Globe unit ties up with California firm

MANILA, Philippines - A unit of Ayala-led Globe Telecom Inc. has tied up with California-based global accelerator that has raised over $1 billion in venture funding giving Philippine-based start-up companies access to Silicon Valley.

Globe’s wholly-owned subsidiary Kickstart Ventures Inc. has tapped Plug and Play Tech Center (PnP) as an international corporate partner.

Kickstart president Minette Navarrete said the company would establish a presence in PnP’s Silicon Valley office and send select startup teams for a three-month incubation program.

She pointed out that the companies would be given a chance to participate in the PnP University, networking events, mentoring activities, and potentially pitch their business at the quarterly Plug and Play Expo where around 300 to 400 investors and acquirers attend.

“The world looks to Silicon Valley for innovation, entrepreneurship and venture capital success stories, and even as we build a unique Philippine startup ecosystem, there is much to learn from those who are genuinely driving innovation in the valley,” she stressed.

She pointed out that Kickstart is excited to partner with one of its more active players to bring startups the kind of game-changing exposure to the best-in-class learning, capabilities and collaboration needed for success.

“By creating more opportunities for our portfolio companies to operate in Silicon Valley and participate in Plug and Play Tech Center’s programs, Kickstart is helping build a stronger, broader, more engaged startup ecosystem,” Navarrete said.

“Our partnerships here in the Philippines and abroad, such as Launchgarage with Proudcloud, which is taking on its second batch, and now with Kickstart@Plug and Play Tech Center in the US, bring startup founders in the Philippines into wider global innovation communities,” she added.

For his part Plug and Play Tech Center chief executive officer and founder Saeed Amidi said, the company would work with Kickstart to first identify technology areas of interest and would then seek out high tech startups that are developing innovative products or solutions and help them grow their business.

 â€œWe have already started to build partnerships in different countries such as Canada, Egypt, Malaysia, Singapore, Spain, Russia, and Germany and we’re glad to be working with Kickstart in the Philippines,” Amidi explained.