Kickstart Ventures Invites Local Startups to Singtel Innov8 Connect Global Business Challenge

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Kickstart Ventures enjoins local startups to participate in the second installment of Singtel Innov8’s global call to create innovative solutions for real world business challenges. This follows the success and momentum of the initial Innov8 Connect programme launched in January 2016 which attracted over 120 submissions from startups across 22 countries.

“Through the second round of Innov8 Connect, Philippine startups are given another opportunity to realize their global growth aspirations. Kickstart, through Innov8 Connect, is opening doors for them to penetrate the global market as part of our mission to break down barriers and build bridges between the business community and the startup founders,” said Minette Navarrete, President of Kickstart, a wholly-owned venture capital firm of Globe Telecom.

Kickstart is a founding member of Innov8 Sparks, the Singtel Group’s network of startup support and funding initiatives across Southeast Asia. It currently has 27 portfolio companies with various products and services encompassing SaaS (Software as a Service) for financial services; Healthcare; E-commerce and Online Marketplace, Social Impact; and Digital Lifestyle, several of which have already ventured to other countries.

Once selected in the second round of Innov8 Connect, the startups that offered the best solutions will be provided with up to S$75,000 to test and validate their business solutions as proof-of-concepts inside Singtel and Optus in Australia.

Successful solutions from promising startups may then lead to further commercialization opportunities within the Singtel Group which offers startups access to an extensive customer base that includes both enterprises and over 600 million mobile subscribers across Asia, Australia and Africa. These startups will also have the opportunity to seek funding from Singtel Innov8 and tap on its network of co-investors from Innov8 Sparks and partners across the globe.

Talking about the importance of the program, Tay Soo Meng, Group Chief Technology Officer at Singtel said: “Innov8 Connect started as a win-win platform to help startups develop viable business solutions while allowing the Singtel Group to stay at the cutting-edge of innovation through continuous experimentation. We hope to uncover more innovative answers for real emerging business challenges with start-ups in this latest installment of the programme.”

In the second round, 14 new business challenges have been identified by Singtel and its Australian arm, Optus, in areas such as the Internet of Things (IoT), augmented reality solutions and artificial intelligence.

“We look forward to working together with more start-ups on the new set of business challenges from this second installment of Innov8 Connect. Through these real challenges that businesses face, we hope to spur greater innovation while identifying and supporting viable solutions that meet the Group’s needs,” said Edgar Hardless, CEO of Singtel Innov8.

Interested start-ups may submit their proposals through the Innov8 Connect portal www.innov8connect.com until October 31, 2016. The portal also contains detailed information on the 14 new business challenges. Selected start-ups will then be invited to pitch to a panel of management representatives from the Singtel Group.

As the venture arm of the Singtel Group, Singtel Innov8’s mandate is to scout for and provide the Group with insights and early access to emerging technologies, as well as to nurture the innovation ecosystem in Southeast Asia. Innov8 Connect is part of Singtel Innov8’s initiatives to create greater awareness for Singtel’s innovation agenda and engagement with startup ecosystems.

Cheaper Energy, Reduce CO2 Emissions - DOE Sec. Cusi

Wazzup Pilipinas!

To boost wider use of clean energy in the Philippines, the Department of Energy (DOE) supported the first-ever Philippine Clean Energy Summit which opened Thursday (13 October) at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City.

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, in a speech delivered by DOE Usec. Jesus Cristino P. Posadas, said “With the country’s industrialization thrust, there is a need for cheaper energy to fuel the economy in addition to the challenge of reducing our CO2 emissions.”

Following the DOE’s review of the energy and power mix, the government has embarked on fuel diversification that envisions achieving energy security, but with preference for cleaner fuel; reducing dependence on fossil fuels; and working towards reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Specifically, the DOE is moving towards the realization of its goal to expand renewable energy capacity in power generation by 2030.

The DOE has also formulated the Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) Roadmap, with assistance from the EU-Switch Asia, to step up its goal of GHG reduction. The main objective of the roadmap is to create an energy-efficient Philippines across all economic sectors, and to make EE&C a “way of life” for all energy consumers.

Meanwhile, looking at all viable alternative energy sources, Sec. Cusi said, "The DOE is evaluating the use of nuclear energy and its possible contribution to the energy mix. But, initial steps have to be made first, such as the establishment of a Nuclear Energy Program Implementation Organization (NEPIO), creation of a National Policy and Program on Nuclear Energy and even extensive public consultations to identify the public’s concerns or reservation on nuclear energy utilization."

To expedite and realize all of these energy programs, “We stress the importance of the DOE’s proposal that all energy projects be declared as ‘Projects of National Significance’ to further the development of renewable energy and EE&C in the country,” said Sec. Cusi. "This will resolve permitting backlogs and incentive concerns."

Participants in the Summit were energy efficiency leaders and visionaries, government officials, business executives, policy experts and stakeholders across the energy sector.

The Summit was a collaboration between the Asia-Pacific Basin for Energy Strategies (APBest) and Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance (PE2).

The DOE remains committed to ensuring reliable, stable, sustainable, secure and reasonably priced electricity to the public by creating an in-depth understanding of the alternative paths concerning the Philippine’s energy supply chain.

DepEd Taps Globe as Official Partner for Adopt-A-School Program

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Education (DepEd) has tapped leading telecommunications company Globe Telecom as an official partner for the Adopt-A-School (AAS) Program which aims to provide quality and relevant education to the Filipino youth through private sector participation.

The AAS Program enjoins all private entities to assist public schools in areas such as infrastructure, health and nutrition, teaching skills development, computer and science lab equipment and learning support. To this, Globe responded with its Global Filipino School (GFS) program, a long-term education initiative designed to transform select public schools into centers of excellence in Information and Communications Technology and innovative teaching methods.

“We need all the help we can get from the private sector so that our public schools, especially the less privileged ones, may still receive assistance outside the mainstream funding and the national budget. Thus, we are glad to see a big company like Globe showing concern and desire to improve the status of education in the Philippines. We hope that this will further inspire other companies to join this undertaking,” said Tonisito M.C. Umali, Esq., DepEd Assistant Secretary for External Partnerships Service.

The AAS Program caters to less privileged schools with limited resources but have very large student population. Most of them experience classroom shortage, insufficient textbooks and instructional materials and overcrowding. Schools in low-income municipalities but have high performing students are also given consideration.

“It is Globe Telecom’s purpose to create opportunities that will allow people to overcome challenges and make their dreams come true. With this in mind, we continue to align our programs with the priority plans of DepEd to provide world class education to more public schools nationwide. We are grateful that our efforts are being recognized by DepEd and that our GFS program is now part of the national strategy to improve quality of education in the country,” said Fernando Esguerra, Globe Director for Citizenship.

Globe is targeting at least 221 public schools representing the 221 DepEd school divisions nationwide by end of the five-year expansion period. By the end of the year, Globe expects the GFS Program to be implemented in 60 untapped divisions in the National Capital Region, CALABARZON, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Davao regions representing 60 schools with combined student population of about 90,000.

The GFS Program was initially piloted by Globe and DepEd in Bilar National High School four years ago and is now present in 20 public schools nationwide. With the positive feedback received from its initial implementation, Globe decided to roll it out in all DepEd divisions within five years beginning 2016.

Based on the GFS impact assessment released by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) Global Market Research Company early this year, it shows improved digital skills among teachers and students, particularly on the usage of mobile technology and computer software. Students also became more well-rounded due to increased engagements driven by various pillars under the 21st Century Learning Framework namely collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking. The notable increase in the presence of ICT equipment also resulted in more students and teachers now using ICT in their daily academic proceedings.

Under the program, schools are provided with unparalleled online connectivity to give homeroom teachers access to limitless teaching and learning engagements available on the internet that will help further improve their craft and make learning fun and interesting for the students.

The schools are also given a Globe Digital Laboratory package containing netbooks/tablets, mobile projectors, and WiFi dongles while teachers are trained on ICT education and project-based learning through the GFS Master Teachers Workshop and Online Coaching Course. All schools under GFS are intended to become teacher training hubs and training partners of the DepEd Division Offices in conducting teaching workshops for neighboring schools of each division.

To complement the GFS Program, Globe recently launched the GFS Library which offers over 1,000 educational e-books appropriate for K-12 learning to benefit over 15 million public elementary and high school students and some 500,000 public school teachers nationwide.

GFSLibrary.com is a web-based platform that provides free and quick access to digital story books for children and young adults as well as textbooks on core subjects such as Math, Science, English, Filipino, Music, Arts, among others. The ebooks may be opened via their desktop, laptop or mobile device using any basic ebook reader.

While developments in technology have made it easier for both students and teachers to access a vast library of information previously out of their reach, a significant number of public elementary and high schools nationwide still do not have internet access due to lack of adequate infrastructure. Thus, with the program’s nationwide implementation, Globe expects to address the concern and at the same time, improve the Philippines’ global ranking in education.

For TM and Globe prepaid and postpaid customers who want to help public school students achieve their dreams, cash donations may be sent by texting GFS to 21580437 (0GFS) and following the instructions in the text messages. The general public, on the other hand, may deposit any amount to BPI Habitat for Humanity Philippines, Inc., Account No. 2421-0037-45. For inquiries, please email bridgecom@globe.com.ph.

Photo caption:

Globe showcases the mobile digital laboratory package that each public school under the Global Filipino School Program receives for more interesting learning and teaching engagements. Present during the Globe-DepEd Adopt-A-School Program partnership activity and GFS launch are (from L-R):  Lemuel Dayo, Principal of Sico 1.0 NHS, San Juan, Batangas;  Marilou J. Cusi, Supervising Administrative Officer, DepEd NCR; Alain Del B. Pascua, DepEd Undersecretary for Information and Communications Technology Service; Atty. Tonisito M.C. Umali, DepEd Assistant Secretary for External Partnership Service; Yoly C. Crisanto, Globe SVP for Corporate Communications; Fernando Esguerra, Globe Director for Citizenship; Allan Farnazo, DepEd Regional Director for Northern Mindanao; and Miguel Bermundo, Globe Manager for Citizenship.