 million jobs lost in the Asia Pacific region. Meanwhile, the Asian Development Bank\u00a0 estimated that at least 2.1 million Filipino workers may have lost their jobs in 2020 due to the pandemic. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "Course Belt, an online learning platform that offers courses and resources, helps unemployed Filipinos and freelancers acquire skills relevant to the job market.\u00a0\nBorn at the beginning of the community quarantine and patterned after Udemy, an American online course provider, the platform has thus far attracted 21,000 students. A majority of the learners are between the ages of 20 to 40 years old, according to the company, and reflects the Filipino workforce\u2019s demand to upskill for jobs in the digital space.\nCourse Belt founder Paolo R. Isyasa started as a one-man team with a one-page website offering a single course. The founder realized the potential of e-learning when the website got 1,000 paying students after a month of pre-selling.\u00a0\n\u201cWhen I launched Course Belt, I only spent P1,000,\u201d he said. \u201cI used it to buy the domain name and run paid ads. I then used all the revenues I got at the beginning to reinvest on the business and allot more budget on marketing to scale the business faster.\u201d\nCIIT College of Arts and Technology, a multimedia arts school, has since invested and contributed to Course Belt\u2019s initial fund of P2 million for setting up the business.\n\u201cEight months ago, I was severely burdened to see some of my friends lose their jobs because of the pandemic. So I asked myself, how can I help? That\u2019s how Course Belt was born,\u201d Mr.\u00a0 Isyasa. \u201cIt\u2019s a platform for learning new skills at one\u2019s own pace. Filipinos have the guts and skills. We just need to empower them.\u201d\u00a0\nThe learning platform has self-paced courses in copywriting, digital marketing, web development, SEO (search engine optimization) writing, Facebook Ads, graphic design, and social media management, among others. The price of each ranges from P199 to P499.\n\u201cTwo of our most popular courses are the WordPress and marketing course, which teaches students to develop websites with a marketing touch, and the social media management course, which enables them to manage social media for personal brands or businesses,\u201d Mr. Isyasa said.\n\u201cWe currently don\u2019t have partnerships with other businesses yet since most of the students who complete our courses apply to foreign companies,\u201d he added, \u201cso from our end, we make sure they have the skills foreign employers need in their businesses.\u201d\nAccording to the International Labor Organization, the economic recession due to the pandemic has led to 81 million jobs lost in the Asia Pacific region. Meanwhile, the Asian Development Bank\u00a0 estimated that at least 2.1 million Filipino workers may have lost their jobs in 2020 due to the pandemic. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-02-15T16:39:14+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-02-15T16:39:14+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Course Belt", "EdTech", "edutech", "jobs", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "startup", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "Course Belt, an online learning platform that offers courses and resources, helps unemployed Filipinos and freelancers acquire skills relevant to the job market.\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=343930", "url": "/technology/2021/02/10/343930/ai-startup-raises-4-million-in-seed-round-partners-with-lbc-express/", "title": "AI startup raises $4 million in seed round, partners with LBC Express", "content_html": "![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/container-021021.jpg\")
Expedock, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered supply-chain startup, raised $4 million in its seed round and closed an enterprise deal with LBC Express.\u00a0
\nThe startup will use its AI technology to automate the booking process between containers and carriers in order to expedite the movement of international goods.\u00a0
\nThese developments follow a $2.5 million investment led by Ali Partovi, chief executive of \u201ccommunal\u201d venture fund Neo, who has previously backed Airbnb, Dropbox, Facebook, and Uber.\u00a0
\nExpedock is also backed by executives at eBay, Foodpanda, coins.ph, Salesforce, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. The funding will be used for expansion and for product development to accommodate its growing number of international clients.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve seen firsthand how the errors in the first mile of shipping lead to costly corrections amounting up to $25,000. Freight forwarders have had to manually encode and process significant amounts of paperwork which, with one mistake, could cost a company thousands of dollars to correct,\u201d said co-founder King Alandy C. Dy in a press statement. \u201cOur technology comes in to convert any paper-based documents or scans into structured data for their freight systems. Our software provides the infrastructure for their data, thereby eliminating unwanted costs due to manual errors.\u201d
\nIts system, Expedock Nuance Technology, performs tasks by simulating human intelligence and removing the need for manual data entry and processing via workflow automation. The huge volume of data and documentation needed to move products from Point A to B previously made manual data entry and extraction cumbersome for businesses in the supply chain industry. Expedock\u2019s technology eliminates the need for data extraction and data entry work, decreases turnaround time by up to ten times, and improves data accuracy.\u00a0
\nCo-founded in 2019 by Filipinos Dy and Jeff Tan, together with AI specialist Rui Aguiar, the company moves thousands of freight containers a week and counts a.hartrodt, Rose Containerline, Premier Services Italia, Andalin, Fremura, CNT and MHM Global among its international clients. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "Expedock moves thousands of freight containers a week. Its software converts paper-based documents or scans into structured data for freight systems and eliminates unwanted costs due to manual errors.\nExpedock, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered supply-chain startup, raised $4 million in its seed round and closed an enterprise deal with LBC Express.\u00a0\nThe startup will use its AI technology to automate the booking process between containers and carriers in order to expedite the movement of international goods.\u00a0\nThese developments follow a $2.5 million investment led by Ali Partovi, chief executive of \u201ccommunal\u201d venture fund Neo, who has previously backed Airbnb, Dropbox, Facebook, and Uber.\u00a0\nExpedock is also backed by executives at eBay, Foodpanda, coins.ph, Salesforce, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. The funding will be used for expansion and for product development to accommodate its growing number of international clients.\u00a0\n\u201cWe\u2019ve seen firsthand how the errors in the first mile of shipping lead to costly corrections amounting up to $25,000. Freight forwarders have had to manually encode and process significant amounts of paperwork which, with one mistake, could cost a company thousands of dollars to correct,\u201d said co-founder King Alandy C. Dy in a press statement. \u201cOur technology comes in to convert any paper-based documents or scans into structured data for their freight systems. Our software provides the infrastructure for their data, thereby eliminating unwanted costs due to manual errors.\u201d\nIts system, Expedock Nuance Technology, performs tasks by simulating human intelligence and removing the need for manual data entry and processing via workflow automation. The huge volume of data and documentation needed to move products from Point A to B previously made manual data entry and extraction cumbersome for businesses in the supply chain industry. Expedock\u2019s technology eliminates the need for data extraction and data entry work, decreases turnaround time by up to ten times, and improves data accuracy.\u00a0\nCo-founded in 2019 by Filipinos Dy and Jeff Tan, together with AI specialist Rui Aguiar, the company moves thousands of freight containers a week and counts a.hartrodt, Rose Containerline, Premier Services Italia, Andalin, Fremura, CNT and MHM Global among its international clients. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-02-10T16:33:24+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-02-10T16:33:24+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Artificial intelligence", "Expedock", "LBC Express", "logistics", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "shipping", "supply chain", "EntrepreNews", "Technology" ], "summary": "Expedock, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered supply-chain startup, raised $4 million in its seed round and closed an enterprise deal with LBC Express.\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=340425", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/01/22/340425/gen-zs-value-financial-independence-long-term-growth-when-it-comes-to-investments/", "title": "Gen Zs value financial independence, long-term growth when it comes to investments", "content_html": "Nicole Alba, a Generation-Z YouTuber with 100,000 subscribers, creates videos on personal finance, investing, and self-development. She posted her first video in May 2020, shortly after the pandemic broke out because she wanted to have something to work on during the lockdown.
\n\u201cI don\u2019t think I can speak for Gen Z as a whole, but I personally save and invest so I won\u2019t be trapped in a 9\u20135 job in the future,\u201d she said.\u00a0
\nThe political science student had little background in personal finance growing up. A dilemma on which course to take in college led her to online resources on ways to earn money and start preparing for the future. In the beginning, she followed the advice she read about buying blue-chip stocks in the market and invested in Jollibee.\u00a0
\nFor financial advice, she now consults Investopedia, PH Invest on Reddit, and 大象传媒, as well as personal finance YouTubers like Graham Stephan, who became a millionaire by the time he turned 26; Andrei Jikh, who became a millionaire in one year; Meet Kevin, a 28-year-old real estate broker and investor; and Nate O\u2019Brien, who posts videos on productivity and minimalism aside from personal finance. These YouTubers have a wide audience, with subscribers in the millions.
\n\u201cFor the most part, I don\u2019t monitor what happens in the markets on a regular basis. I prefer to keep my investments simple, boring, and mostly automated,\u201d said Ms. Alba, \u201cso I can focus my time doing other things, like making videos for my YouTube channel and finding other ways to increase my income.\u201d
\nMany who belong to her cohort (those born between 1996 and 2010), she added, are \u201cinterested in starting their own businesses online to leverage the power of Internet platforms.\u201d
\nMs. Alba\u2019s entrepreneurial bent is representative of multiple studies that say members of Generation Z want to run their own businesses.
\nThe Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2020, meanwhile, found that while long-term finances are a top cause of stress, more than half of millennials, and nearly half of Gen Zs, are saving money and could cope if they unexpectedly received a large bill. The said survey also found that family, financial future, and job prospects remain the primary sources of stress of both millennials and Gen Zs, with Gen Zs being more concerned about longer-term money issues.
\nGET-RICH-QUICK?
\nAmong the specific funds Ms. Alba invests in are the First Metro Philippine Equity Exchange-Traded Fund, Inc. (FMETF), a local exchange-traded fund, and the MP2 (Modified Pag-IBIG 2) Savings Fund, a savings facility with a five-year maturity designed for Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF, or more popularly known as the Pag-IBIG Fund) members.\u00a0
\n\u201cBefore I decide what to invest in or what action to take, I always identify my goal first. Since I\u2019m mostly investing for the long-term (10\u201315+ years), I\u2019m able to be more aggressive in my investments and take on more risk when it comes to investing,\u201d said Ms. Alba.\u00a0
\nHer YouTube subscribers who are around her age, she noted, are interested in investing and trading because they are seen as viable paths \u201cto get rich.\u201d Those who are new to personal finance are vulnerable to scams. \u201cPeople comment on my videos and ask if [this or that business] is legit or not. I see that as a problem,\u201d she said.
\nA self-learner, Ms. Alba turns to finance education websites like Investopedia, which tells you that if an advisor guarantees returns higher than 12\u201315%, it is likely a scam. She also warned against chain referral schemes and Ponzi schemes. \u201cAt the end of the day, it\u2019s also a business, so ask: how do they generate revenue? How do they give back money to their investors?,\u201d said Ms. Alba.
\n", "content_text": "Nicole Alba, a Generation-Z YouTuber with 100,000 subscribers, creates videos on personal finance, investing, and self-development. She posted her first video in May 2020, shortly after the pandemic broke out because she wanted to have something to work on during the lockdown.\n\u201cI don\u2019t think I can speak for Gen Z as a whole, but I personally save and invest so I won\u2019t be trapped in a 9\u20135 job in the future,\u201d she said.\u00a0\nThe political science student had little background in personal finance growing up. A dilemma on which course to take in college led her to online resources on ways to earn money and start preparing for the future. In the beginning, she followed the advice she read about buying blue-chip stocks in the market and invested in Jollibee.\u00a0\nFor financial advice, she now consults Investopedia, PH Invest on Reddit, and 大象传媒, as well as personal finance YouTubers like Graham Stephan, who became a millionaire by the time he turned 26; Andrei Jikh, who became a millionaire in one year; Meet Kevin, a 28-year-old real estate broker and investor; and Nate O\u2019Brien, who posts videos on productivity and minimalism aside from personal finance. These YouTubers have a wide audience, with subscribers in the millions.\n\u201cFor the most part, I don\u2019t monitor what happens in the markets on a regular basis. I prefer to keep my investments simple, boring, and mostly automated,\u201d said Ms. Alba, \u201cso I can focus my time doing other things, like making videos for my YouTube channel and finding other ways to increase my income.\u201d\nMany who belong to her cohort (those born between 1996 and 2010), she added, are \u201cinterested in starting their own businesses online to leverage the power of Internet platforms.\u201d\nMs. Alba\u2019s entrepreneurial bent is representative of multiple studies that say members of Generation Z want to run their own businesses.\nThe Deloitte Global Millennial Survey 2020, meanwhile, found that while long-term finances are a top cause of stress, more than half of millennials, and nearly half of Gen Zs, are saving money and could cope if they unexpectedly received a large bill. The said survey also found that family, financial future, and job prospects remain the primary sources of stress of both millennials and Gen Zs, with Gen Zs being more concerned about longer-term money issues.\nGET-RICH-QUICK?\nAmong the specific funds Ms. Alba invests in are the First Metro Philippine Equity Exchange-Traded Fund, Inc. (FMETF), a local exchange-traded fund, and the MP2 (Modified Pag-IBIG 2) Savings Fund, a savings facility with a five-year maturity designed for Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF, or more popularly known as the Pag-IBIG Fund) members.\u00a0\n\u201cBefore I decide what to invest in or what action to take, I always identify my goal first. Since I\u2019m mostly investing for the long-term (10\u201315+ years), I\u2019m able to be more aggressive in my investments and take on more risk when it comes to investing,\u201d said Ms. Alba.\u00a0\nHer YouTube subscribers who are around her age, she noted, are interested in investing and trading because they are seen as viable paths \u201cto get rich.\u201d Those who are new to personal finance are vulnerable to scams. \u201cPeople comment on my videos and ask if [this or that business] is legit or not. I see that as a problem,\u201d she said.\nA self-learner, Ms. Alba turns to finance education websites like Investopedia, which tells you that if an advisor guarantees returns higher than 12\u201315%, it is likely a scam. She also warned against chain referral schemes and Ponzi schemes. \u201cAt the end of the day, it\u2019s also a business, so ask: how do they generate revenue? How do they give back money to their investors?,\u201d said Ms. Alba.", "date_published": "2021-01-22T15:00:01+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-01-22T15:00:01+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Gen Z", "Generation Z", "investing", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "personal finance", "EntrepreNews" ] }, { "id": "/?p=340420", "url": "/entreprenews/2021/01/22/340420/new-app-amigo-enters-on-demand-delivery-industry/", "title": "New app Amigo enters on-demand delivery industry", "content_html": "Amigo, a new player in the local on-demand delivery industry, provides parcel delivery, cash handling (a service involving the delivery of cash and payments on behalf of a customer), queuing service (a service involving lining up at an establishment on behalf of a customer to complete a delivery or claim an item), and \u201cpasabuy\u201d (a play on the Filipino pasabay, a term used when requesting someone to get something at a store they plan to shop in) via motorcycles. Amigo will officially launch second week of February.
\nCustomers can book immediate or scheduled parcel delivery, and can pay a priority fee if no rider accepts their booking. Up to 20 drop-off locations can be placed for a single booking, with a route optimization feature created for such multiple drop-offs.\u00a0
\nEach merchant partner, meanwhile, can expect a weekly analytics report as well as a dedicated account manager to cater to their business needs and concerns. Available too is package insurance with guidelines on possible scenarios like product damage, rider cancellations, and mishandling.
\nPartner riders similarly have the benefit of advanced analytics plus job cards containing details such as earnings and parcel details to improve their personal delivery business. Riders are not required to sign exclusivity agreements, and are supported through onboarding and training.
\n\u201cRiders are their own bosses. Everyone is accountable for their own time,\u201d said Kimberly Siy, Amigo\u2019s co-founder and managing director.\u00a0
\nTo ensure privacy, riders are required to encode a one-time password (OTP) at each pick-up and drop-off location. A number masking feature will additionally be rolled out in the coming months to hide contact numbers from app users.
\n\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s bad timing to launch at the tail end of the pandemic,\u201d said founder and president Matthew Siy Cha, replying to a question regarding the app\u2019s unveiling. \u201cThe pandemic sped up the projection the Philippines is headed towards. What sets us apart is that Amigo recognizes every delivery should be [a happy experience] for all stakeholders, and not just for customers. We want to live up to our name and really be an amigo.\u201d
\nThe app will initially be available in Metro Manila, Rizal, and some parts of Cavite. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "Amigo, a new player in the local on-demand delivery industry, provides parcel delivery, cash handling (a service involving the delivery of cash and payments on behalf of a customer), queuing service (a service involving lining up at an establishment on behalf of a customer to complete a delivery or claim an item), and \u201cpasabuy\u201d (a play on the Filipino pasabay, a term used when requesting someone to get something at a store they plan to shop in) via motorcycles. Amigo will officially launch second week of February.\nCustomers can book immediate or scheduled parcel delivery, and can pay a priority fee if no rider accepts their booking. Up to 20 drop-off locations can be placed for a single booking, with a route optimization feature created for such multiple drop-offs.\u00a0\nEach merchant partner, meanwhile, can expect a weekly analytics report as well as a dedicated account manager to cater to their business needs and concerns. Available too is package insurance with guidelines on possible scenarios like product damage, rider cancellations, and mishandling.\nPartner riders similarly have the benefit of advanced analytics plus job cards containing details such as earnings and parcel details to improve their personal delivery business. Riders are not required to sign exclusivity agreements, and are supported through onboarding and training.\n\u201cRiders are their own bosses. Everyone is accountable for their own time,\u201d said Kimberly Siy, Amigo\u2019s co-founder and managing director.\u00a0\nTo ensure privacy, riders are required to encode a one-time password (OTP) at each pick-up and drop-off location. A number masking feature will additionally be rolled out in the coming months to hide contact numbers from app users.\n\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s bad timing to launch at the tail end of the pandemic,\u201d said founder and president Matthew Siy Cha, replying to a question regarding the app\u2019s unveiling. \u201cThe pandemic sped up the projection the Philippines is headed towards. What sets us apart is that Amigo recognizes every delivery should be [a happy experience] for all stakeholders, and not just for customers. We want to live up to our name and really be an amigo.\u201d\nThe app will initially be available in Metro Manila, Rizal, and some parts of Cavite. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2021-01-22T13:17:27+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-01-22T13:17:27+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/winseciontainkes/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5aebc87a76b327f90fc9671dea4220c74092c328c9b13ee03e93a20601e350d3?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/winseciontainkes/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5aebc87a76b327f90fc9671dea4220c74092c328c9b13ee03e93a20601e350d3?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Amigo", "courier", "delivery", "logistics", "EntrepreNews" ] }, { "id": "/?p=337492", "url": "/technology/2021/01/07/337492/local-space-venture-gears-up-for-first-rocket-launch/", "title": "Local space venture gears up for first rocket launch", "content_html": "By Patricia B. Mirasol
\nOrbital Exploration Technologies, Inc. (OrbitX), the country\u2019s first commercial space venture, is targeting 2023\u20132024 for its first launch. Its rocket, the Haribon SLS-1, will be propelled by two of the company\u2019s other innovations: the Tamaraw Rocket Engine and RP-2 fuel, a renewable rocket fuel derived from plastics.\u00a0
\nHaribon SLS-1 is in Technology Readiness Level 4, or the level in which components are validated in a laboratory environment, and can carry approximately 200 kilograms in low earth orbit (an orbit with altitude ranging from 200\u2013300 kilometers to 1,600 kilometers).
\nSPACE ACCESS BENEFITS LIFE ON EARTH
\nSustaining earth and accessing space are two of the problems OrbitX tackles. Founded in 2019, the venture aims to be a major provider of affordable, green, and sustainable space access to developing countries while taking care of the environment. Its founder and chief executive officer, Dexter Ba\u00f1o Jr., said that the benefits of outer space ventures are here on terra firma.\u00a0
\n\u201cThe real benefit of having access to space is all on earth. Having access to space would allow us to attain better telecommunications, defense technologies, geopositioning services, and meteorological technologies,\u201d he said in an interview with 大象传媒. \u201cFor example, cancer research and farming could be improved if we have access to space. We can also protect our security as a nation because of better defense infrastructures that are only possible in space.\u201d
\nSpace science can help fight cancer by allowing researchers to study cell behavior that\u2019s normally masked by responses to gravity. The gravity experienced in low-earth orbit, for instance, is 10,000 to one million times less powerful than that felt on earth\u2019s surface. In microgravity, cells can be studied \u201cin a state more closely resembling cells in the body.\u201d
\nOther applications of space technology include: earth observation satellites that monitor greenhouse gases and possible natural calamities such as typhoons; global positioning system (GPS) navigation tools that allow for better mobility and prompt response during search and rescue missions; and microwaves and solar panels that started out as part of space projects but are now part of everyday living.
\nSEEKING SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION\u00a0
\nFunders of the deep-tech startup\u2019s project include several private individuals and Genix Ventures, a firm focused on investing and accelerating early-stage technology companies in Southeast Asia. Amazon Web Services has also given it a product grant for research worth $6,500 for two years of use.\u00a0
\nA crowdfunding campaign is underway too for those who want to pitch in their support; the general public can choose among packages that include incentives such as a space ticket and an exclusive Haribon SLS-1 launch day seat.
\nWhile seeking support, OrbitX discovered that most of the interest came from Indians across Europe and Asia. One such supporter, Abhishek Raju, himself a space industry professional, paved the way for connecting the company with the Indian Space Research Organization. Mr. Ba\u00f1o Jr. said he will be meeting the Indian ambassador to the Philippines soon to discuss a possible diplomatic collaboration between the Philippines and India.\u00a0
\n\u201cIndia is the most logical ally because, like the Philippines, they started at a very minimal budget to establish an extremely reliable space agency,\u201d he added. \u201cWe have similarities in our socio-economic status as countries. We also have a knowledge economy like India, but we are not yet utilizing it properly.\u201d
\nOrbitX sends the Philippine Space Agency regular updates on its project developments, although it is not affiliated with\u2014nor has it received any funding from\u2014the said agency.
\n", "content_text": "By Patricia B. Mirasol\nOrbital Exploration Technologies, Inc. (OrbitX), the country\u2019s first commercial space venture, is targeting 2023\u20132024 for its first launch. Its rocket, the Haribon SLS-1, will be propelled by two of the company\u2019s other innovations: the Tamaraw Rocket Engine and RP-2 fuel, a renewable rocket fuel derived from plastics.\u00a0\nHaribon SLS-1 is in Technology Readiness Level 4, or the level in which components are validated in a laboratory environment, and can carry approximately 200 kilograms in low earth orbit (an orbit with altitude ranging from 200\u2013300 kilometers to 1,600 kilometers).\nSPACE ACCESS BENEFITS LIFE ON EARTH\nSustaining earth and accessing space are two of the problems OrbitX tackles. Founded in 2019, the venture aims to be a major provider of affordable, green, and sustainable space access to developing countries while taking care of the environment. Its founder and chief executive officer, Dexter Ba\u00f1o Jr., said that the benefits of outer space ventures are here on terra firma.\u00a0\n\u201cThe real benefit of having access to space is all on earth. Having access to space would allow us to attain better telecommunications, defense technologies, geopositioning services, and meteorological technologies,\u201d he said in an interview with 大象传媒. \u201cFor example, cancer research and farming could be improved if we have access to space. We can also protect our security as a nation because of better defense infrastructures that are only possible in space.\u201d\nSpace science can help fight cancer by allowing researchers to study cell behavior that\u2019s normally masked by responses to gravity. The gravity experienced in low-earth orbit, for instance, is 10,000 to one million times less powerful than that felt on earth\u2019s surface. In microgravity, cells can be studied \u201cin a state more closely resembling cells in the body.\u201d\nOther applications of space technology include: earth observation satellites that monitor greenhouse gases and possible natural calamities such as typhoons; global positioning system (GPS) navigation tools that allow for better mobility and prompt response during search and rescue missions; and microwaves and solar panels that started out as part of space projects but are now part of everyday living.\nSEEKING SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION\u00a0\nFunders of the deep-tech startup\u2019s project include several private individuals and Genix Ventures, a firm focused on investing and accelerating early-stage technology companies in Southeast Asia. Amazon Web Services has also given it a product grant for research worth $6,500 for two years of use.\u00a0\nA crowdfunding campaign is underway too for those who want to pitch in their support; the general public can choose among packages that include incentives such as a space ticket and an exclusive Haribon SLS-1 launch day seat.\nWhile seeking support, OrbitX discovered that most of the interest came from Indians across Europe and Asia. One such supporter, Abhishek Raju, himself a space industry professional, paved the way for connecting the company with the Indian Space Research Organization. Mr. Ba\u00f1o Jr. said he will be meeting the Indian ambassador to the Philippines soon to discuss a possible diplomatic collaboration between the Philippines and India.\u00a0\n\u201cIndia is the most logical ally because, like the Philippines, they started at a very minimal budget to establish an extremely reliable space agency,\u201d he added. \u201cWe have similarities in our socio-economic status as countries. We also have a knowledge economy like India, but we are not yet utilizing it properly.\u201d\nOrbitX sends the Philippine Space Agency regular updates on its project developments, although it is not affiliated with\u2014nor has it received any funding from\u2014the said agency.", "date_published": "2021-01-07T11:37:27+08:00", "date_modified": "2021-01-07T11:37:27+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/winseciontainkes/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5aebc87a76b327f90fc9671dea4220c74092c328c9b13ee03e93a20601e350d3?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/winseciontainkes/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5aebc87a76b327f90fc9671dea4220c74092c328c9b13ee03e93a20601e350d3?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "OrbitX", "EntrepreNews", "Technology" ] }, { "id": "/?p=335046", "url": "/entreprenews/2020/12/18/335046/leslie-corporation-expands-its-bbq-bob-franchise-amid-pandemic/", "title": "Leslie Corporation expands its BBQ Bob franchise amid pandemic", "content_html": "BBQ Bob, a brand under the snack food company Leslie Corporation, is set to expand with more store openings after the announcement of its franchising offer in the third quarter of 2020. BBQ Bob is a small-format store that serves freshly cooked ready-to-eat BBQ and meals at affordable prices. Priority will be given to franchisees who wish to open stores in Metro Manila, Cavite, and Laguna.
\n\u201cWe launched this franchising option to open opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking for a business model that is proven to work even during a crisis. For the brand, this is the biggest change we will be doing,\u201d said Ferdinand Obuyes, senior sales area manager of Leslie Corporation.\u00a0
\nThe company surpassed last year\u2019s sales as of September 2020. Network revenues have also grown by 57% as compared to 2019, with a 20% increase in sales across all stores from June to September.\u00a0
\nBBQ Bob\u2019s franchise system is buttressed by the over 35-year franchising experience of its sister brand, Minute Burger, which has more than 700 stores in the Philippines. Like Minute Burger, BBQ Bob\u2019s return on investment is estimated to be 18 to 24 months.\u00a0
\nThere are six BBQ Bob stores as of the fourth quarter of this year.
\nNavigating the various lockdown restrictions was the greatest challenge BBQ Bob had to overcome this year. The brand was able to overcome these by leveraging Minute Burger\u2019s experience, committing to the safety of both crew and customers, and focusing on food quality.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe have found a way to consistently serve ulam (viands) and barbecues that are always soft and juicy, with a very short preparation time at the store so our customers are sure it\u2019s freshly prepared shortly before they order,\u201d said Mr. Obuyes
\nBBQ Bob accepts contactless payments by being an active merchant on FoodPanda, GrabFood, and LalaFood, as well as MenuGo for customers in Cavite.\u00a0
\nFRANCHISE DETAILS
\nA BBQ Bob franchise needs an initial investment of around P115,000. It includes franchise fees for two stores, initial payments for site processing, and application and documentation processing. The term is for four years and is renewable on a per-store basis. Franchisees can expect to shell out a royalty fee and advertising and marketing fees; BBQ Bob does not take a percentage of sales.
\nStores are entirely on a take-out format sans dine-in space. The approximate cost of store construction, based on standard design, is pegged at P14,000 per square meter. Support for growth, operations, and expansion is provided to franchisees through a sales team. The company said the model works when a franchisee is able to oversee more stores.\u00a0
\nBased on their experience with Minute Burger, Mr. Obuyes said that franchisees should aim for three stores.
\n\u201cWe monitor the news and development about the pandemic almost daily,\u201d said Mr. Obuyes. \u201cWe feel that \u2018post-pandemic\u2019 is still quite a way to go, although we hope it will truly end very soon. While we hope for the best, we are also planning for every worst-case scenario to make sure we are ready for whatever lies ahead of us in 2021 and beyond.\u201d \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "BBQ Bob, a brand under the snack food company Leslie Corporation, is set to expand with more store openings after the announcement of its franchising offer in the third quarter of 2020. BBQ Bob is a small-format store that serves freshly cooked ready-to-eat BBQ and meals at affordable prices. Priority will be given to franchisees who wish to open stores in Metro Manila, Cavite, and Laguna.\n\u201cWe launched this franchising option to open opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking for a business model that is proven to work even during a crisis. For the brand, this is the biggest change we will be doing,\u201d said Ferdinand Obuyes, senior sales area manager of Leslie Corporation.\u00a0\nThe company surpassed last year\u2019s sales as of September 2020. Network revenues have also grown by 57% as compared to 2019, with a 20% increase in sales across all stores from June to September.\u00a0\nBBQ Bob\u2019s franchise system is buttressed by the over 35-year franchising experience of its sister brand, Minute Burger, which has more than 700 stores in the Philippines. Like Minute Burger, BBQ Bob\u2019s return on investment is estimated to be 18 to 24 months.\u00a0\nThere are six BBQ Bob stores as of the fourth quarter of this year.\nNavigating the various lockdown restrictions was the greatest challenge BBQ Bob had to overcome this year. The brand was able to overcome these by leveraging Minute Burger\u2019s experience, committing to the safety of both crew and customers, and focusing on food quality.\u00a0\n\u201cWe have found a way to consistently serve ulam (viands) and barbecues that are always soft and juicy, with a very short preparation time at the store so our customers are sure it\u2019s freshly prepared shortly before they order,\u201d said Mr. Obuyes\nBBQ Bob accepts contactless payments by being an active merchant on FoodPanda, GrabFood, and LalaFood, as well as MenuGo for customers in Cavite.\u00a0\nFRANCHISE DETAILS\nA BBQ Bob franchise needs an initial investment of around P115,000. It includes franchise fees for two stores, initial payments for site processing, and application and documentation processing. The term is for four years and is renewable on a per-store basis. Franchisees can expect to shell out a royalty fee and advertising and marketing fees; BBQ Bob does not take a percentage of sales.\nStores are entirely on a take-out format sans dine-in space. The approximate cost of store construction, based on standard design, is pegged at P14,000 per square meter. Support for growth, operations, and expansion is provided to franchisees through a sales team. The company said the model works when a franchisee is able to oversee more stores.\u00a0\nBased on their experience with Minute Burger, Mr. Obuyes said that franchisees should aim for three stores.\n\u201cWe monitor the news and development about the pandemic almost daily,\u201d said Mr. Obuyes. \u201cWe feel that \u2018post-pandemic\u2019 is still quite a way to go, although we hope it will truly end very soon. While we hope for the best, we are also planning for every worst-case scenario to make sure we are ready for whatever lies ahead of us in 2021 and beyond.\u201d \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2020-12-18T14:20:54+08:00", "date_modified": "2020-12-18T14:20:54+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "BBQ Bob", "franchising", "Leslie Corporation", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "EntrepreNews" ] }, { "id": "/?p=334167", "url": "/entreprenews/2020/12/15/334167/healthtech-company-led-by-filipino-entrepreneur-is-rolling-out-a-blood-test-that-uses-ai-to-detect-ovarian-cancer-early-and-accurately/", "title": "Healthtech company led by Filipino entrepreneur is rolling out a blood test that uses AI to detect ovarian cancer early and accurately", "content_html": "By Patricia B. Mirasol
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Aldo_Carrascoso_CEO_and_co-founder_of_InterVenn_Biosciences._3.jpg\")
InterVenn Biosciences, a San Francisco-based healthtech company innovating on early cancer detection, was co-founded by Filipino Aldo Carrascoso, who previously founded digital media platform Jukin Media and blockchain payment system Veem.\u00a0
\nInterVenn recently raised US$34 million in Series B funding, led by Anzu Partners and participated in by Genoa Ventures, Amplify Partners, True Ventures, Xeraya Capital, and the Ojjeh family (of McLaren Group fame).\u00a0\u00a0
\nThis funding will go toward commercializing the company\u2019s minimally invasive blood test for the early detection of ovarian cancer. The test is undergoing analytical and clinical validation through the InterVenn Ovarian CAncer Liquid (V.O.C.A.L.) trial. Initial results show a more than 90% accuracy rate.\u00a0
\n\u201cPeople always call me a serial entrepreneur because I started four companies in the past twenty years. I\u2019m actually not a serial entrepreneur. I am a serial problem target. Problems keep finding me and I keep getting super frustrated. I just happen to find the best teammates to join me in solving very hard endeavors,\u201d said Mr. Carrascoso.
\nInterVenn has one mission: to create a world where no one is blindsided by disease.\u00a0
\n\u201cWhenever I start a company, it\u2019s always five to seven years before they become mainstream,\u201d Mr. Carrascoso told 大象传媒.\u00a0
\nHis track record bears this out: Jukin, founded in 2009, licensed viral videos before \u201cinfluencers\u201d invaded social media. Veem, meanwhile, was an early proponent of the bitcoin blockchain. \u201cSo I hope we are the first of many companies doing many wonderful things with this new science,\u201d he said, referring to his healthtech venture.
\nDETECTING CANCER EARLY AND ACCURATELY
\nThere is no minimally invasive test at present that can accurately detect ovarian cancer in its early stages, when it is most curable.\u00a0
InterVenn\u2019s blood test could change that with next-generation glycobiology (or the study of the structure, biosynthesis, and biology of glycans or carbohydrates), instrumentation, and deep machine learning to change the way people diagnose cancer, all with the aim of furthering research towards curing it.
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/InterVenn_scientists_go_over_some_samples_sent_to_the_company_s_Bay_Area_lab_2.jpg\")
Early detection generally results in a better outlook. When diagnosed and treated in stage 1, the five-year relative survival rate is 92%\u2014yet only about 15% of ovarian cancers are diagnosed in stage 1.\u00a0
\nMost ovarian cancer cases now are diagnosed at stage 4, where the survival rate is less than 20%. Adding to the difficulty of the early diagnosis is that the disease\u2019s most common signs and symptoms\u2014bloating and back pain\u2014could also indicate a myriad of other health conditions.
\nThe clinical trial for InterVenn\u2019s ovarian cancer\u2013detecting blood test, which will be available early next year in the US, is ongoing with participants from the US, Australia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The clinical validation of the V.O.C.A.L. biopsy is modeled after an early model built on a Caucasian population sample.\u00a0
\n\u201cEveryone thought I was crazy\u2026 because we\u2019re different genetically,\u201d Mr. Carrascoso said. \u201cWhen we tested the Caucasian-framed algorithm on Filipinos and Malaysians, the performance increased. The conclusion is: we\u2019re not all that different. We\u2019re all just the same in the eyes of disease.\u201d
\n\u2018THE TINDER OF DRUGS\u2019
\nImmuno-oncology, or the study and development of treatments that take advantage of the body\u2019s immune system to fight cancer, is next in the pipeline for InterVenn.\u00a0
The biosciences company envisions a world where individuals can be triaged and routed to the right drug, where the right therapy selection tool has the ability to have a nearly 100% predictive value for people who are going to respond to certain drugs.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe want to be the Tinder of drugs,\u201d said Mr. Carrascoso. \u201cWe can match your phenotype to the right drug and technically direct you to the cure.\u201d
\nThis endeavor is a personal one for Mr. Carrascoso, whose mother died of breast cancer in the 1990s. Another close relative was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2016; a cousin died from triple-negative breast cancer from the wrong immunotherapy regimen this year.
\n\u201cWhen people ask me, what is InterVenn for you? It is not a business,\u201d he said.
\nWhen Mr. Carrascoso had a related diagnostic test done at the laboratory of his co-founder and fellow Filipino Carlito Lebrilla, a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Davis, and a fellow at the\u00a0 American Association for the Advancement of Science, Mr. Carrascoso discovered it took 12 months and a roomful of people with PhDs to check one person\u2019s blood sample.\u00a0
\nWith his experience in software and neural networks, Mr. Carrascoso created a technology for InterVenn that marries mass spectrometry, the only tool precise enough to measure the composition and location of post-translational modifications (or the alteration in the amino acid sequence of the protein after its synthesis), with artificial intelligence powered by large, human-curated datasets.\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u201cLiterally, this is a blue-sky opportunity,\u201d said Mr. Carrascoso of the AI that scaled the workflow and data interpretation of mass spectrometry from 12 months to 12 minutes\u2014a 10,000% increase in throughput.\u00a0
\nWith this technology, a blood test will be able to tell patients\u2014early and accurately\u2014if they will develop a certain type of cancer.\u00a0
\nSAVING MILLIONS OF LIVES
\nThe same technology and science used for the ovarian cancer detection test was applied to nearly two other dozen indications\u2014including renal cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, thyroid cancer, melanoma\u2014with reportedly similarly promising detection results.\u00a0
If the test lives up to its expectations, Mr. Carrascoso said that cancer may eventually become \u201clike a headache.\u201d That\u2019s the dream.
\nInterVenn has teams in Silicon Valley, California, and Ortigas Center, Pasig, dedicated to its mission of creating a world where no one is blindsided by disease.\u00a0
\nThe Ortigas-based group is in charge of information technology-related tasks such as engineering, information security, development and operations, and server system administration.\u00a0
\n\u201cWhen someone tells you they\u2019d rather work than sleep because they don\u2019t want to add another moment of misery into another person\u2019s life and family, you know you\u2019ve got a really good team,\u201d said Mr. Carrascoso\u00a0
\n\u201cI need this to be successful,\u201d he continued. \u201cI couldn\u2019t help my mom. I wanted to become a doctor. But then someone told me, tumulong ka na lang ng duktor [why not just help doctors]. People need to know what InterVenn is doing because when we become successful, the amount of lives we are going to save will be in the millions of people. I don\u2019t say that lightly.\u201d
\n", "content_text": "By Patricia B. Mirasol\nInterVenn BioSciences recently raised US$34 million for the commercialization of a minimally invasive blood test for the early detection of ovarian cancer. The San Francisco-based healthtech company innovating on early cancer detection was co-founded by Filipino Aldo Carrascoso (pictured). Image via InterVenn BioSciences\nInterVenn Biosciences, a San Francisco-based healthtech company innovating on early cancer detection, was co-founded by Filipino Aldo Carrascoso, who previously founded digital media platform Jukin Media and blockchain payment system Veem.\u00a0\nInterVenn recently raised US$34 million in Series B funding, led by Anzu Partners and participated in by Genoa Ventures, Amplify Partners, True Ventures, Xeraya Capital, and the Ojjeh family (of McLaren Group fame).\u00a0\u00a0\nThis funding will go toward commercializing the company\u2019s minimally invasive blood test for the early detection of ovarian cancer. The test is undergoing analytical and clinical validation through the InterVenn Ovarian CAncer Liquid (V.O.C.A.L.) trial. Initial results show a more than 90% accuracy rate.\u00a0\n\u201cPeople always call me a serial entrepreneur because I started four companies in the past twenty years. I\u2019m actually not a serial entrepreneur. I am a serial problem target. Problems keep finding me and I keep getting super frustrated. I just happen to find the best teammates to join me in solving very hard endeavors,\u201d said Mr. Carrascoso.\nInterVenn has one mission: to create a world where no one is blindsided by disease.\u00a0\n\u201cWhenever I start a company, it\u2019s always five to seven years before they become mainstream,\u201d Mr. Carrascoso told 大象传媒.\u00a0\nHis track record bears this out: Jukin, founded in 2009, licensed viral videos before \u201cinfluencers\u201d invaded social media. Veem, meanwhile, was an early proponent of the bitcoin blockchain. \u201cSo I hope we are the first of many companies doing many wonderful things with this new science,\u201d he said, referring to his healthtech venture.\nDETECTING CANCER EARLY AND ACCURATELY\nThere is no minimally invasive test at present that can accurately detect ovarian cancer in its early stages, when it is most curable.\u00a0\nInterVenn\u2019s blood test could change that with next-generation glycobiology (or the study of the structure, biosynthesis, and biology of glycans or carbohydrates), instrumentation, and deep machine learning to change the way people diagnose cancer, all with the aim of furthering research towards curing it.\n\nEarly detection generally results in a better outlook. When diagnosed and treated in stage 1, the five-year relative survival rate is 92%\u2014yet only about 15% of ovarian cancers are diagnosed in stage 1.\u00a0\nMost ovarian cancer cases now are diagnosed at stage 4, where the survival rate is less than 20%. Adding to the difficulty of the early diagnosis is that the disease\u2019s most common signs and symptoms\u2014bloating and back pain\u2014could also indicate a myriad of other health conditions.\nThe clinical trial for InterVenn\u2019s ovarian cancer\u2013detecting blood test, which will be available early next year in the US, is ongoing with participants from the US, Australia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The clinical validation of the V.O.C.A.L. biopsy is modeled after an early model built on a Caucasian population sample.\u00a0\n\u201cEveryone thought I was crazy\u2026 because we\u2019re different genetically,\u201d Mr. Carrascoso said. \u201cWhen we tested the Caucasian-framed algorithm on Filipinos and Malaysians, the performance increased. The conclusion is: we\u2019re not all that different. We\u2019re all just the same in the eyes of disease.\u201d\n\u2018THE TINDER OF DRUGS\u2019\nImmuno-oncology, or the study and development of treatments that take advantage of the body\u2019s immune system to fight cancer, is next in the pipeline for InterVenn.\u00a0\nThe biosciences company envisions a world where individuals can be triaged and routed to the right drug, where the right therapy selection tool has the ability to have a nearly 100% predictive value for people who are going to respond to certain drugs.\u00a0\n\u201cWe want to be the Tinder of drugs,\u201d said Mr. Carrascoso. \u201cWe can match your phenotype to the right drug and technically direct you to the cure.\u201d\nThis endeavor is a personal one for Mr. Carrascoso, whose mother died of breast cancer in the 1990s. Another close relative was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2016; a cousin died from triple-negative breast cancer from the wrong immunotherapy regimen this year.\n\u201cWhen people ask me, what is InterVenn for you? It is not a business,\u201d he said.\nWhen Mr. Carrascoso had a related diagnostic test done at the laboratory of his co-founder and fellow Filipino Carlito Lebrilla, a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Davis, and a fellow at the\u00a0 American Association for the Advancement of Science, Mr. Carrascoso discovered it took 12 months and a roomful of people with PhDs to check one person\u2019s blood sample.\u00a0\nWith his experience in software and neural networks, Mr. Carrascoso created a technology for InterVenn that marries mass spectrometry, the only tool precise enough to measure the composition and location of post-translational modifications (or the alteration in the amino acid sequence of the protein after its synthesis), with artificial intelligence powered by large, human-curated datasets.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u201cLiterally, this is a blue-sky opportunity,\u201d said Mr. Carrascoso of the AI that scaled the workflow and data interpretation of mass spectrometry from 12 months to 12 minutes\u2014a 10,000% increase in throughput.\u00a0\nWith this technology, a blood test will be able to tell patients\u2014early and accurately\u2014if they will develop a certain type of cancer.\u00a0\nSAVING MILLIONS OF LIVES\nThe same technology and science used for the ovarian cancer detection test was applied to nearly two other dozen indications\u2014including renal cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, thyroid cancer, melanoma\u2014with reportedly similarly promising detection results.\u00a0\nIf the test lives up to its expectations, Mr. Carrascoso said that cancer may eventually become \u201clike a headache.\u201d That\u2019s the dream.\nInterVenn has teams in Silicon Valley, California, and Ortigas Center, Pasig, dedicated to its mission of creating a world where no one is blindsided by disease.\u00a0\nThe Ortigas-based group is in charge of information technology-related tasks such as engineering, information security, development and operations, and server system administration.\u00a0\n\u201cWhen someone tells you they\u2019d rather work than sleep because they don\u2019t want to add another moment of misery into another person\u2019s life and family, you know you\u2019ve got a really good team,\u201d said Mr. Carrascoso\u00a0\n\u201cI need this to be successful,\u201d he continued. \u201cI couldn\u2019t help my mom. I wanted to become a doctor. But then someone told me, tumulong ka na lang ng duktor [why not just help doctors]. People need to know what InterVenn is doing because when we become successful, the amount of lives we are going to save will be in the millions of people. I don\u2019t say that lightly.\u201d", "date_published": "2020-12-15T17:37:14+08:00", "date_modified": "2020-12-15T17:37:14+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "aldo carrascoso", "InterVenn", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "InterVenn Biosciences, a San Francisco-based healthtech company innovating on early cancer detection, was co-founded by Filipino Aldo Carrascoso, who previously founded digital media platform Jukin Media and blockchain payment system Veem.\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=332972", "url": "/entreprenews/2020/12/09/332972/philippine-startup-fundraising-hits-184-million-in-first-half-of-2020/", "title": "Philippine startup fundraising hits $184 million in first half of 2020", "content_html": "![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/PayMaya-FB.jpg\")
By Patricia B. Mirasol
\nThe first half of 2020 saw total investments in Philippine startups reach an estimated $183.8 million, a 384% increase from the 2019 year-round estimated value of $37.9 million, according to the Philippine Venture Capital Report released by Foxmont Capital Partners, a venture capital fund.\u00a0\u00a0
\nThe first half of 2020 raised this record capital with a little over half the number of deals (14) versus the same period last year (24), the report added.
\nFintech, information technology (IT) and software, and transport and logistics grabbed the most investment capital, with COVID-19 accelerating growth of the top sector. Fintech has transaction values forecasted to increase by 24% at the end of 2020.
\nThe Philippine startup ecosystem currently ranks at 53rd in the world\u201417 positions up from its ranking three years ago. It has more than 400 startups, 50 angel investors, 40 venture capitalists, and 35 incubators and accelerators.\u00a0
\nTOP SECTORS
\nThe fintech sector accounted for over 80% of the total announced invested capital in startups, signaling a\u00a0 pivot from traditional financial services toward tech-driven platforms. The report noted the Philippines\u2019 strong English language skills and its established outsourcing industries as creating a favorable environment for these startups.
IT and software is the second biggest startup sector, accounting for 8% of total deal value for the same period. Most of the IT and software activities related to telecommunications and business-to-business (B2B) software development as corporate entities opened up to technology that startups built. Transport and logistics comes in third, comprising 3% of the total deal value. Investment activity in this sector is driven by rising e-commerce demands\u2014a sector with 2% of total deal value.\u00a0
\nE-commerce gross merchandise value (or the total value of merchandise sold over a period of time through a customer-to-customer exchange site) is projected to reach $12 billion by 2025, on track to becoming one of the fastest-growing sectors in Southeast Asia.
\nDespite the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines, the report said that the country\u2019s startup activity matured in a short period of time due to access to more mentors, the entry of new funds and investors, and the rising number of successes.\u00a0
\nCHALLENGES TO A PROMISING FUTURE
\nThis year\u2019s Philippine Startup Survey revealed that both founders and investors expect a promising future. Ninety-six percent of founders are confident about their prospects for revenue growth over the next two years, with 95% aiming to enter new territories in the next five years.\u00a0
Seventy-eight percent of investors, meanwhile, are confident about their prospects for revenue growth over the next two years, with 73% wanting to inject up to $5 million in Philippine startups in the next three years.
\n\u201cToday, capital is not only flowing into businesses with the purpose of regional expansion\u2014it\u2019s pouring into original ideas and energetic founders,\u201d Franco Varona, managing partner of Foxmont Capital Partners, said in a statement. \u201cIt\u2019s an exciting time to be a problem solver in the Philippines.\u201d
\nTo capitalize on future prospects, the country needs to overcome a set of challenges, among them a lack of external funding and a scarcity of initiatives to boost startups in the growth stage toward becoming unicorns (as the majority of support systems such as government legislation and incubators are focused on early-stage efforts).\u00a0
\nPromising startups remain under the radar of offshore capital, the report added. Further challenges include the need to match the technical talent pool of neighboring regions like Singapore, traditional career aspirations hindering entrepreneurship, and the persistence of brain drain.
\n", "content_text": "The fintech sector accounted for over 80% of the total announced invested capital in startups, signaling a\u00a0 pivot from traditional financial services toward tech-driven platforms. Image via Facebook/@PayMayaOfficial\nLocal startup ecosystem ranks 53rd in the world, up 17 places from three years ago\nBy Patricia B. Mirasol\nThe first half of 2020 saw total investments in Philippine startups reach an estimated $183.8 million, a 384% increase from the 2019 year-round estimated value of $37.9 million, according to the Philippine Venture Capital Report released by Foxmont Capital Partners, a venture capital fund.\u00a0\u00a0\nThe first half of 2020 raised this record capital with a little over half the number of deals (14) versus the same period last year (24), the report added.\nFintech, information technology (IT) and software, and transport and logistics grabbed the most investment capital, with COVID-19 accelerating growth of the top sector. Fintech has transaction values forecasted to increase by 24% at the end of 2020.\nThe Philippine startup ecosystem currently ranks at 53rd in the world\u201417 positions up from its ranking three years ago. It has more than 400 startups, 50 angel investors, 40 venture capitalists, and 35 incubators and accelerators.\u00a0\nTOP SECTORS\nThe fintech sector accounted for over 80% of the total announced invested capital in startups, signaling a\u00a0 pivot from traditional financial services toward tech-driven platforms. The report noted the Philippines\u2019 strong English language skills and its established outsourcing industries as creating a favorable environment for these startups.\nIT and software is the second biggest startup sector, accounting for 8% of total deal value for the same period. Most of the IT and software activities related to telecommunications and business-to-business (B2B) software development as corporate entities opened up to technology that startups built. Transport and logistics comes in third, comprising 3% of the total deal value. Investment activity in this sector is driven by rising e-commerce demands\u2014a sector with 2% of total deal value.\u00a0\nE-commerce gross merchandise value (or the total value of merchandise sold over a period of time through a customer-to-customer exchange site) is projected to reach $12 billion by 2025, on track to becoming one of the fastest-growing sectors in Southeast Asia.\nDespite the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines, the report said that the country\u2019s startup activity matured in a short period of time due to access to more mentors, the entry of new funds and investors, and the rising number of successes.\u00a0\nCHALLENGES TO A PROMISING FUTURE\nThis year\u2019s Philippine Startup Survey revealed that both founders and investors expect a promising future. Ninety-six percent of founders are confident about their prospects for revenue growth over the next two years, with 95% aiming to enter new territories in the next five years.\u00a0\nSeventy-eight percent of investors, meanwhile, are confident about their prospects for revenue growth over the next two years, with 73% wanting to inject up to $5 million in Philippine startups in the next three years.\n\u201cToday, capital is not only flowing into businesses with the purpose of regional expansion\u2014it\u2019s pouring into original ideas and energetic founders,\u201d Franco Varona, managing partner of Foxmont Capital Partners, said in a statement. \u201cIt\u2019s an exciting time to be a problem solver in the Philippines.\u201d\nTo capitalize on future prospects, the country needs to overcome a set of challenges, among them a lack of external funding and a scarcity of initiatives to boost startups in the growth stage toward becoming unicorns (as the majority of support systems such as government legislation and incubators are focused on early-stage efforts).\u00a0\nPromising startups remain under the radar of offshore capital, the report added. Further challenges include the need to match the technical talent pool of neighboring regions like Singapore, traditional career aspirations hindering entrepreneurship, and the persistence of brain drain.", "date_published": "2020-12-09T16:40:47+08:00", "date_modified": "2020-12-09T16:40:47+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "fintech", "investment", "IT", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "software", "startups", "transport and logistics", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "The first half of 2020 saw total investments in Philippine startups reach an estimated $183.8 million, a 384% increase from the 2019 year-round estimated value of $37.9 million, according to the Philippine Venture Capital Report released by Foxmont Capital Partners, a venture capital fund.\u00a0\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=332563", "url": "/entreprenews/2020/12/07/332563/biomaterial-for-plastic-waste-reduction-wins-pitch-competition/", "title": "Biomaterial for plastic waste reduction wins pitch competition", "content_html": "Nanotronics bagged the top prize at the recent Shell LIVEWire PitchFest, winning an equity-free prize of P500,000. The technology company offers nanostructured material products that reduce plastic waste while protecting the environment.\u00a0
\nOnly 14% of plastic packaging is recycled, said Nanotronics founder and Chief Executive Officer Jerome Palaganas, who pitched a solution that turns renewable indigenous plants into sustainable nanomaterials called cellulose nanocrystals for use in industrial applications, including three-dimensional (3D) printing resin, lubricant additives, biodegradable packaging, specialty coatings, and water filtration materials.\u00a0
\nNanotronics has eight intellectual properties, seven business-to-business (B2B) clients with earned revenues, and at least five company pilot projects. A total of US $100,000 in grant funding and US$45,000 in angel investments have been awarded to the tech startup. Its revenue streams come from plant productions, licensing agreements, and client joint venture partnerships.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe are committed to making a significant difference in the environment and community, leveraging on our natural resources here in the Philippines. We see a good synergy with our products and the Shell ecosystem,\u201d Mr. Palaganas said.\u00a0
\nShell\u2019s LiveWIRE program launched this September in collaboration with the Philippine government. It provides innovators with opportunities for mentorship, financial assistance, technical expertise, and a chance to be part of Shell\u2019s supply chain.
\nApart from Nanotronics, two other local tech companies were chosen out of 155 candidates to participate in a start-up bootcamp: uHoo, which measures air quality to safeguard and enhance people\u2019s health; and Next Pay, a digital banking platform aimed for small and medium-sized business owners.
\nShell LiveWIRE also tapped three community enterprises to join its program, and each took home a cash grant of Php 75,000. These enterprises are MagzWheel Furniture, which transforms used rubber tires into furniture and apparel; Green Factory by Oro Handmade Innovations Inc., which produces handmade paper products; and Revolve Eco. Logical, which recycles used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to create new products.
\n\u201cMost entrepreneurs still lack the resources to reach their full potential, especially as they adapt to a digital world. We bridge that gap by connecting them with government and fintech institutions as part of our LiveWIRE program. This is our contribution to nation-building,\u201d said Cesar Romero, president and CEO of Pilipinas Shell, in a statement. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "Nanotronics bagged the top prize at the recent Shell LIVEWire PitchFest, winning an equity-free prize of P500,000. The technology company offers nanostructured material products that reduce plastic waste while protecting the environment.\u00a0\nOnly 14% of plastic packaging is recycled, said Nanotronics founder and Chief Executive Officer Jerome Palaganas, who pitched a solution that turns renewable indigenous plants into sustainable nanomaterials called cellulose nanocrystals for use in industrial applications, including three-dimensional (3D) printing resin, lubricant additives, biodegradable packaging, specialty coatings, and water filtration materials.\u00a0\nNanotronics has eight intellectual properties, seven business-to-business (B2B) clients with earned revenues, and at least five company pilot projects. A total of US $100,000 in grant funding and US$45,000 in angel investments have been awarded to the tech startup. Its revenue streams come from plant productions, licensing agreements, and client joint venture partnerships.\u00a0\n\u201cWe are committed to making a significant difference in the environment and community, leveraging on our natural resources here in the Philippines. We see a good synergy with our products and the Shell ecosystem,\u201d Mr. Palaganas said.\u00a0\nShell\u2019s LiveWIRE program launched this September in collaboration with the Philippine government. It provides innovators with opportunities for mentorship, financial assistance, technical expertise, and a chance to be part of Shell\u2019s supply chain.\nApart from Nanotronics, two other local tech companies were chosen out of 155 candidates to participate in a start-up bootcamp: uHoo, which measures air quality to safeguard and enhance people\u2019s health; and Next Pay, a digital banking platform aimed for small and medium-sized business owners.\nShell LiveWIRE also tapped three community enterprises to join its program, and each took home a cash grant of Php 75,000. These enterprises are MagzWheel Furniture, which transforms used rubber tires into furniture and apparel; Green Factory by Oro Handmade Innovations Inc., which produces handmade paper products; and Revolve Eco. Logical, which recycles used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to create new products.\n\u201cMost entrepreneurs still lack the resources to reach their full potential, especially as they adapt to a digital world. We bridge that gap by connecting them with government and fintech institutions as part of our LiveWIRE program. This is our contribution to nation-building,\u201d said Cesar Romero, president and CEO of Pilipinas Shell, in a statement. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2020-12-07T15:56:16+08:00", "date_modified": "2020-12-07T15:56:16+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Nanotronics", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "plastic", "shell", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "Nanotronics bagged the top prize at the recent Shell LIVEWire PitchFest, winning an equity-free prize of P500,000. The technology company offers nanostructured material products that reduce plastic waste while protecting the environment.\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=332213", "url": "/entreprenews/2020/12/04/332213/evegrocer-offers-zero-waste-deliveries/", "title": "EveGrocer offers zero-waste deliveries", "content_html": "EveGrocer Zero Waste Online Grocery offers subscription-based orders that bundle and deliver necessities on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Customers can buy eco-friendly products and farm-to-table meals in reusable containers which they can return on their next subscribed delivery, thereby reducing the need for single-use plastic packaging.\u00a0
\nThe company plans all purchases upon subscription in its bid to be completely zero-waste, although subscriptions are not necessary to avail of the service. Customers get discounts for returned containers; and reward campaigns further encourage the recycling practice.\u00a0
\nEveGrocer, which is part of the incubation program of innovation hub QBO, was conceived last year by four co-founders. Two have a background in customized packaging and manufacturing of marketing materials. After realizing that plastic packaging was being thrown every day by customers who were not aware of how these contributed to landfill problems, they decided to collaborate with two other co-founders with design expertise, and pivoted to a solution that involved refilling.
\nThe zero-waste approach of EveGrocer is timely given the \u201cplastic pandemic\u201d due to the global rise in demand for face shields, gloves, protective personal equipment, and takeaway food containers because of the novel coronavirus. In the Philippines, Vietnam, and India, as much as 80% of the recycling industry was not operating during the height of the pandemic. Short-term thinking about excessive plastic waste during the pandemic could lead to a larger environmental and public health calamity long-term, said Jacob Duer, president and CEO of Alliance to End Plastic Waste.
\nZERO-WASTE SHOPPING\u00a0
\nThe online grocery\u2019s early adopters were composed of zero-waste advocates, and working moms and dads who were active in supporting the sustainability campaign, said Ma. Leonelle Sandoval, Eve Grocer co-founder and chief executive officer.
\nWhen strict lockdowns in early March prompted panic-buying at groceries, EveGrocer launched the Necessity Bundle, which includes 3 kilos of chicken leg quarters, 5 kilos of rice, 100 grams of vegan pasta, and a liter cooking oil or dishwashing liquid. The bundle was delivered to quarantined families, who have since become loyal EveGrocer customers.
\nThe platform will launch its pilot multi-vendor website before the end of 2020, with the grand launch slated on February 14, EveGrocer\u2019s first year anniversary. Merchants nationwide and in select countries who register will have their own dashboards, as well as access to payment gateways and automated logistics.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe want to encourage brands to shift their packaging to a more sustainable material,\u201d said Ms. Sandoval. \u201cThe goal is to create a new sustainable supply chain system that is scalable and easy to use.\u201d\u00a0 \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "EveGrocer Zero Waste Online Grocery offers subscription-based orders that bundle and deliver necessities on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Customers can buy eco-friendly products and farm-to-table meals in reusable containers which they can return on their next subscribed delivery, thereby reducing the need for single-use plastic packaging.\u00a0\nThe company plans all purchases upon subscription in its bid to be completely zero-waste, although subscriptions are not necessary to avail of the service. Customers get discounts for returned containers; and reward campaigns further encourage the recycling practice.\u00a0\nEveGrocer, which is part of the incubation program of innovation hub QBO, was conceived last year by four co-founders. Two have a background in customized packaging and manufacturing of marketing materials. After realizing that plastic packaging was being thrown every day by customers who were not aware of how these contributed to landfill problems, they decided to collaborate with two other co-founders with design expertise, and pivoted to a solution that involved refilling.\nThe zero-waste approach of EveGrocer is timely given the \u201cplastic pandemic\u201d due to the global rise in demand for face shields, gloves, protective personal equipment, and takeaway food containers because of the novel coronavirus. In the Philippines, Vietnam, and India, as much as 80% of the recycling industry was not operating during the height of the pandemic. Short-term thinking about excessive plastic waste during the pandemic could lead to a larger environmental and public health calamity long-term, said Jacob Duer, president and CEO of Alliance to End Plastic Waste.\nZERO-WASTE SHOPPING\u00a0\nThe online grocery\u2019s early adopters were composed of zero-waste advocates, and working moms and dads who were active in supporting the sustainability campaign, said Ma. Leonelle Sandoval, Eve Grocer co-founder and chief executive officer.\nWhen strict lockdowns in early March prompted panic-buying at groceries, EveGrocer launched the Necessity Bundle, which includes 3 kilos of chicken leg quarters, 5 kilos of rice, 100 grams of vegan pasta, and a liter cooking oil or dishwashing liquid. The bundle was delivered to quarantined families, who have since become loyal EveGrocer customers.\nThe platform will launch its pilot multi-vendor website before the end of 2020, with the grand launch slated on February 14, EveGrocer\u2019s first year anniversary. Merchants nationwide and in select countries who register will have their own dashboards, as well as access to payment gateways and automated logistics.\u00a0\n\u201cWe want to encourage brands to shift their packaging to a more sustainable material,\u201d said Ms. Sandoval. \u201cThe goal is to create a new sustainable supply chain system that is scalable and easy to use.\u201d\u00a0 \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2020-12-04T14:15:03+08:00", "date_modified": "2020-12-04T14:15:03+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/rgentribirthfurd/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/9965230d2fd009579b4e8df9a934f6d1021b1ee67e60bcb4cad3b7249a2900ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Patricia B. Mirasol", "EntrepreNews" ] }, { "id": "/?p=332202", "url": "/entreprenews/2020/12/04/332202/startups-should-explore-ai-robotics-drones-and-other-tech-solutions-dti/", "title": "Startups should explore AI, robotics, drones, and other tech solutions\u00a0 \u2014 DTI", "content_html": "The old ways are gone, the digital economy is here, and \u201cstartups are powering up and making things easier and being frontliners in their own right,\u201d said QBO Innovation Hub executive director Katrina Chan during the recent Philippine Startup Week conference.\u00a0
\n\u201cThis new normal means new products, new services, new processes,\u201d said Rowena Cristina Guevara, Undersecretary for Research and Development at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). \u201cWho are the ones who can do it fastest? Startups.\u201d Manila HealthTek, Inc., for example, developed the first local COVID-19 RT-PCR detection kit in 21 days.\u00a0
\nE-commerce is a fertile field for startups, as they can also take on related needs such as transportation, logistics, and fintech. \u201cThere are additional opportunities with respect to tech solutions like artificial intelligence, robotics, drones, 3D printers, and animation,\u201d said Rafaelita Aldaba, Undersecretary of the Competitiveness and Innovation Group of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), at the same event. \u201cTo survive this pandemic, we need to apply all these new technologies.\u201d
\nEdtech and entertainment are other avenues in the digital economy that Filipino startups should explore. Among the top 10 rising Google search topics in the Philippines in the past 90 days were queries on the Philippine Basketball Association, the Miami Heat basketball team, and the education company Brainly. An October 2020 report by Fitch Ratings further said that Filipinos are expected to spend more in 2021 especially on recreation, and that household spending on recreation and culture is expected to grow by 15.3% next year\u2014the fastest among all sectors\u2014after shrinking by 17.8% this year.
\n\u201cThese are strong indicators of changes that are happening in terms of our consumer behavior,\u201d added Ms. Aldaba. \u201cThese are signals as to where we can go.\u201d
\nFUNDING FOR STARTUPS
\nThe government offers several funding facilities to support the startup ecosystem. Representatives from DTI, DOST, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) shared the programs they have in place.
\n\u201cI am excited to hear proposals and get to know new ventures that would like to take a crack at our startup fund,\u201d said Emmanuel Rey Caintic, Assistant Secretary of the DICT. \u201cWe\u2019ll make sure we\u2019ll select the right startup to fund. Even if they don\u2019t qualify, we can tie them up with government projects. Even if we don’t give them money, we can give them opportunities to make money.\u201d
\nThe pandemic has forced more than 1,600 local government units and 300 agencies to go online and digitize their processes, which Mr. Caintic said is a galaxy of opportunities that startups can tap. \u201cIt may not be as lucrative as building solutions for the private [sector], but this is a sure need. It\u2019s like a multiplier: times 1,600.\u201d\u00a0
\n\u201cI pray you have perseverance and grit to make your enterprises thrive,\u201d he added. \u201cPanimula pa lang ang Philippine Innovation Act and Innovative Startup Act. Kayong mga digital entrepreneurs ang magbabago ng ating lipunan. [The Philippine Innovation Act and the Innovation Startup Act are just the beginning. All you digital entrepreneurs will be a force of change for our nation.]\u201d \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "The old ways are gone, the digital economy is here, and \u201cstartups are powering up and making things easier and being frontliners in their own right,\u201d said QBO Innovation Hub executive director Katrina Chan during the recent Philippine Startup Week conference.\u00a0\n\u201cThis new normal means new products, new services, new processes,\u201d said Rowena Cristina Guevara, Undersecretary for Research and Development at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). \u201cWho are the ones who can do it fastest? Startups.\u201d Manila HealthTek, Inc., for example, developed the first local COVID-19 RT-PCR detection kit in 21 days.\u00a0\nE-commerce is a fertile field for startups, as they can also take on related needs such as transportation, logistics, and fintech. \u201cThere are additional opportunities with respect to tech solutions like artificial intelligence, robotics, drones, 3D printers, and animation,\u201d said Rafaelita Aldaba, Undersecretary of the Competitiveness and Innovation Group of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), at the same event. \u201cTo survive this pandemic, we need to apply all these new technologies.\u201d\nEdtech and entertainment are other avenues in the digital economy that Filipino startups should explore. Among the top 10 rising Google search topics in the Philippines in the past 90 days were queries on the Philippine Basketball Association, the Miami Heat basketball team, and the education company Brainly. An October 2020 report by Fitch Ratings further said that Filipinos are expected to spend more in 2021 especially on recreation, and that household spending on recreation and culture is expected to grow by 15.3% next year\u2014the fastest among all sectors\u2014after shrinking by 17.8% this year.\n\u201cThese are strong indicators of changes that are happening in terms of our consumer behavior,\u201d added Ms. Aldaba. \u201cThese are signals as to where we can go.\u201d\nFUNDING FOR STARTUPS\nThe government offers several funding facilities to support the startup ecosystem. Representatives from DTI, DOST, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) shared the programs they have in place.\n\nSB Corp., the DTI\u2019s financing arm, can extend a loan amount of Php 10,000 for businesses with a minimum asset size of Php 50,000; a Php 20,000 loan for businesses with a Php 100,000 minimum asset; Php 40,000 for those with a minimum asset of Php 200,000; Php 60,000 for those with a minimum asset of Php 300,000; Php 80,000 for those with a minimum asset of Php 400,000; and Php 100,000 for businesses with minimum assets amounting to Php 500,000. Another funding resource startups can tap is the COVID-19 Assistance to Restart Enterprises (CARES) program of the DTI.\u00a0\nDOST has a Startup Grant Program through the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD). Among the first batch of 15 grantees received funding last year is EduSuite, an artificial intelligence-powered management system that automates campus administration.\nThe DICT\u2019s ICT Industry Development Bureau aims to implement its Innovative and Startups and Acceleration Program in 2021 next year. Its four components are: 1) the creation of an Innovation Network for Filipino innovators and startups; 2) the establishment of Innovation Studios in strategic areas nationwide; 3) the setting up of the DICT Philippine Startup Grant; and 4) the development of the Philippine Startup Portal, which will serve as a repository of all Philippine startup-related information.\n\n\u201cI am excited to hear proposals and get to know new ventures that would like to take a crack at our startup fund,\u201d said Emmanuel Rey Caintic, Assistant Secretary of the DICT. \u201cWe\u2019ll make sure we\u2019ll select the right startup to fund. Even if they don\u2019t qualify, we can tie them up with government projects. Even if we don’t give them money, we can give them opportunities to make money.\u201d\nThe pandemic has forced more than 1,600 local government units and 300 agencies to go online and digitize their processes, which Mr. Caintic said is a galaxy of opportunities that startups can tap. \u201cIt may not be as lucrative as building solutions for the private [sector], but this is a sure need. It\u2019s like a multiplier: times 1,600.\u201d\u00a0\n\u201cI pray you have perseverance and grit to make your enterprises thrive,\u201d he added. \u201cPanimula pa lang ang Philippine Innovation Act and Innovative Startup Act. Kayong mga digital entrepreneurs ang magbabago ng ating lipunan. [The Philippine Innovation Act and the Innovation Startup Act are just the beginning. All you digital entrepreneurs will be a force of change for our nation.]\u201d \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2020-12-04T10:57:50+08:00", "date_modified": "2020-12-04T10:57:50+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/winseciontainkes/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5aebc87a76b327f90fc9671dea4220c74092c328c9b13ee03e93a20601e350d3?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/winseciontainkes/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5aebc87a76b327f90fc9671dea4220c74092c328c9b13ee03e93a20601e350d3?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Artificial intelligence", "fourth industrial revolution", "Patricia B. Mirasol", "robotics", "EntrepreNews" ] }, { "id": "/?p=329916", "url": "/entreprenews/2020/11/20/329916/link-clicks-instead-of-likes-brands-should-value-passive-engagement-explore-lighter-side/", "title": "Link clicks instead of \u2018likes\u2019: brands should value passive engagement, explore lighter side", "content_html": "Passive engagement on social media is just as important as active engagement when it comes to quantifying success, according to Hootsuite, a social media management platform.\u00a0
\nPassive engagement is defined as a consumer\u2019s consumption of online content, such as reading a post or watching a video. Metrics for this form of engagement include video completion rates, link clicks, and website traffic. Active engagement, on the other hand, is often more popular among marketers, who measure success by the number of a post\u2019s likes, shares, and comments.\u00a0
\n\u201c[Marketers are] still chasing virality and vanity metrics like retweets, comments, and shares, when the data tells us that the majority of online content is consumed passively,\u201d said Sarah Dawley, content manager at Hootsuite.\u00a0
\nMs. Dawley cited Hootsuite\u2019s digital data for October 2020, which found that the average Facebook user shared only one post a month and that Twitter\u2019s unique website traffic was three times larger than its monthly active users\u2014meaning there are a lot of people who passively consume content on these platforms (sometimes without even signing up).\u00a0
\nTo engage this large but silent audience, marketers should explore the lighter side of their brand, said Ms. Dawley, who cited a study by Global Web Index which found that finding funny or entertaining content is one of the top reasons people use social media.\u00a0
\n\u201cI\u2019m not saying you desperately have to be funny\u2026 or go against your brand tone or personality\u2026 Just remember that creativity, fun, and lightheartedness is what will help your content really break through that wall of indifference that people have towards brands on social media,\u201d she said.
\nIn the United States, for example, Coors\u2019 Light asked customers to nominate someone who #CouldUseABeer to cope with the \u201csucky, suck, suck, suckiness\u201d of the pandemic. At the end of the social media campaign, they sent 500,000 beers to customers.
\n\u201cYou\u2019re asking people to go out of their way to engage with your brand\u2026 You really need to give them a reason to engage with you if you are asking them to do that,\u201d said Ms. Dawley.
\n2021 Social Trends is a webinar hosted by Hootsuite on November 19. \u2014 Mariel Alison L. Aguinaldo
\n", "content_text": "Passive engagement on social media is just as important as active engagement when it comes to quantifying success, according to Hootsuite, a social media management platform.\u00a0\nPassive engagement is defined as a consumer\u2019s consumption of online content, such as reading a post or watching a video. Metrics for this form of engagement include video completion rates, link clicks, and website traffic. Active engagement, on the other hand, is often more popular among marketers, who measure success by the number of a post\u2019s likes, shares, and comments.\u00a0\n\u201c[Marketers are] still chasing virality and vanity metrics like retweets, comments, and shares, when the data tells us that the majority of online content is consumed passively,\u201d said Sarah Dawley, content manager at Hootsuite.\u00a0\nMs. Dawley cited Hootsuite\u2019s digital data for October 2020, which found that the average Facebook user shared only one post a month and that Twitter\u2019s unique website traffic was three times larger than its monthly active users\u2014meaning there are a lot of people who passively consume content on these platforms (sometimes without even signing up).\u00a0\nTo engage this large but silent audience, marketers should explore the lighter side of their brand, said Ms. Dawley, who cited a study by Global Web Index which found that finding funny or entertaining content is one of the top reasons people use social media.\u00a0\n\u201cI\u2019m not saying you desperately have to be funny\u2026 or go against your brand tone or personality\u2026 Just remember that creativity, fun, and lightheartedness is what will help your content really break through that wall of indifference that people have towards brands on social media,\u201d she said.\nIn the United States, for example, Coors\u2019 Light asked customers to nominate someone who #CouldUseABeer to cope with the \u201csucky, suck, suck, suckiness\u201d of the pandemic. At the end of the social media campaign, they sent 500,000 beers to customers.\n\u201cYou\u2019re asking people to go out of their way to engage with your brand\u2026 You really need to give them a reason to engage with you if you are asking them to do that,\u201d said Ms. Dawley.\n2021 Social Trends is a webinar hosted by Hootsuite on November 19. \u2014 Mariel Alison L. Aguinaldo", "date_published": "2020-11-20T14:56:37+08:00", "date_modified": "2020-11-20T14:56:37+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/winseciontainkes/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5aebc87a76b327f90fc9671dea4220c74092c328c9b13ee03e93a20601e350d3?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/winseciontainkes/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5aebc87a76b327f90fc9671dea4220c74092c328c9b13ee03e93a20601e350d3?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Facebook", "Hootsuite", "Mariel Alison L. Aguinaldo", "passive engagement", "social media", "twitter", "EntrepreNews" ] }, { "id": "/?p=328395", "url": "/entreprenews/2020/11/12/328395/graphic-design-platform-offers-free-marketing-templates-for-msmes/", "title": "Graphic design platform offers free marketing templates for MSMEs", "content_html": "Graphic design platform Canva launched Canva for Negosyo to help entrepreneurs take their negosyos (businesses) online.\u00a0
\nCanva for Negosyo has free resources\u2014including branding video tutorials, informational blogs, and customizable marketing templates\u2014useful for designing and managing a small online business. Fashion and food images, curated based on the common needs of MSMEs, are available too for those with a limited budget for photography.
\nCreating an account is not necessary to access these resources.\u00a0
\n\u201cWe want to be the Filipino entrepreneurs\u2019 ally and give them a headstart as they take their businesses online,\u201d said Maisie Littaua, head of growth for Canva Philippines. Many micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are transitioning their businesses digitally to keep up with the times, but find themselves in an unfamiliar environment where they have little to no experience.\u00a0
\n大象传媒 reported that \u201cthe Department of Trade and Industry tallied 839,444 business registrations between January and early November, outpacing the 2019 full year by 32%. \u2026 Online business registrations totaled 82,870 from the start of the lockdown in March to Nov. 4. There were only 1,753 registrations for online businesses in January.\u201d
\nFive toolkits available on the Canva for Negosyo page represent businesses that are among the most popular with entrepreneurs: lutong bahay (home-cooked meals); manufactured skincare products; DIY laundry shops; electronics; and cafes.
\n\u201cThese are the types of businesses that can also scale up so there\u2019s a need for consistent branding to grow their business, so these toolkits are made for that,\u201d said Ms. Littaua.
\nCanva for Negosyo has a Facebook community where entrepreneurs can interact and collaborate with fellow users. Some of the most common queries asked in the group include those in relation to design improvement plus requests for specific business templates. Canva is open to expanding its collection based on the needs of Filipino business owners.\u00a0
\nApart from Canva for Negosyo, the design and publishing platform also offers Canva for Education, a creativity and collaboration tool with education-specific content for teachers. A series of webinars acquainting Filipino teachers with the tool led to the creation of a similar support group on Facebook for educators. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/12.17-Canva-New.jpg\")
Venio provides unbanked consumers with nano-credit assistance by making credit facilities accessible through a smartphone app. Users enter their details in the app to apply for a loan and then wait for the app\u2019s decision.\u00a0
\nApproved nano-sized loans\u2014typically between US$1 and US$5 or the market currency equivalent\u2014can be used \u201csame as cash\u201d within the Venio Marketplace to purchase goods and services such as food, communication, transportation, and medicine from partner merchants.
\nIncluded in its retail network are a growing number of Philippine sari-sari stores as well as international retailers such as Grab and McDonald\u2019s.
\n\u201cWe focus on these small \u2018nano\u2019 sized loans as it is a unique offering and other players are not offering credit facilities of this size,\u201d said founder and CEO Warren Platt. \u201cThe fact that Venio is offering loans of these sizes means that we can reach customers no one else is and people that have been excluded by the financial system.\u201d\u00a0
\nOf the nearly 400 million adults in Southeast Asia, 198 million remain unbanked and do not own a bank account. In the Philippines, the number stands at 44 million, according to a 2019 report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Co. Nikkei Asia also reported that in the Philippines, 52 million people, or nearly 80% of adults, are ineligible for bank loans. Many end up borrowing money from acquaintances or loan sharks to cover unforeseen expenses.\u00a0
\nVenio\u2019s mobile application is designed to encourage responsible lending and borrowing as well as allow customers to build their own credit history. Loans are available without any upfront collateral provided on the part of the customer. Each transaction is charged with a 15% convenience fee.
\nA proprietary scoring algorithm takes over 60 data points from the user\u2019s handset, details on the user\u2019s profile, and further user application data. According to Venio:
\n\u2022 \u201cGeolocation data showing the person goes to the same place five days a week for eight hours would suggest they have a job;
\n
\u2022 A download in English could suggest higher education and so earnings potential (the app can be accessed in either English or Filipino);
\n
\u2022 Educated users are likely to store contacts with capital letters at the start of their names; and
\n
\u2022 Customers having a lot of contacts with post-paid phone numbers would suggest they move in a relatively better-off circle.\u201d
\n
\u201cWhen done responsibly, nano-credit can really work for people,\u201d said Mr. Platt, who added that initial repayments and secondary loan repayments continue to be greater than expected.\u00a0
\nVenio, which means \u201ccome\u201d in Latin, has expanded its services nationwide across the Philippines on the back of launches across Manila, Cebu, and Davao. It has also launched operations in Mexico on the back of an oversubscribed debut in the Philippines. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "Venio provides unbanked consumers with nano-credit assistance by making credit facilities accessible through a smartphone app. Users enter their details in the app to apply for a loan and then wait for the app\u2019s decision.\u00a0\nApproved nano-sized loans\u2014typically between US$1 and US$5 or the market currency equivalent\u2014can be used \u201csame as cash\u201d within the Venio Marketplace to purchase goods and services such as food, communication, transportation, and medicine from partner merchants.\nIncluded in its retail network are a growing number of Philippine sari-sari stores as well as international retailers such as Grab and McDonald\u2019s.\n\u201cWe focus on these small \u2018nano\u2019 sized loans as it is a unique offering and other players are not offering credit facilities of this size,\u201d said founder and CEO Warren Platt. \u201cThe fact that Venio is offering loans of these sizes means that we can reach customers no one else is and people that have been excluded by the financial system.\u201d\u00a0\nOf the nearly 400 million adults in Southeast Asia, 198 million remain unbanked and do not own a bank account. In the Philippines, the number stands at 44 million, according to a 2019 report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Co. Nikkei Asia also reported that in the Philippines, 52 million people, or nearly 80% of adults, are ineligible for bank loans. Many end up borrowing money from acquaintances or loan sharks to cover unforeseen expenses.\u00a0\nVenio\u2019s mobile application is designed to encourage responsible lending and borrowing as well as allow customers to build their own credit history. Loans are available without any upfront collateral provided on the part of the customer. Each transaction is charged with a 15% convenience fee.\nA proprietary scoring algorithm takes over 60 data points from the user\u2019s handset, details on the user\u2019s profile, and further user application data. According to Venio:\n\u2022 \u201cGeolocation data showing the person goes to the same place five days a week for eight hours would suggest they have a job;\n\n\u2022 A download in English could suggest higher education and so earnings potential (the app can be accessed in either English or Filipino);\n\n\u2022 Educated users are likely to store contacts with capital letters at the start of their names; and\n\n\u2022 Customers having a lot of contacts with post-paid phone numbers would suggest they move in a relatively better-off circle.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen done responsibly, nano-credit can really work for people,\u201d said Mr. Platt, who added that initial repayments and secondary loan repayments continue to be greater than expected.\u00a0\nVenio, which means \u201ccome\u201d in Latin, has expanded its services nationwide across the Philippines on the back of launches across Manila, Cebu, and Davao. It has also launched operations in Mexico on the back of an oversubscribed debut in the Philippines. \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2020-11-12T13:43:19+08:00", "date_modified": "2020-11-12T13:43:19+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Patricia B. Mirasol", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "Venio provides unbanked consumers with nano-credit assistance by making credit facilities accessible through a smartphone app. Users enter their details in the app to apply for a loan and then wait for the app\u2019s decision.\u00a0" }, { "id": "/?p=326526", "url": "/entreprenews/2020/11/03/326526/social-innovators-recognized-for-their-work-in-filipino-communities/", "title": "Social innovators recognized for their work in Filipino communities", "content_html": "Three social innovators were inducted to the lifelong Ashoka Fellowship at the Ashoka Induction and Fellow Launch for creating inclusive and systems-changing solutions in their chosen Filipino communities: Ryan Gersava, Ben Abadiano, and Scott Stiles.\u00a0
\n\u201cBecause of the pandemic, we are perfectly poised to build our world anew,\u201d said incoming Ashoka Philippines country director Abby Mapua-Cabanilla during the virtual induction on Oct. 30.
\nFounded in 1981, Ashoka is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that supports and enables more than 3,500 social innovators worldwide.\u00a0
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Ryan-Gersava-Virtualahan.jpg\")
Mr. Gervasa, whose dream of becoming a physician was dashed when he couldn\u2019t get a job after he tested positive for Hepatitis B, created the Davao-based Virtualahan, a virtual school that employs cost-effective social technology to help scholars from socially excluded populations access work in the global digital economy. As a result of the program, 42% of the school\u2019s 350 graduates saw their income increase threefold.
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Ben-Abadiano-Pamulaan.jpg\")
Mr. Abadiano established the Pamulaan Center of Indigenous Peoples Education in 2006 after spending time with the Manobo tribe in Bukidnon, the Mangyan tribe in Oriental Mindoro, and other indigenous peoples (IP). The first tertiary-level program for IPs, Pamulaan Center has a curriculum that integrates indigenous knowledge and culture with standard collegiate course material. Pamulaan counts teachers, anthropologists, agriculturists, community facilitators, and youth leaders among its alumni.
\n![\"\"](\"/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Scott-Stiles-Fair-Employment-Agency.jpg\")
Mr. Stiles, meanwhile, co-founded the Fair Employment Agency after seeing the plight of Hong Kong\u2019s migrant workers during his summer internship there. Unlike exploitative recruitment agencies, the Fair Employment Agency promises transparent pricing and ethical practices. Within four years of launching in 2014, the agency placed over 3,000 Filipino workers without charging them recruitment fees, helping workers avoid almost US$4.5 million in recruitment debt.
\nTo create change, Mr. Stiles advised innovators to develop a well thought-out plan to get funding support. \u201cEmbrace the power of storytelling,\u201d Mr. Gervasa said. \u201cThat was a transformational moment that really helped us shape our narrative and attract mentors who believed in us.\u201d Added Mr. Abadiano: \u201cThe resources will come. It is the easiest to happen if people see [your] sincerity.\u201d \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol
\n", "content_text": "Three social innovators were inducted to the lifelong Ashoka Fellowship at the Ashoka Induction and Fellow Launch for creating inclusive and systems-changing solutions in their chosen Filipino communities: Ryan Gersava, Ben Abadiano, and Scott Stiles.\u00a0\n\u201cBecause of the pandemic, we are perfectly poised to build our world anew,\u201d said incoming Ashoka Philippines country director Abby Mapua-Cabanilla during the virtual induction on Oct. 30.\nFounded in 1981, Ashoka is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that supports and enables more than 3,500 social innovators worldwide.\u00a0\nRyan Gervasa of Davao-based Virtualahan. Image via Ashoka Fellowship.\nMr. Gervasa, whose dream of becoming a physician was dashed when he couldn\u2019t get a job after he tested positive for Hepatitis B, created the Davao-based Virtualahan, a virtual school that employs cost-effective social technology to help scholars from socially excluded populations access work in the global digital economy. As a result of the program, 42% of the school\u2019s 350 graduates saw their income increase threefold.\nBen Abadiano of Pamulaan Center of Indigenous Peoples Education. Image via Ashoka Fellowship.\nMr. Abadiano established the Pamulaan Center of Indigenous Peoples Education in 2006 after spending time with the Manobo tribe in Bukidnon, the Mangyan tribe in Oriental Mindoro, and other indigenous peoples (IP). The first tertiary-level program for IPs, Pamulaan Center has a curriculum that integrates indigenous knowledge and culture with standard collegiate course material. Pamulaan counts teachers, anthropologists, agriculturists, community facilitators, and youth leaders among its alumni.\nScott Stiles of Fair Employment Agency. Image via Ashoka Fellowship.\nMr. Stiles, meanwhile, co-founded the Fair Employment Agency after seeing the plight of Hong Kong\u2019s migrant workers during his summer internship there. Unlike exploitative recruitment agencies, the Fair Employment Agency promises transparent pricing and ethical practices. Within four years of launching in 2014, the agency placed over 3,000 Filipino workers without charging them recruitment fees, helping workers avoid almost US$4.5 million in recruitment debt.\nTo create change, Mr. Stiles advised innovators to develop a well thought-out plan to get funding support. \u201cEmbrace the power of storytelling,\u201d Mr. Gervasa said. \u201cThat was a transformational moment that really helped us shape our narrative and attract mentors who believed in us.\u201d Added Mr. Abadiano: \u201cThe resources will come. It is the easiest to happen if people see [your] sincerity.\u201d \u2014 Patricia B. Mirasol", "date_published": "2020-11-03T15:20:44+08:00", "date_modified": "2020-11-03T15:20:44+08:00", "authors": [ { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "大象传媒", "url": "/author/cedadiantityclea/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fc38d2668fdee8f1e2b22df5e72ae6f4ad265ab7814de4aa60060edd377a70ce?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Patricia B. Mirasol", "EntrepreNews" ], "summary": "Three social innovators were inducted to the lifelong Ashoka Fellowship at the Ashoka Induction and Fellow Launch for creating inclusive and systems-changing solutions in their chosen Filipino communities: Ryan Gersava, Ben Abadiano, and Scott Stiles.\u00a0" } ] }