Globe, Proudcloud bring Startup Weekend to Phl

MANILA, Philippines – Globe Telecom takes innovation a notch higher as it brings to the Philippines one of the most successful start-up accelerator programs from the United States.

Globe, in partnership with Philippine-based web engineering firm Proudcloud, will be launching Startup Weekend Manila, a 54-hour event where developers, designers, marketers, technopreneurs, and venture capitalists come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startup businesses. Producloud is a web engineering firm with a relentless passion for innovation. Proudcloud specializes in web architecture and development, user experience design, mobile applications, and web strategy.

Startup Weekends are specifically designed for entrepreneurs interested in receiving feedback for an idea, looking for a co-founder, or who want to learn a new skill, especially in the field of mobile and internet applications. The concept quickly became a global movement to generate breakthrough ideas in communities all over the world, taking digital start-ups businesses from ideas to investment readiness through intensive mentoring from industry experts and access to mobile markets and investors across Asia. Aside from the Philippines, Startup Weekends will also be held in Australia, India, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

Over 100 participants are expected to join Startup Weekend Manila which will be held Oct. 21-23 at the Mint College, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Participants will have the opportunity to be acquainted with one another, pitch startup concepts they are passionate about, and form teams around the most popular ideas. They then refine the ideas and start building product prototypes with the help of their respective mentors, and then present what they have accomplished in the form of a short pitch and demo.

From the Startup Weekend group in Manila, 15 teams will be shortlisted to qualify for the 100-day bootcamp to be held in Singapore in January 2012. Teams of developers and entrepreneurs will receive $15,000 each to help finance and start their businesses. The teams will also get the privilege to pitch to international investors.

“Globe is once again pioneering innovation by bringing the Startup Weekend to the Philippines. This global innovation exercise seeks to showcase the best ideas, talents, and resources for future businesses,” said Minette Navarrete, head of Globe New Business Group. “We encourage individuals who have the passion for innovation to take this opportunity to be part of a global movement towards ideation and technological excellence.”

Jay Fajardo, CEO of Proudcloud added: “We are pleased to partner with Globe Telecom in hosting the first-ever Startup Weekend in the Philippines. It’s the perfect venue for local tech entrepreneurs to come up from the grass roots and turn their ideas into viable businesses. It’s also a great opportunity to interact with some of the country’s most notable and prominent personalities in the tech startup space.”

Globe and Proudcloud have been tapped by Joyful Frog Digital Incubator (JFDI) and SingTel Innov8, the corporate venture arm of the SingTel Group, to host the program in the country.

Interested participants can register via http:///manilastartupweekend.org until Oct. 20. To know more about Startup Weekend Manila, visit www.manila.startupweekend.org. Startup Weekend Manila is also supported by Dynamic Objx, McDonald’s, Microsoft, and San Miguel Corp., with Philippine Daily Inquirer as media partner.