Globe Telecom’s corporate venture builder 917Ventures is targeting 10 startup deals in 2027, with artificial intelligence (AI) as a key focus, as four startups pursue commercial partnerships through its Velocity program.
One of the four, Netopia AI, secured the program’s first commercial agreement after signing a deal with digital advertising firm AdSpark in August 2026. The other three — Whale, Hustle Insights, and Fuchsia Retail — are still exploring potential partnerships.
Netopia AI operates Predikta, a behavioral AI platform designed to simulate consumer responses before businesses launch marketing campaigns. The platform aims to help companies assess campaign strategies.
Whale offers an AI Operating System (AIOS) that connects enterprise data, AI models, and business systems to support automation.
According to 917Ventures, Whale operates in 45 countries and regions, serves more than 1,600 large enterprises, and manages over 600,000 edge AI nodes.
Pasig-based Hustle Insights provides a market research platform for collecting consumer feedback and generating automated insights. It draws on a pool of two million verified Filipino users through the Hustle PH app, with responses checked by AI agents and human reviewers.
Fuchsia Retail develops an AI-powered platform for managing customer interactions across social media channels. Its clients in Asia include H&M and Sony Singapore.
Launched in 2025, Velocity has attracted more than 500 startups to its pipeline, according to 917Ventures. The program connects technology providers with corporate partners for pilot projects, proof-of-concept deployments, technology integrations, and potential commercial agreements.
Velocity operates throughout the year rather than through fixed batches or demonstration events. Participating startups can test their technologies with businesses in the Globe and Ayala Group network.
“Velocity turns startup innovations into business opportunities by connecting potential solutions with the market access and expertise of Globe and the Ayala Group,” said 917Ventures president and CEO Vince Yamat.
The company said it is opening Velocity to additional startups and corporate partners as it pursues its 2027 deal target.
