SM Supermalls powers Filipina-led tech startups with She Loves Tech partnership

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SM Supermalls, together with She Loves Tech, QBO Innovation Hub, and Ideaspace Ventures Inc., empowered ten Filipina-led tech startups to showcase their innovative and impactful business models last August 2, 2024, Friday, in the Philippine finals of She Loves Tech 2024, held at SM Aura’s Samsung Hall.

She Loves Tech, a Singapore-based startup accelerator also led and founded by three women, has made supporting and launching women-led businesses their main focus since 2015. This advocacy brought along the establishment of the world’s largest startup competition for women and tech with the same name.

She Loves Tech co-founder Leanne Robers shares the importance of women-led innovation and the importance of championing women in male-dominated industries such as tech. 

This year’s finalists come from varying industries, including agri-tech, health and wellness, PWD communications, and more. From this selection of outstanding businesses, Unprude and Farmtri were chosen to represent the Philippines in Regional Finals, which will be held in Singapore later this year.

Unprude co-founder Dr. Rica Cruz offers culturally grounded solutions to make sex therapy accessible, affordable, and shame-free by offering online and offline products.

The grand winner, Unprude, is an app that encourages self-reflection to help users navigate sexual and life challenges, fostering deeper self-understanding, better relationships, and greater compassion for others. In second place, Farmtri is a B2B digital platform that is innovating the food value chain. They utilize artificial intelligence to predict market trends that help food businesses and farmers minimize losses and food waste. 

Farmtri co-founder Marini Fernandez pitches her B2B platform that connects farmers to food businesses, all the while harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to minimize waste and revenue losses. 

SM Supermalls shares in She Loves Tech’s vision, as one of the largest supporters of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and projects that empower women. What’s more, SM Cyberzone is also celebrating Cyber Month this August, which means a larger focus on all things tech and how it can help level up anyone’s lifestyle, including through tech-powered job creation and tech-integrated business practices that address sustainability and community-building.

The partnership is also a continuation of SM’s year-round support for women-led businesses and startups, which can be seen through initiatives like SM’s Weekend Marketplace and the SM4SMEs Community Bazaar.

From R-L: Connected Women founder Gina Romero, Imaginable Impact Co-Founder and CEO Niña Terol, Accelerating Asia Program Manager Bettina Gamboa, and She Loves Tech co-founder Leanne Robers discuss breaking barriers in the tech startup ecosystem and supporting women-led businesses in a fireside chat moderated by QBO Innovation manager Shor Macalbe.

“SM is deeply honored to be partnering with She Loves Tech to host the Philippine leg of this competition. We are excited to see what these brilliant, hardworking, and business-minded women have in store for the betterment of our society,” said Steven Tan, President of SM Supermalls and a staunch women’s advocate.

To know more about SM Supermalls’ programs, including this month’s Cyber Month projects and initiatives for MSMEs, visit www.smsupermalls.com or follow @SMSupermalls and @SMCyberzone on social media.

Started in 1927, the Philippines Graphic is the longest-running printed magazine of national circulation that provides relevant news and features and promotes Philippine literature.

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