iZone-iHub : Changing the Rules of Startup Assistance

An invention is, more often than not, very slow to transcend from conceptualization to implementation. It often requires a critical mass of talents and resources to market and commercialize a single technology no matter how breakthrough it is. This is the main reason why technology business incubators are being established to accelerate the successful development of tech startup firms through an array of business support resources and services, developed and orchestrated by the incubator through its network of contacts and affiliates.

I've read a lot about companies and groups coming up with programs that are aimed to tap into the potentials of entrepreneurs. They are venture capitalists whose ultimate goal is to discover bright new innovative ideas that could make a fortune, and give them a lot of bragging rights to say they invested on that entrepreneur's little project which that's now making a name in the technology industry - meaning the next Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

They are also targeting the vibrant and aggressive students from colleges and universities and whose fresh look into the world and alternative ways of thinking  might work miracles and come out with the next money-making idea. The youth of today are highly exposed in technology and social media.They are fast-learners and highly experimental so it would be less of a surprise if the next big bright new idea would come from them.

There's Ideaspace from Smart Communications Inc. and Kickstart Ventures from Globe Telecoms that were formed as pioneering programs to nurture upstart “technopreneurs” and help them scale up their businesses by providing a comprehensive support system including seed capital, technical assistance and business linkages. Both subsidiaries of the two largest Telecom companies believe that while many Filipinos have very good breakthrough ideas for their own independent businesses, and the capability to make these scale efficiently through ICT, web and mobile applications, a lot of them do not have the necessary resources to pursue their ambition. 

There's even a lot of more groups like Mozilla's WebFWD to help startups hit the accelerator, companies like BlackBerry and Accenture sponsoring hackathons, and bigger events like the Global Startup Battle whose participants came from several Startup Weekend hackathons that were ran from all over the world. In other words, the search for the next big bright idea has indeed grown into a massive movement.

But there's this company that tries to change the rules of giving support to startups, and they call themselves iZone-iHub. They advertise themselves as a tech or techie venue where every I.T. person (that includes the nerds, dorks, dweebs and geeks) can go and make use of their free services and facilities - Internet access, coffee, computers and even digital projectors. Their site says that they are an online community that provides Pinoy techies and innovative individuals a room for collaboration. It aims to encourage knowledge sharing among those who have the passion for Information Technology. They also have a techie guy available at the site to provide technical assistance to the techies. The big plus is iZone-iHUB has an on-going contest were an individual or group can win as much as fifty thousand pesos worth of prizes. The head honchos of iZone-iHub accepts all pitches or proposals of both new or enhanced ideas, and if they see a breakthrough or potential in your ideas, they can provide funding and support to commercialize your idea and make it profitable.

iZone-iHub will soon be having a Grand Launch on the 18th of January, and their biggest event on the16th of February called the Techno Summit which is highlighted by a hackathon event. I can't wait to be there and witness two great gatherings of techie and business minds.Don't miss out on these opportunities to rub elbows with your fellow techies and get the chance to listen and meet the speakers they invited to grace the occasion.

Aside from business magnate Mr. Dan Pena, philanthropist, technology advocate, and iZone-iHub founder, there will also be Agham Partylist Representative Angelo Palmones, a co-founder and the first president of the Philippine Science Journalists Association, Inc. (PSciJourn) and the honorable Manila Vice Mayor "Isko" Moreno or also known as Francisco Domagoso attending the two big events of iZone-iHub.  These personas are three of the most prominent advocates of technology in the Philippines.

To end this article, we probably all realize by now that tech incubators have been experiencing a recent growth around the world. However, while there seems to be a lot of funding available for great ideas, the  handing out of seed capital is not sufficient anymore. They should also provide facilities, mentoring programs, intensive courses on how to launch and sustain a successful business, and business network introductions. These are equally essential to kickstarting the dreams of aspiring technopreneurs, and are the possible future plans of iZone-iHub which everyone should look forward to.

Globe PrePaid GoSakto : Create Your OIwn Promo

Globe Telecom redefines prepaid as it brings another new and game-changing experience to its subscribers by allowing them to make their own promo the way they want to.

Introducing Globe Prepaid GoSakto, the first and only service in the country that allows prepaid subscribers to create and customize a prepaid promo that fits their needs, budget, and lifestyle.

Another industry-shaking innovation from Globe, GoSakto empowers prepaid subscribers to design their own promo according to what they need, recognizing the fact that customers have different call, text and surfing needs. With GoSakto, customers have the flexibility to tailor-fit their prepaid promo based on what they need for the day, week, or month.

To enjoy their GoSakto promo, subscribers first choose what type of promo to avail: call/text/surf, call and text, call and surf, text and surf, or a combination of all.

Once subscribers have chosen their promo, GoSakto further personalizes the experience by letting them select the type and number of calls and texts they need. Type of call/text can be within the Globe/TM network or across all networks, while number can be bulk or unlimited. For subscribers who need surfing services, they can also choose between bulk (in megabytes or MBs of data) or unlimited.

Finally, prepaid subscribers get to pick the validity of the calls, texts, and surfing services they availed, from 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, or 30 days.

With the many levels of selection, prepaid subscribers can explore and find the best value GoSakto promo combo in over 2,000 possible combinations, another Globe-first.

There are three (3) easy ways to GoSakto: via mobile phone via*143#, via the Globe website at www.globe.com.ph/gosakto, or via Facebook where they can share their promo to their friends via the GoSakto page on the social networking site. GoSakto even allows subscribers to name their created promo, as well as let their Facebook friends register to the same promo, creating a community of GoSakto users online.

With GoSakto, subscribers are spared from promo availment barriers such as maintaining balance, capping, and limited price points. A GoSakto promo is available for as low as P7, and can co-exist with another promo, giving subscribers more value for their money. 

“We are thrilled to disrupt the prepaid market with yet another innovation that will change the behavior of today’s subscribers when it comes to availing promos,” said KD Dizon, Head of Globe Prepaid. “With GoSakto, subscribers will bid pre-made and canned prepaid promos goodbye. No customer is the same as the other. One would want more voice calls, another is a heavy texter, and the other enjoys browsing. One prefers 1-day promos, the other chooses those with longer validity. At the end of the day, you are the only one who truly understand and know your needs when it comes to connecting with your friends and loved ones.”

Added Dizon, “Taking this consumer insight, we at Globe developed a new service that will give the subscribers the power to make their own promo from scratch. Through GoSakto, Globe will be the brand that makes prepaid promos more flexible, personal, and yes customizable. Apart from their own prepaid promo, subscribers can even select how to GoSakto through mobile, website or Facebook, making the registration process more convenient and hassle-free.”

Innovation is what drives the company’s prepaid segment to flourish and grow despite a challenging market. In 2010, Globe Prepaid launched SuperAllTxt20, a breakthrough all-network offer that allowed subscribers to break barriers and connect with their circle regardless of mobile networks. It strengthened its All-Network and Unlimited services, bundling all hero offers with all-network texts and data. It also responded to the growing demand for mobile browsing services by giving subscribers free access to Facebook and Google.

In the area of pioneering experiences, Globe Prepaid took front and center with Load Watch, an innovative service that provides subscribers with real-time information on their load status, permanently avoiding instances of Nakaw Load. Last year, it unveiled its self-service menu *143#, paving the way for subscribers to easily register to their favorite prepaid promos without having to memorize keywords and access codes.

For 2013, Dizon looks at GoSakto to increase the number of promo subscriptions among existing customers, as well as to acquire new ones who are looking for the right prepaid promo that will fit their needs.

As of end-2012, Globe Prepaid subscribers reached 16.4 million, up 6% from previous year despite a highly-challenging prepaid market. Gross additions posted a quarterly-high of 3.1 million in the fourth quarter, 14% above third quarter’s level of 2.7 million on the back of value-for-money offers, innovative unlimited promos, and competitively-priced international services. Net incremental subscribers substantially grew in the fourth quarter registering at almost 300,000 compared to the previous quarter with only 33,000.

Facebook Announces Free or Discounted Messaging Services, Smart Sole PH Telco in Program

Today at Mobile World Congress 2013, Facebook is announcing partnerships with a select group of mobile operators around the world that will offer free or discounted access to Facebook messaging for their subscribers.

In the Philippines, SMART is the exclusive operator partner for this program.

Facebook is currently the most popular social network in the Philippines.

"We're excited with this partnership as it's in line with our goal of making access to messaging and other mobile Internet services accessible to more Filipinos. We're sure that this is something that our subscribers are looking forward to." said Orlando B. Vea, Chief Wireless Advisor of SMART Communications.


In the coming months, free or discounted access will be available on Messenger for Android, Messenger for iOS, and Facebook for Java which is now optimized for chat. This promotion will be available from more than 18 operators in 14 countries, including SMART in the Philippines.


Messaging on Facebook lets people connect with friends and contacts on the go, regardless of what device they are using. Three out of every four people on Facebook send a message on the platform each month, making messaging one of the most popular activities on Facebook. Today, Facebook messaging and chat can be accessed from more than 6,000 mobile phones via Facebook Messenger, Facebook for iOS and Android, Facebook for Every Phone, m.facebook.com and across other devices with Facebook integration.