Launchgarage Partners with MDEC and UnionBank to Host EXPAND Philippines Program For Malaysian Companies
For the second year in a row, Launchgarage, the Philippines’ premiere tech accelerator, has once again partnered with the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) to host its second cohort for EXPAND Philippines, a structured 3-week market access program for Malaysian companies seeking to test and validate their products and services in the archipelago. In collaboration with UnionBank, the consortium hosted their second Demo Day which featured six Malaysian companies and their products and services.
This year’s cohort is a collection of seasoned entrepreneurs running late-stage companies that underwent a month-long selection process, an intensive week of webinar sessions about the local ecosystem with mentors, online introductions to key stakeholders in their respective industries and an on-site immersion which comprises of deal flow facilitation between them and potential investors, clients and strategic partners in the Philippines.
On the heels of last year’s successful pilot, Jojo Flores, COO of Launchgarage, announced the 5-year partnership with MDEC which enables seamless cross-border collaboration as their exclusive partner running various market access programs during his welcoming speech. “We are proud to announce that we have inked an exclusive deal with our Malaysian counterparts to continue co-hosting these market access programs, which provides value and accelerates their validation process when entering the Philippine market.”, says Flores.
Keasavan Hari Krishnan, Market Engagement Lead, Growth Ecosystem Development of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), said, “The cross border collaboration between Launchgarage Philippines and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has created market access opportunities for Malaysian startups to expand their network and services to Philippines. This program would not have been possible without our partner, Launchgarage. MDEC is extremely honoured to have been part of these startups expansion into Philippines.”
The event was also graced by the presence of Hon. Arth Bryan Celeste, Mayor of Alaminos City, Pangasinan who cited that he is eager to integrate various projects from the crop of companies into his ecosystem and avail of services that would benefit his constituents.
Global Accelerator Exchange Program Manager Russ Malangen says that the program has seen even greater success in its second run, as more deals were closed and valuable partnerships were forged through the program which aims to accelerate their market validation process from months to just a few weeks.
The 2019 cohort features a diverse set of elite-tier companies which include: Persuasion Technologies, a business intelligence and marketing analytics servicing platform for retailers and ecommerce sites, CK Group, an Integrated Property Marketing Agency specializing in digital design solutions using the latest media and visualization technology, Sometime by Asian Designers, an e-commerce bag and accessories specialist company that co-designs with very select established Asian designers and icons to conceptualize and produce exclusive and iconic designer bags, NEXPlatform, a data-driven Proptech company that provides smart marketing solutions to help property developers digitalise their processes and improve customer experience, Accendo, a Talent Experience platform designed to help with deep people analytics and career pathing and SonicBoom, an all-in-one open payment terminal for parking, vending machines and retail stores. Our official media partner for the event is Ambidextr Media.
About Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)
Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation or MDEC is the lead agency in driving the digital economy in Malaysia under the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia. Since its inception 23 years ago, MDEC’s mission is to develop the nation’s digital economy. MDEC’s implementation efforts are centred on driving investments, building local tech champions, catalysing digital innovation ecosystems and propagating digital inclusivity.
About Launchgarage Innovation Hub
Launchgarage is the premiere technology accelerator for traction stage startups in the Philippines comprised of a large and diverse global network of industry experts, stakeholders, investors, and collaborators that aims to bring local companies to the global market through deal-flow facilitation, advisory and various programs. It was founded in 2016 by Jay Fajardo and Jojo Flores, two of the country’s most revered and well-known icons in the tech industry.
About UnionBank of the Philippines
Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) is a publicly listed universal bank.
They distinguish themselves through superior technology, unique branch sales & service culture, and centralized backroom operations. Their superior technology allows the delivery of online, real-time business solutions to meet their customers’ changing and diverse needs through innovative and customized cash management products and service offerings. Their unique branch culture ensures efficient and quality service as well as mitigating operational risk. Their centralized operations enables them to provide responsive, scalable, and secure transaction processing.
