Tiktok Collabs With DOST-PCIEERD For Pinoy Innovation Promotion

 Pinoy TikTok users will now learn more Filipino scientific achievements and developments as the Department of Science and Technology Research and Development – Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) partnered with TikTok to boost promotion of Filipino-made technologies

realme PH Joins in Shopee 2.2 Sale

 realme Philippines offers another wave of exciting deals and promos for its Filipino squad this month of February at Shopee’s 2.2 Cashback Sale happening on February 2.

Guide To TikTok: How To Get Started on the App in 2021

 It's never too late to start using TikTok! What was once perceived as an app only for Gen Z has evolved into a community for all ages. No matter how old you are, you can have just as much fun on TikTok. The TikTok community embraces users of all ages, and provides never-ending entertainment for all.

The Winners at Microsoft Emerge X at PH Startup Week 2020

 Four startups from Vietnam, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Singapore are winners at Microsoft’s inaugural Emerge X Regional Pitching Competition in Asia Pacific:

Abivin from Vietnam: An AI-powered platform that optimizes supply chains across multiple sectors by solving the vehicle routing problem

Lifetrack Medical Systems from the Philippines and Singapore: A cloud-based platform that provides affordable access to medical imaging in emerging markets

Agrithmics from Sri Lanka: A cloud-based solution that enriches the agri-industry by digitizing the farm to factory supply chain and connecting farmers and buyers

Milky Way AI, from Singapore: An AI-powered smart retail solution leveraging image recognition technology to help retailers manage shelf inventory and maximize sales

“For Asia Pacific to remain at the forefront of global transformation, it takes disruptors, visionaries, and futurists. There are no limits to what people can achieve when the world and technology reflect the diversity of everyone who uses it. At Microsoft, we build technology so that others can create technology, and to be successful we all need to come together,” said Andrea Della Mattea, President, Microsoft Asia Pacific. “Through the Highway to a 100 Unicorns initiative and our Emerge X program, we aim to help startups on the road to innovation, where they can meet unarticulated needs of the industry and help businesses become resilient.”

Microsoft Philippines hosted the Emerge X Regional Pitching Competition during the 2020 Philippine Startup Week (PHSW20) from November 23 – 27, 2020, the biggest startup conference in the country which hosted more than 10,500 registrants from across the Asia-Pacific region.   

“We’re very pleased and very excited to have brought the Emerge X initiative to the Philippines, giving access to Microsoft’s greater efforts towards empowering startups and digital natives to Filipino entrepreneurs and innovators,” said Microsoft Philippines COO Abid Zaidi. 

In the Philippines, a total of thirteen startups emerged as finalists, with Lifetrack Medical Systems, which also represents Singapore, being chosen as one of the winners for its cloud-based platform that provides affordable access to medical imaging in emerging markets.  Lifetrack Medical Systems started in 2011 to rethink how radiology software could be distributed and made available, especially in the challenging conditions of emerging markets. Via its LifeSys™ platform, over 1.7 million patients in 12 different countries have been diagnosed. 

“Microsoft’s Emerge X competition has given Lifetrack a platform to share the work we have been doing to improve affordable access to medical imaging with our partners and stakeholders around the world. We are excited to join the Highway to a 100 Unicorns initiative and looking forward to partnering with Microsoft to drive innovation forward in the region for the benefit of all,” said Dr. Eric Schulze, CEO and Founder, Lifetrack Medical Systems

“The potential and collective opportunity within the local startup ecosystem here in the Philippines is enormous and in our reality today, economic recovery for the country will need all businesses and organization to work together—including startups. We’re committed and invested in this now and for the future and we’re excited to join hands with the many startups and innovators of the Philippines,” said Microsoft Philippines’ Zaidi.

 Growing the Startup Ecosystem in Emerging Markets across APAC

The Emerge X Program is part of Microsoft’s Highway to a 100 Unicorns initiative, which was launched in the Asia Pacific in October 2020 after the overwhelming success in India. Microsoft engaged with more than 70 prominent startup ecosystem players and governments across 16 countries, who then nominated more than 300 of their most promising for the program. 

The 16 countries engaged in the program are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

79 startups were selected to join the Microsoft Emerge X program, including [ Aiah, ChatGenie, Edukasyon Expedock, Frontlearners Inc., Investagrams, Lifetrack Medical Systems, Omnirio, Packetworx, Rumarocket, Tangere, and Qwikwire from the Philippines].As an Emerge X startup, they will participate in a year-long mentorship program with Microsoft for Startups which is designed to help them scale and accelerate their growth. They will also receive GitHub and Azure credits, have the opportunity to attend a Founder Bootcamp for 3 days, gain access to enterprise clients globally through Microsoft’s unique co-sell program, and interact with Microsoft experts and industry stalwarts. 

Of these, 21 of the Emerge X startups pitched their ideas at the Emerge X Regional Pitching Competition, held at the Philippine Startup Week 2020, with Abivin, Lifetrack Medical Systems, Agrithmics and Milky Way AI identified as the top startups in the whole region. They were selected by a jury of leading investors and startup ecosystem leaders, including investors from BOV Capital, Cradle, Monk’s Hill Ventures, Movac, M12, SBK Tech Ventures, Sequoia, Vista Consulting Group, and 54i Ventures, and ecosystem leaders from GitHub and Target Accelerator.

Highway to a 100 Unicorns at the Singapore Week of Innovation & Technology 2020

Microsoft’s Highway to a 100 Unicorns Regional APAC Event was held at Singapore Week of Innovation & Technology (SWITCH) 2020 on 9 December, from 2pm-4pm. In that session, industry leaders from Microsoft and their partners discussed opportunities ahead and how to manage the challenges startups could face in APAC. The top four Emerge X startups shared their founding stories and how they have leveraged technology to solve some of the key challenges faced by business owners across different industry sectors.

Said Peter Ong, Chairman of Enterprise Singapore, who is organizing SWITCH, “We are happy that Microsoft has chosen to launch its inaugural Highway to a 100 Unicorns Regional APAC Event in Singapore. Culminating at SWITCH after its mentorship program and pitching competition, we see great synergies in bringing together the region’s most innovative and ambitious startups to network with our diverse line-up of speakers and participants. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with Microsoft to provide a vibrant and conducive ecosystem for the development of innovative startups.

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Redmi 9T Now Official in the Philippines

 In a out-of-nowhere virtual online launch, Xiaomi Philippines brought in their first high midrange smartphone in the country under the Redmi line which announced globally a few weeks ago.

Microsoft Announced 2020 Philippines Partner Awards Winners

 Recently, Microsoft Philippines held its 2020 Partner Awards, as part of a global circuit that recognizes Microsoft’s partners for their outstanding, innovative efforts to positively impact customers every year. This year’s awardees were Softline Services International Philippines Inc., Nexus Technologies Inc., Kation Technologies Inc., ePLDT Inc., Rhipe Philippines, NTT Data Philippines Inc., and Crayon Philippines. 

“Our mission to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more is driven forward by our partners and the work they do, which is why recognizing their efforts and their constant innovation is both fundamental and essential to us at Microsoft—especially at this time,” said Microsoft Philippines Chief Partner Officer, Fides Ricasa. “We’re absolutely honored and inspired to see the outcomes they’ve achieved and the extraordinary impact that so many of them have had this year.”

A panel of judges composed of Microsoft executives presided over this year’s selection. Nominations were assessed based on their business performance, innovative use of Microsoft technology and the subsequent impact delivered to their customers. 

Seven categories featured in this year’s Partner of the Year Awards: Azure Customer Recruit for excellence in delivering outstanding business value in line with Microsoft Azure, BizApps Customer Recruit for excellence in delivering outstanding business value in line with Microsoft’s Business Applications space, Teamwork Excellence for exceptional delivery of best-in-class teamwork solutions using Microsoft’s collaboration tools, Security Excellence for exceptional delivery of end-to-end security solutions, Coopetition Excellence for driving successful Partner-to-Partner (P2P) motions, Tech Intensity for excellence in driving transformation within their own organization and in their customers’ and finally Customer Centricity for exemplary focus and response to customer needs resulting in improvements in business performance. 

For their outstanding efforts, Softline Services International Philippines Inc., received the Azure Customer Recruit Award and Kation Technologies Inc., the BizApps Customer Recruit Award. For the Excellence awards, Nexus Technologies Inc., was given the Teamwork Excellence Award, Crayon Philippines the Security Excellence Award and Rhipe Philippines the Coopetition Excellence Award. Finally, for the Customer Centricity and Tech Intensity Awards, NTT Data Philippines Inc., and ePLDT Inc., were awarded, respectively.

A special distinction was introduced this year to recognize key initiatives by partners in response to COVID-19. The Para sa Bayan Award celebrates innovative and outstanding solutions or programs that helped organizations and communities respond to and recover from challenges created by the pandemic. 

For powering the digital transformation of the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA)—which led to the creation and implementation of their COVID Tracker Application and the DOLE-AKAP program—NTT Data Philippines Inc., was awarded alongside ePLDT Inc., for the latter's efforts to enable remote learning for schools and students nationwide.

“We see the role we at Microsoft have to play in the Philippines’—and the world’s—recovery from COVID-19. We recognize the need, now more than ever, for purpose-driven innovation and our partners share that sense of responsibility. We’re thankful to all our partners for their incredible contributions and we look forward to even more next year and in the years to come,” said Ricasa.

Microsoft also extends its congratulations to Infosys Limited who, earlier this year in July, was named Microsoft Philippines Country Partner of the Year. Infosys has distinguished itself as an outstanding partner in its first year of operations in the country by demonstrating excellence in advancing digitalization and delivering value for their customers. 

Microsoft expresses its gratitude to all partners for submitting their nominations and participation in the awards

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