Globe Telecom has chosen the two Philippine representatives for the upcoming innovation for social development competition “SingTel Group Regional Future Makers 2017” in Australia.
iVolunteer and Virtualahan were among the five startups who won the first Globe Future Makers competition among 135 groups and individuals. They will join four other finalists from Singtel of Singapore and Optus of Australia in the regional competition. The finalists were chosen based on the potential of their solutions and business models in solving broader social issues across the region. The winner of the competition will receive a funding from the Singtel Group of companies.
iVolunteer, which is run by a group of employees from different companies, aims to encourage Filipino volunteerism by becoming a platform that links individuals to small nongovernmental organizations.
“This is something that came out of our own passion and experiences. We thank Globe for supporting us. With access to Globe, we now have a big marketing channel through SMS, data or Internet to promote volunteerism. Technology can really help us elevate the level of professionalism among volunteers and remind them that they signed up for this to show their commitment,” iVolunteer Founder JB Tan said.
Virtualahan also received the Online Voter’s Choice prize for garnering over 1,700 shares in social media. Virtualahan is a learning platform for capacity-building for persons with disabilities and medical conditions who have experienced employment discrimination. It also provides remote employment for digital startups.
“Globe comes in by providing the necessary technical support to help us deal with our challenges in delivering our services, improving our electronic learning platform, cut other practices to save on costs by using different tools and help those with no access to the Internet. With the support given to us by Globe, we can’t help but feel confident and do our best.” Virtualahan Founder Ryan Gersava said.
Kickstart Ventures, a wholly-owned venture capital subsidiary of Globe, provided 12 weeks of mentoring and workshop to the finalists. According to its president Minette Navarrete, most of the Philippine startups they see now intend to effect social change and improve and make life’s opportunities equal and accessible for all.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Ashoka Foundation and Globe for the Futuremakers. Teams like iVolunteer and Virtualahan remind us that innovation, entrepreneurship and creative partnerships are key to positive change towards a better future for all,” she said.
Globe Future Makers is a program aligned with the social innovation program of the Singtel Group of Companies for Asia Pacific. It aims to influence and build an ecosystem of social innovators who can help create a positive impact on society with the help of technology.