MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Globe’s 917Ventures is gearing up to build a “better normal” for Filipinos with their digital solutions ecosystem.
917Ventures Managing Director Vince Yamat, together with representatives from portfolio companies Mynt – Globe FinTech Innovations, Inc. (GCash), shopping platform PureGo, and healthcare platforms KonsultaMD and HealthNow recently spoke about new technologies they are developing at the recently concluded Philippine Startup Week 2021.
GCash Chief Customer Officer Winsley Bangit shared that the popular e-wallet services provider is looking to pursue more collaborations next year as customer behavior evolves, given the country’s move to reopen the market. He said GCash is creating a wider ecosystem for financial services, through more game-changing innovations.
“If there’s anything that these past 19 months has taught us, it is that digital is here to stay. With the ever-changing and growing needs of Filipinos, we will continue to make GCash easy-to-use, accessible, and constantly innovating to help Filipinos to solve their everyday financial challenges,” Bangit said.
Meanwhile, Cholo Tagaysay, Chief Operating Officer of KonsultaMD, said that they are expanding operations to more areas outside of Metro Manila and Greater Manila.
It was earlier reported that telemedicine adoption exploded over the past year and a half, with telemedicine consultations soaring by 1,549% versus pre-pandemic levels.
Tagaysay pointed out that the Philippines is a perfect case study for telemedicine. He shared, “Despite having 7,641 islands, doctors are concentrated in the National Capital Region (NCR). We are onboarding more medical practitioners to the platform, as we strive to make teleconsult available wherever and whenever it is needed.”
HealthNow Chief Executive Officer Beia Latay announced that they are expanding their services to include diagnostic tests, made possible through partnerships with local laboratories and hospitals. The company was also a key partner in rolling out COVID-19 vaccines for the Ayala Group of Companies and its partners.
“We are also looking to work with health insurance providers to further our offerings, allowing more Filipinos to afford accessible healthcare services,” Latay said. HealthNow has nearly a million active users and over 1,000 providers, including primary care doctors, specialists, pharmacies, clinics, and hospital networks.
Likewise, PureGo Entrepreneur-in-Residence Glenn Estrella also shared that they will be announcing exciting promos and partnerships in the coming year. “Online grocery is not only relevant but it is also necessary during these times. Through our services, we help customers in prioritizing their safety while still getting their daily essentials,” Estrella said.
As Globe’s corporate venture builder, 917Ventures invests in innovative digital solutions that provide valuable business impact for customers. In scaling and accelerating several businesses in the digital space, it supports the growth of the Philippine startup ecosystem — generating jobs for different sectors and creating a competitive landscape for the many services it offers.
The Globe Group strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 9, highlighting the roles of infrastructure and innovation as crucial drivers of economic growth and development. It is committed to upholding the UN Global Compact principles and contributing to 10 UN SDGs.
