Tag: 917Ventures

Makati City, Philippines– Gogoro Philippines has announced the official inauguration of its first retail space centre in the country, called the Gogoro Experience Center (GEC). 

This initiative offers first-hand experience in the world of smart electric mobility, which embarks its operations today, November 7 at Greenbelt 4, Makati Avenue. 

As the first experience hub, GEC brings together a cleaner transportation option for the Philippines. Its revolutionary approach, moreover, promises a personal transportation ecosystem in which consumers are encouraged to reduce carbon emissions, transform urban mobility, and use sustainable modes of transport by immersing themselves in Smartscooters® and battery swapping GoStations.  

The brand-new Gogoro PH can be viewed on the LED screens at GEC, as well as their graphic animations on the company’s social media outlets. 

Following this significant milestone, the president of Gogoro Philippines, Bernard Llamzon, expressed his enthusiasm about the project. “We are very excited to open our first retail space in the Philippines as we gear up to roll out Gogoro in Metro Manila. As we count the days down to the grand opening of our Gogoro Experience Center, we are getting ready to welcome visitors and to give them an unforgettable taste of the future of transport.”

Gogoro is a Taiwanese company that first introduced smart electric mobility. One of its notable achievements encompasses the widespread practice of battery-swapping stations across Taiwanese cities.

Gogoro Philippines, on the other hand, emerged from Globe Group’s 917 Ventures Inc. partnership with Ayala Corporation and Taiwan’s Gogoro. This collaborative effort is aimed at promoting more accessible and inclusive technologies that are sustainable and eco-friendly.

Manila, Philippines – Driven by the official entry of Taiwanese tech company, Gogoro, into the Philippine market, Globe Group’s 917Ventures and Philippine conglomerate Ayala Corporation have entered into a tripartite partnership with the former to launch its Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping technology in the Philippines. 

Gogoro is a company that has transformed two-wheel mobility in Taiwan and fostered a new smart mobility industry with a network of eco-friendly businesses and end-users.

The company is bringing the said ecosystem to the Philippines and is committed to replicating its success in Taiwan. Gogoro is currently managing 540,000 riders and has deployed more than 1 million smart batteries at 12,000 battery-swapping stations.

“We in the Globe Group are very proud to bring Gogoro Smartscooters® and battery-swapping to the Philippines, a transport ecosystem that marries mobility innovation and sustainability,” said Ernest Cu, Globe Group President and CEO. “This year, Filipinos will have access to these electric [two-wheel] vehicles and Gogoro’s convenient and cost-efficient battery-swapping technology, another first in the Philippines.”

In a ceremonial launch at Globe’s headquarters, the three companies have announced that Gogoro’s Smartscooters® and Battery-Swapping tech would be both available publicly by Q4 2023.

Horace Luke, Founder and CEO of Gogoro, commented, “Our partnership with the Globe Group and Ayala Corporation in the Philippines is a major milestone in our mission to transform urban transportation and provide an accessible path for riders to adopt sustainable urban mobility and play a key role in battling climate change and making the world better for all.”

“We look forward to working together to deliver a sustainable transport system that will improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions, and provide a superior riding experience for consumers in the Philippines,” added Luke. 

Globe’s Cu further said that the shift to EVs, particularly deploying Gogoro’s battery-swapping system, will go a long way, alongside sustained government support, to allow private sector initiatives to prosper. 

“Sustainable transportation projects are, after all, aligned with the government’s long-term agenda to promote environment-friendly transport options and foster digitalization as mobility needs of Filipino individuals and businesses rise,” said Cu.

In addition to Taiwan and the Philippines, Gogoro is also operating in China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Korea, and Israel.

Manila, Philippines – AdSpark, the digital marketing agency under Globe’s 917Ventures, has been renamed as Brave Connective. The agency brings together under its umbrella several companies that will help businesses strengthen connections with customers through the use of data, analytics, targeting, and storytelling.

Brave Connective provides a holistic adtech and data ecosystem through its four companies: AdSpark, Inquiro, m360, and DeepSea, currently undergoing the spin-off process.

Furthermore, it aims to address pain points in adtech and data experienced by many B2B customers. These include the lack of capability to execute effective digital campaigns, ineffective sourcing and use of data for digital marketing or advertising, inefficient audience targeting and digital media buying, and direct-to-customer communication challenges.

Nikko Acosta, president and CEO of Brave Connective, said that with the four companies under Brave Connective, they are creating a comprehensive ecosystem of data, media, and fulfilment partners that translates the curiosity of businesses about their customers and their behaviour, into data-driven campaigns that resonate with others.

“With the rebranding, we are positioning ourselves as an end-to-end adtech and data partner for businesses. This move was born out of the recognition that connecting with customers is not only about the data or the technology, but also about the brave decisions that brands make to bring their businesses closer to their customers – being more daring to experiment, take risks, and question things,” Acosta said.

In 2022, the Globe Group created AdSpark Holdings Inc. to consolidate initiatives around its adtech and data capabilities.

Manila, Philippines – Three local healthtech companies–KonsultaMD, HealthNow, and AIDE–will be consolidating their services into one healthtech super-app in a bid to provide more accessible healthcare to Filipinos, led by Globe’s venture company 917Ventures.

The announcement was made in a recent company disclosure made by Globe Capital Venture Holdings to the country’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The new super-app will feature KonsultaMD’s teleconsultations, HealthNow’s medicine deliveries, and AIDE’s laboratory tests and home care, and combines a total of 2 million existing user base of these three companies. The super-app is set to go live by the first quarter of 2023.

Vince Yamat, managing director at 917Ventures, said, “This is a very important step for us to further grow KonsultaMD. We have long experienced the challenges and difficulties of healthcare in the Philippines and we intend to address those challenges. Our ambition is to democratise health services, making it as easily available and affordable to every Filipino regardless of where you are in the country.”

Meanwhile, Paolo Borromeo, president and CEO of AC Health, commented, “By combining the strengths of each of the three entities, I am excited to see the new KonsultaMD support AC Health’s vision of an integrated healthcare ecosystem. This combined digital team, supplemented by the network of services from AC Health, allows us all to be in a better position to provide much-needed access to quality healthcare services and medicines across the country, accelerating our goal of touching the lives of 1 in 5 Filipinos by 2030.”

Cholo Tagaysay, who has presided over KonsultaMD the past two years will be the CEO of the consolidated entity. Meanwhile, Beia Latay, who has served as HealthNow CEO over the past two years, will be COO of the new KonsultaMD.

Tagaysay said, “Consultations are at the top of the funnel. Consultations generate prescriptions which in turn generate lab requests. Now, we can fulfil all of these. We are a one-stop-shop for all your health needs.”

Meanwhile, Latay commented, “Our synergy creates a complete and simplified healthcare experience, spanning home, in-clinic and hospital.”

Manila, Philippines – Globe Telecom’s venture builder 917Ventures and Ayala Corporation (AC) Ventures have entered into a new partnership to explore business opportunities, as well as grow their own business ecosystems.

Through the partnership, AC Ventures will participate in funding the research, development, and launch of 917V’s new business ventures. 

The partnership with AC Ventures hopes to further accelerate both the quantity and quality of its future companies as the unique advantages now encompass the broader Ayala group, including real estate, banking, power, healthcare, and logistics.

Vince Yamat, managing director at 917Ventures, said, “We are very excited to work with AC Ventures. We can leverage the ecosystem and network advantage that they provide to solve the pain points of consumers and businesses. Through digital solutions, we can help pave the way and deliver indelible value to the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific region.”

Meanwhile, Alberto de Larrazabal, chief finance officer at Ayala Corporation and president/CEO at AC Ventures, commented, “The accelerated growth of digital adoption has become ingrained in many Filipinos who have quickly transitioned how they work, study, play, and access basic services.”

He added, “Ayala intends to participate in this multi-decade transformation by contributing to the research and development and incubation of disruptive solutions across different consumer touchpoints in our portfolio. With its strong track record of developing startups to achieve scale and profitability, we believe that 917Ventures is the natural vehicle for Ayala’s digital ventures.”

Manila, Philippines – 917Ventures, the venture builder of local telco Globe, has launched Concati, a one-stop application programming interface (API) marketplace, where developers can access high-quality APIs to effortlessly enhance existing solutions and get to market faster.

This suite of secure, scalable, and enterprise-grade APIs can be easily integrated into an organisation’s digital systems, allowing companies to come up with better products more quickly. Users can cut their building costs and development time by one to two months. 

With an easy-to-use API management platform, businesses can explore and connect seamlessly. Concati also offers reliable maintenance and aftersales support. In addition, Concati APIs work well with all major development languages. Developers can simply use the technology they are most familiar with. 

Mikey Garrovillo, head of product, technology and data at 917Ventures, said, “We are excited to introduce Concati to developers around the world for an elevated user experience among their customers. Anyone creating a new web or mobile application can benefit from the flexibility and convenience that Concati provides. The APIs are also relatively cheaper compared to their regional and international counterparts.”

Available APIs include address service, centralised logistics, consent management, feedback service, inventory service, leaderboard and missions, maintenance service, OTP service, push notifications, referral service, scheduling service, voucher service, and user service.

Manila, Philippines – Globe’s corporate venture builder, 917Ventures, has launched a new portfolio company, iNQUiRO, to help SMEs make data-driven decisions in their operations.

The start-up aims to address the challenges encountered by businesses in their journey towards data-driven insights, which include access to the right data, tools, and technology. Its products are designed to provide organizations with the knowledge that creates impact from customer analytics to risk assessment and even fraud detection.

For instance, iNQUiRO’s 360° Customer Dashboard and Audience Builder, an intuitive platform, gives clients access to valuable consumer information particularly, behaviors and trends. The service is complete with optimized tools and resources that help businesses transform data into valuable and actionable insights and explore various opportunities.

Furthermore, iNQUiRO’s Credibility Score intends to use behavioral data in creating a credibility profile for consumers to help businesses assess the credibility of consumers with limited or no available financial data and to provide these consumers with access to a wider range of financial products.

Pancho Reyna, iNQUiRO’s chief operating officer, said, “By providing organizations of all sizes with access to otherwise unobtainable insights, we enable them to make exceptional and impactful data-driven decisions. This is what makes iNQUiRO truly a game-changer.”

Meanwhile, Vince Yamat, 917Ventures’s managing director, shared, “As we expand our services and continue to grow our portfolio companies, we are committed to taking Globe’s vision of creating a digital nation forward, as we empower more Filipinos through our tech and digital solutions.”

Aside from iNQUiRO, 917Ventures’ lineup of portfolio companies also includes mobile wallet giant GCash, digital health companies KonsultaMD and HealthNow, and digital marketing solutions firm AdSpark, as well as online grocery platform PureGo, and loyalty and e-commerce solutions provider RUSH.

Manila, Philippines – More consumers are now relying on e-commerce platforms for their daily needs amid the pandemic, and with this, RUSH, Globe’s 917Ventures loyalty and e-commerce solutions provider, has partnered with GrabExpress, to be its logistics partner for the merchant deliveries.

RUSH enables SMEs to grow their presence in the digital space by providing customized and easy-to-use programs. According to RUSH, its white-label apps and services are utilized by over 100 companies with 27 million registered users. In addition, RUSH’s eStore allows merchant partners to do more than just selling and engaging customers, as it also looks for proactive solutions to improve business’ operational processes including logistics.

The partnership entails that GrabExpress will now be integrated into the RUSH eStore platform, allowing businesses to book a delivery partner, meet orders, and do cash-on-delivery (COD) – which is still the most preferred mode of payment in the Philippines. 

According to RUSH, one of the features of its RUSH eStore is the ability of merchant partners to expand or reduce their kilometer radius coverage with just one click. This allows businesses to reach more customers and gauge their distance, giving merchants control over coverage and delivery pricing. The new partnership will be amplifying this important feature since Grab deems to have the widest reach in Metro Manila and key cities all over the country.

Paolo Castaneda, RUSH’s chief operating officer, shared that RUSH understands how the last mile delivery experience can highly affect one’s repeat purchase behavior, and logistics is not just a nice-to-have, but a must for businesses going digital.

“Our partnership with Grab is a testament to our commitment to ensuring that our merchant partners meet their on-demand orders and keep their customers happy,” said Castaneda.

Meanwhile, Stephanie Kubota, the CEO of RUSH, said, “RUSH remains steadfast in helping businesses enter the e-commerce field easily by providing the best-in-class technology and impactful synergies, at a fair price point against the market. With Grab on the RUSH eStore, we are making it seamless for our merchant partners to manage last-mile delivery.”

Jacqueline Maye Lim, Grab’s head of GrabExpress for the Philippines, commented that the partnership with RUSH is a clear expression of their long-term commitment to supporting the growth of many businesses, while providing meaningful livelihood opportunities to many delivery partners. 

“We are grateful for the trust and the opportunity to work alongside RUSH in this meaningful endeavor and we look forward to continuing supporting many Filipinos towards the recovery of our community and our economy,” said Lim.

Manila, Philippines – As the pandemic forced live events to go virtual, Globe’s corporate venture builder 917Ventures in the Philippines has decided to roll out a new marketplace platform, called ‘Fanlife’, which is made to cater to K-pop and K-drama supporters. 

‘Fanlife’ is the ultimate marketplace platform for the said fans and will offer exclusive experiences and official merchandise. Fans may learn more about their favorite artists via exclusive content and get a chance to meet them. They will be able to stoke their love for their favorite artists with collectibles and merchandise available on the e-commerce site.

‘Fanlife’ was one of the selections from the first batch of the Velocity program, a 917Ventures initiative that helps aspiring entrepreneurs build successful businesses. It aims to expand the reach and engagement between local and international artists and their supporters, offering an immersive experience on www.fanlife.ph. 

“Fanlife connects you to your favorite artists through exciting experiences, bringing you closer to them with just a click. You may also discover your new favorite artist and be a part of your favorite artists’ communities all within the website,” said Aya Villa-Real, the Venture Builder of Fanlife.

Meanwhile, Vince Yamat, the managing director of 917Ventures, commented, “We believe the best ideas and ventures come from such a diverse entrepreneurial base in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. As such, Velocity provides venture builders the opportunity to build businesses leveraging on the advantage of operating within 917Ventures and Globe.”

The new platform comes as local telco giant Globe, the parent company of 917Ventures, recently announced that it is looking to scout new businesses to explore other sources of income, as both global and local telecommunication revenues were greatly affected by the coronavirus crisis.