The recently held SWITCH Singapore 2018 cements South East Asia’s status as an innovation hub. Two more Filipina entrepreneurs and delegates shared their insights from the four-day technology and innovation fiesta.

There was no shortage of immense talent and excellent ideas at the Singapore Week of Innovation & Technology (SWITCH) last September 17-20, 2018 at The Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre. The event showcased a multitude of startups that all aimed at improving and changing the way we work, play, and live.

Two more Filipina entrepreneurs and delegates shared their insights from the four-day technology and innovation fiesta. SWITCH 2018 event featured conferences, exhibitions, workshops, and activities that focused on technology transfer, innovation, tech entrepreneurship, talent development, venture finding and more.

Cultural—And Innovation Melting Pot

“Singapore is really a melting pot, not just of different nationalities, but also of creative startups, angels, incubators, and venture capitalists. Having an event like SWITCH is an opportunity for each of us to showcase what we can offer to South East Asia’s digital economy,” said Abbie Victorino, founder and CEO of StyleGenie, the Philippines’ first styling subscription service.

Abbie’s passion for fashion has led her to create StyleGenie, which provides an online styling and shopping experience for busy men and women who want to up their style game. At SWITCH, Abbie was amazed at the vast number of technologies and services being offered by fellow startups.

“As a startup founder from the Philippines, I realized that we are not far [behind] from our neighbor countries in terms of innovative ideas. We can definitely bring much more to the table, provided [that we get ample] support from local customers, local incubators, and the government,” she added.

Exchanging Stories And Knowledge

Au Soriano, founder of PinoyTravel, the first and biggest online booking service for provincial buses and ferries in the Philippines, was grateful for the opportunity to connect with other startup founders and trade stories with them. “It was reassuring to know that the hardships we have in the Philippines are also present in advanced countries such as Singapore,” she shared.

Through conversations with other delegates, Au picked up more than a few valuable insights that she believes will help her—and other startups—to lead the startup field. “I liked meeting with other company [founders.] I loved ShopBack’s low-cost office, which proved that it’s good to stay cost efficient even with big investments. I also appreciated how Grab shared their business strategy with us during our meeting—it made me realize that I should dream big too,” she said.

Being in Singapore also gave Au the chance to experience the country’s public transportation system, and it inspired her to make transportation easier and more convenient in the Philippines. “[This event] made me even more passionate to play a role in improving the public transportation system in [my own country],” she said.

The recent SWITCH 2018 not only heralded the growing power of the digital economy; it also put Asian innovators and startup leaders in the spotlight, giving them the platform to freely share their expertise with the public.

“South East Asia becomes smaller as we use more of the technologies being offered by startups. I’m positive that we can move faster and further if we support each other, and collaborate with similar-minded companies, whether startups or corporations, in solving real-life problems,” Abbie concluded.

This is Part 3 of our #SWITCHSG2018 article series.
Read Part 1 and Part 2.

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