Microsoft Philippines recently announced the formation of a partnership with the Asian Institute of Management-Dado Banatao Incubator (AIM-DBI).
Prim Paypon, executive direcor of AIM, told the media the tie-up seeks to enhance the incubator’s program by equipping Philippine start-ups with innovative solutions mainly powered by Microsoft’s cloud-based technology, Azure, through rhipe Philippines Inc., its cloud indirect provider.
AIM-DBI is the Philippines’ first incubator housed in a business school that is also backed by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development. Under the setup, start-ups will be allotted a physical space where they create their technologies and run their businesses. Furthermore, it provides needs-responsive and progressive programs that are geared toward start-ups with science, technology or engineering backgrounds that introduce new alternative solutions to existing and emerging problems.
Paypon said the development of an alliance between AIM and Microsoft was timely, as the government led by the Department of Science and Technology is starting to develop local start-ups which the Department of Trade and Industry estimates to be around 500 companies.
“Our partnership with Microsoft is a strategic step in developing the start-ups at The Incubator,” Paypon said. “Microsoft’s expertise in cloud solutions allows our start-ups to constantly improve its business processes and services to be customer-intuitive and responsive while being technologically advanced.”
The incubator program will have a group of AIM professors and various industry leaders to provide the founders with progressive service programs that include world-class mentorship, customized trainings and start-up management program that would best fit their actual needs. Moreover, it also provides rent-free office space, as well as access to AIM’s campus facilities to better equip start-ups to develop their day-to-day operations.
To keep track of the progress of each start-up, the curriculum provided by the Microsoft and AIM-DBI partnership has three progressive program phases: Nesting Program, Building Program and Scaling Program. The Nesting Program digitally assists start-ups through cloud tools, while the Building Program provides start-ups with technology architecture creation, and peer-to-peer collaborative consultation and building. The Scaling Program is the final program which ensures that start-ups are market-ready for selling through Microsoft’s network of business partners.
The Futuristic Aviation and Maritime Enterprise Inc. (FAME) is one start-up that already enjoys the synergy of Microsoft and AIM-DBI. Currently operating under the Building Program, FAME provides hardware and software platforms that track the location and activity of general aviation aircraft and small boats, effectively monitoring vessels and reducing risk of accidents.
Microsoft’s Azure, through its indirect provider rhipe, extensively supports FAME’s operations. Paypon said rhipe optimizes FAME’s solutions on Azure that allows the start-up to receive and retain data, including speed, location, sensor data, messaging and estimated time of arrival of airborne and maritime vehicles.
He said Power BI, Microsoft’s business analytics tool, will soon be integrated in FAME’s operations. This will provide easier management of information being transmitted from devices and sensors, making data easier to process into useful business insights.