917Ventures showcases new HQ and partners in this 360 virtual Tour
Globe's 917Venture shows startup dominance with the virtual launch of their new office headquarters -- and it's pretty impressive!
917Venture, Globe’s corporate venture-building subsidiary, just gave us a virtual tour of their new headquarters. Yes, even though majority of the businesses that came from this initiative lives online, 917Ventures readies the eventuality that things will be returning to normal.
Part of business that the program launched are daily used apps like GCash, KonsultaMD, HealthNow, RUSH, AdSpark and PureGo are now inherent in a lot of Filipinos lives especially during the pandemic.
As such, formally launching this, via their shared office space means driving force to help incubate more potential startups by taking advantage of Globe’s rich asset base. Aside from capital and funding firepower, Globe has a customer base of over 80 million, one million distribution points, 150,000 enterprise partners as well as massive networks and affiliates which the startups can tap. Being a venture builder, the company is constantly on the lookout for new ideas to launch and accelerate, to further improve the lives of Filipinos.
Let’s take a look at some of the business grown from 917Ventures.
GCash, one of the country’s widest used cashless payment system grew its user base from 20Million to around 40 Million when the pandemic hit. The popular cashless transaction e-wallet app helps it users to securely send money, pay for goods and services online and has empowered a lot of small businesses to survive and thrive through cashless solutions. GCash was also one of the channels used by the government to safely distribute financial assistance to Filipinos through its Social Amelioration Program last year and remains to be a key donation platform in collecting and sending assistance across the country.
Following its momentum in 2020, GCash continues to innovate and reinvent the Filipino way of life through easy access to financial services through the following features: GLife – access to mini-apps to shop, eat and play, and helps businesses save cost from building their own apps; GInvest – participate in high yielding investments for as low as P50 ; GInsure – life and health insurance for as low as P39; GSave – get the best savings rate in the country with no minimum balance required; and GCredit – the first digital credit model and mobile credit line in the Philippines, used as a payment option in Shopee, Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
As health and safety have been the driving force behind the digital shift, 917Ventures offers convenient and reliable healthtech platforms such as KonsultaMD and HealthNow. Consultations made through KonsultaMD skyrocketed by 461 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year. The HealthNow app, on the other hand, has been downloaded more than 240,000 times since its launch in August 2020.
HealthNow offers online prescriptions and delivery of medicines through partner pharmacies so that customers receive medical services from their own homes. The service is currently available in Metro Manila, and will soon include key cities in Visayas and Mindanao.
Complementing the door-to-door delivery of medicines is Purego’s platform for quick and easy grocery shopping. The app launched on December 1, 2020, enabling customers easier access to essentials for the home. Armed with thousands of products from reputable and trusted brands, consumers can practically order anything using the app, from pantry essentials to household necessities all sourced directly from Puregold. Multiple payment options including GCash are available, and items are delivered within 24 hours.
For B2B markets, AdSpark and RUSH help accelerate the digital footprint of brands through digital advertising solutions, customer engagement, loyalty and rewards programs, giving added value to businesses and their customers.
“We know how tough our battle against this pandemic is, and we are all at risk, especially those who need to be physically present in their jobs. So we continue to reinvent lifestyle and movement through different products and services in the areas of health, e-commerce, financial technology, and advertising technology that deliver indelible value to consumers and businesses,” said Vince Yamat, 917Ventures Managing Director.
917Ventures is also part of Globe’s 5G Hackathon, providing mentorship to participants of the nationwide competition welcoming students and professionals to innovate and pitch their solutions to help various aspects of the Philippine society. The competition will focus on the use of 5G technologies in various sectors of the Philippine economy such as education, health care, livelihood, and disaster risk management. Winners of the 5G Hackathon may join 917Ventures as a venture builder to further jumpstart their idea. The successful venture builder under 917Ventures will receive P 2.5 million in support.
Go on the virtual tour yourself at: https://360.917ventures.com/
To know more about 917Ventures, visit https://917ventures.com/.