Shell LiveWIRE 2023 winners celebrate future of PH businesses

The Philippines is home to a vibrant startup scene, with new businesses emerging every day. Shell LiveWIRE supports the continuous growth in the local business landscape by strengthening   the country’s economy, by promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, and meaningful employment.

“At its very core, Shell LiveWIRE remains committed in its vision of promoting local growth by empowering individuals and communities. This is why it remains our flagship development program,” said Serge Bernal, Vice President for Corporate Relations at Shell Pilipinas Corporation.

For this year, Shell LiveWIRE once again recognized tech startups and community enterprises during the Final Pitch Day last October 12 in Makati City, with the tech startup “Farmvocacy”, winning a funding grant worth 1 million pesos.

Present during the Final Pitch Day is DTI Undersecretary for the Competitiveness and Innovation Group, Rafelita Aldaba, Ph.D., who applauded the works of the startups and community enterprises, “Today’s presentations showcase a dedication to sustainability, covering a wide range of innovations from industries like transportation and innovations for climate and smart agriculture – leading us on into our future without limits.” She adds, “Let’s all rally behind innovation that really inspires.”

Since it launched in 2020, Shell LiveWIRE has helped 42 innovators and business owners through the Acceleration Program. 12 of these enterprises have entered the Shell Pilipinas Corporation’s supply chain. By equipping tech startups and community enterprises, this has led to creating more than 500 local jobs for Filipinos.

Farmvocacy: Empowering Farmers for a Sustainable Future

Farmvocacy, a Mindoro Island-based social climate fintech startup running a circular inclusive business model to support climate-smart rice farming, environment-friendly, and high-yielding farming system, bagged one million pesos after impressing the judges during the Final Pitch Day.

Vincent Roy Mendoza, the CEO of Farmvocacy, shares how their advocacy of ensuring a sustainable future has been empowered by Shell LiveWIRE, “Shell LiveWIRE became a validation that what you’re thinking and what you’re trying to