BPI Foundation grooms 70 microenterprises

MANILA  -The Ayala Group’s Bank of the Philippine Islands is providing mentoring support and millions of pesos in grants to 70 startups and other small businesses via its Small Enterprise Acceleration Lab – Small Enterprise Growth Agenda (SEAL-Sega) program.

Through the BPI Foundation, the country’s third-largest private lender has selected 20 microenterprises and 50 nano enterprises following a comprehensive assessment of over 300 entries.

Micro and nano enterprises refer to small businesses that employ a few people or are in the startup stage.

“Helping local enterprises from different parts of the Philippines transform their visions into viable ventures reflects how the BPI SEAL-Sega program serves as a reliable platform that nurtures dreams and ignites aspirations by providing the necessary tools, knowledge, access and mentorship for enterprise development,” BPI Foundation executive director Owen Cammayo said in a statement.

BPI said the 50 nano enterprise owners will undergo mentoring program and will also be assisted in further developing their business plans into actions. The top 20 microenterprises, which will also undergo mentorship, have each been awarded with a plaque of recognition and cash grants from P80,000 to 120,000.

The winners are Sean-Kris Food Products, Samore Coffee Shop, Edcom Food Product, Tri-Kings Auto Trading, Saltik-Egg Foodstuffs And Egg Product Manufacturing, Innergrow Hydroponic Farm, Lilykoi Food Products Manufacturing, Zyd Integ Fish Farm, Miguel’s Craft Sorbetes Ice Cream Production, Wix Manila Personal and Home Care Products Trading, Aqualirio Drinking Water Refilling Station, Herbio Agrinature Wellness Products Manufacturing, Lola Puring’s Food Products, Uniwins Directs Produce Clothing Wholesaling, Amalia Café, Endino’s Consumer Goods Retailing, Gara Garments Manufacturing, Ssd Technology Inc., S&U Korean Grill House and Bugel’s Food Services.

The SEAL-Sega program was done in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry and Bayan Academy.

“Aspiring micro and nano enterprises qualified to join underwent specialized training program sessions and mentoring on enterprise development,” BPI said.

“By the end of their training program, the startups will be given a chance to showcase their plans through the business pitch to sustain or to achieve competitiveness with the current business environment,” it added.