Rakuten Viber put the spotlight on two entrepreneurs during the recent Pinoy Dream Negosyo business pitch competition it hosted, showcasing the RaketPH and FoodPH channels on its platform that is used by micro, small and medium sized enterprise (MSME) owners to promote their products and services online.
During the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, Viber saw an uptick in usage of its “Channels” feature where entrepreneurs were able to reach out to potential customers with similar interests, claiming that this platform has allowed MSMEs to scale amid mobility restrictions.
Through a series of online challenges and activities, Viber invited the top three participating businesses for both RaketPH – a channel dedicated for side hustlers, and FoodPH – initially helping food entrepreneurs in running contactless online purchases and evolved into a transaction point for buyers with the help of an automated program.
“Pinoy Dream Negosyo didn’t happen overnight. It is a byproduct of the team’s hard work to meet and answer the needs of the Filipinos back in 2020. When there was a surge in users and communities actively using Viber, we asked ourselves how we could help them further. That led us to our goal, which is to champion Filipino MSMEs,” said Lana Macapagal, APAC PR lead for Rakuten Viber.
The winning Filipino entrepreneurs Mon Cabsag of The Bistro Box for FoodPH and Richmond Argosino of Ken Goods and Apparel for RaketPH were both awarded with a P80,000 business grant from Viber and its partners, with the former adding that the prize money will be used for equipment upgrades.
“It was a memorable and exhilarating experience for me. I met and interacted with a lot of entrepreneurs like me and gained more perspective about running a business,” Cabsag remarked.
In a statement, Rakuten Viber APAC senior director David Tse said that the MSME sector has been a long focus for the company in providing conversational e-commerce used to engage customers and retain them, and is currently just in its first season.
“This initiative is one of our commitments on understanding and prioritizing our users’ needs and providing what matters to them. It was an opportunity for our users and entrepreneurs to take their passion and business ideas to the next level,” he added.
For each of the categories, three finalists competed and featured their final business pitches to a panel of judges. Restaurateur and celebrity chef Gerick Manalo, one of the judges for the FoodPH category, commented on the success of the event which was held in Makati.
“It was a privilege to get to know the participants and see them do their best as they take part in the Pinoy Dream Negosyo initiative of Viber,” he said.
“I think this competition is an amazing opportunity for Filipinos to showcase and grow their knowledge and business skills,” pioneer GrabExpress Madiskarteng Boss Club member and RaketPH category judge Nene Tamayo chimed in.
To date, the RaketPH channel on Viber has over 203,000 subscribers while the online food channel FoodPH has garnered a larger pool of subscribers which are now 560,000 strong.
