Singapore’s Singtel announced a partnership with Australia’s Optus and the Philippine’s Globe Telecom to collaborate on its social innovation program, Singtel Future Makers. The joint initiative seeks to help enterprising individuals and organizations in Singapore, Australia and the Philippines, which are addressing community needs through the bold, innovative use of technology, to grow and scale their businesses.
Singtel Future Makers 2017 follows the success of the inaugural launch in Singapore and Australia last year, where 18 local social start-ups were selected in both Singapore and Australia from more than 150 applicants. They received mentoring and financial backing to scale up their ideas. The new program will provide successful applicants with more than S$500,000 in cash grants and four months of business workshops, mentoring and coaching support from industry experts.
Through this program, successful applicants will gain a unique opportunity to grow their organizational capabilities, refine their business models and make a bigger social impact. The top participants from Singapore, Australia and the Philippines with the potential to scale their solutions regionally will have the chance to participate in a regional tier of funding and a workshop for regional capability building.
Mr Andrew Buay, Singtel’s Vice President of Group Sustainability said: “We believe in the power of technology and innovation to tackle the challenges faced by the vulnerable in our communities. The fact that many social issues transcend geographical boundaries, makes it all the more important that we expand the Singtel Future Makers program beyond Singapore, to give change makers with the most promising solutions the opportunity to scale regionally.”
“Through Singtel Future Makers, our goal is to nurture a vibrant social innovation ecosystem by collaborating with our associates, partners and social enterprises to deliver greater positive social impact where it matters,” he added.
Ms Yoly Crisanto, Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications and Chief Sustainability Officer said: “We recognize the impact of technology in addressing many social issues that the country is facing at the moment. By participating in the Singtel Future Makers program, through Globe Future Makers, we help bring out the ecosystem of social innovators that are critical in turning the tide against various social issues like extreme poverty, malnutrition and lack of healthcare, limited access to education and social discrimination.”
“We are looking forward to many participants from the Philippines joining this program and supporting us in doing a Globe of Good,” he added.