Entrepreneurs maximize use of mobile technology

MANILA, Philippines – The use of mobile technology seems to be indispensable in today’s life.

This opened up endless opportunities and advantages for innovative entrepreneurs who banked on the use of mobile technology in the development and progress of their business. 

One such entrepreneur who maximizes the use of mobile technology in his business is Alvin Tan.

Proving that the first step to success does not take ages, 24-year-old Alvin established Technominds  Inc. together with young professionals from the IT business fields.Over four years in operation, Technominds provides SMS solutions, database management, and web applications.

The company specializes in mobile technology-based solutions and computer applications.

Tan first established Technominds as a universal loading platform and offered Direct Loads.

D-Loads is a system enabling subscribers to transmit mobile loads, landline prepaid, Internet prepaid, and online gaming pins via SMS with the use of their existing mobile phones.

From a small starting venture, the company now has 10,000 members nationwide, comprised primarily of housewives, sari-sari store owners, net café operators, corporate and government personnel.

While most members use D-Loads for business, there are others who personally use it to avail of discounts in their load consumption.

D-Load members avail of and offer services such as SMS Registration, SMS Loading, SMS Balance Inquiry, SMS Payment System, SMS Mobile-to-Mobile Money Transfer, SMS Withdrawal, SMS Inquiry and SMS Raffle. 

After two years of operations, Tan expanded the venture into providing IT solutions.

They are now offering the same universal platform to corporate clients. The company provides the back end for loading services and mobile services for incoming and outgoing SMS process in their system. 

At present, Technominds caters to DGE Card System, which is a new debit card that offers mobile-to-mobile payment and money transfer.

According to Tan, they are now focusing on using SMS payment transfer technology for overseas remittances of OFWs.With the growth of technology-operated businesses, mobile leader Nokia Philippines launched a nationwide campaign that recognized small local Filipino entrepreneurs who maximize the use of mobile technology in their trade.

The first ever Nokia Mobile Entrepreneur Award (NMEA) aims to provide an incentive and encourage the use of mobile technology in entrepreneurship.

Working together with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) – Go Negosyo, Nokia dedicated the award to reinforce its commitment to promoting community development and corporate social responsibility. 

The NMEA aims to recognize local Filipino entrepreneurs who utilize mobile technology and encourage the use of mobile technology in entrepreneurship.

With Go Negosyo, Nokia found a common ground in the vision to make the Philippines an entrepreneurial nation, to instill in Filipinos a mindset of optimism and encourage everyone to take charge and make the most of their resources and abilities by utilizing and transforming these into viable enterprises.

In the recent awarding ceremony, Nokia Philippines general manager William Hamilton-Whyte and PCE executive director Mon Lopez awarded 24-year-old Alvin Tan as the 2008 Nokia Mobile Entrepreneur of the Year.Nokia-Go Negosyo also awarded first runner-up Oliver Kuy, owner of Kuydigital Design Consultancy.

Kuydigital started as a contractual consultant for the past seven years. The business was only officially registered last year. It was then a one-man venture that provided excellent service in the area of design and marketing, until it grew into a company catering to the visual design needs of multinational companies, local corporations and even individuals.

Kuy designed his business to provide clients with effective communication strategies through graphic design. The company now specializes in the design field, developing its services in print (advertising, editorial and packaging) and interactive media (websites, e-learning and games). 

With flexibility as one of the trademarks of Kuydigital, they use mobile service to create their total business package.

Nokia’s mobile technology has allowed Kuydigital to serve their clients on a 24/7 time frame. With the whole world as an office, the company believes that creativity has no time limits and boundaries.

The innovations of Alvin Tan and Oliver Kuy are reinforcements of transformation and growth of the business and communications industries.“Mobile technology opens many doors for people,” says Hamilton-Whyte. “We hope that through this endeavor, many creative and enterprising Filipinos realize that the use of their mobile phone not only connects them to their loved ones, but also connects them to a world filled with new opportunities and new possibilities in the field of business.”

Nokia also recognized four other finalists who have employed innovation and creativity in the use of mobile service in their business operations: Mary Grace Pauline Llamas of Asian Link Bath and Body Essentials, Francis Anthony Zapanta of Netland cellphone repair and prepaid card retail shop, Dennis Camus of Autozone Paint and Bodyworks and Paulo Tibig of Vintel Logistics Inc.