Microsoft teams up with The Incubator at AIM

POSTED BY: Lionell Go Macahilig
2018-12-28 22:41:00 PHT

Grounded on its advocacy of helping develop startups worldwide, Microsoft Philippines announced its partnership with the Asian Institute of Management - Dado Banatao Incubator (AIM-DBI/The Incubator), which aims to strengthen The Incubator’s program by equipping Philippine startups with innovative solutions mainly powered by Microsoft’s cloud-based technology, Azure, through rhipe Philippines, Inc., its cloud indirect provider.

The AIM-DBI is the Philippines’s first incubator housed in a business school that is also backed by the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIERRD). A physical space where startups create their technologies and run their businesses, it provides needs-responsive and progressive programs that are geared towards startups with science, technology or engineering backgrounds that introduce new alternative solutions to existing and emerging problems.

With a thriving local startup scene, which the Department of Trade and Industry’s database puts at approximately 500 companies, Microsoft and AIM’s partnership is a much-needed boost for Filipino startups intent on leveraging technology to expand and enrich their operations.

"Our partnership with Microsoft is a strategic step in developing the startups at The Incubator," said Prim Paypon, Executive Director of AIM-DBI. "Microsoft's expertise in cloud solutions allows our startups to constantly improve its business processes and services to be customer-intuitive and responsive while being technologically advanced.”

AIM-DBI, through a committed community of AIM professors and various industry leaders, provides founders with progressive service programs that include world-class mentorship, customized trainings, startup management program that would best fit their actual needs. It also provides rent-free office space, as well as access to AIM’s campus facilities to better equip startups to develop their day-to-day operations.

To substantially and effectively respond to the studied directions and milestones of each startup, the curriculum provided by the Microsoft and AIM-DBI partnership has three progressive program phases: the Nesting Program, Building Program, and Scaling Program. The Nesting Program digitally assists startups through cloud tools, while the Building Program provides startups with technology architecture creation, and peer-to-peer collaborative consultation and building. The Scaling Program is the final program which ensures that startups are market-ready with a marketplace for selling through Microsoft’s network of business partners.

One startup that already enjoys the synergy of Microsoft and AIM-DBI is the Futuristic Aviation and Maritime Enterprise, Inc. (FAME), which has developed a monitoring system utilizing radio waves. Currently operating under the Building Program, FAME provides hardware and software platforms that track the location and activity of general aviation aircrafts and small boats, effectively monitoring vessels and reducing their propensity to accidents.

Microsoft Azure, the tech leader’s cloud platform, through its indirect provider, rhipe, extensively supports FAME’s operations. Through this service, rhipe optimizes FAME’s solutions on Azure, thereby enabling them to receive and retain data including speed, location, sensor data, messaging, and estimated time of arrival of airborne and maritime vehicles.

Microsoft’s business analytics tool, Power BI, will soon be integrated in FAME’s operations. This will be providing easier management of information being transmitted from devices and sensors, making data easier to process into useful business insights.

Through fully utilizing Microsoft’s cloud technology, FAME has quickly developed its business and subsequently gained clients including an international aid agency for tracking vessels of small scale fishers, and one of the top utilities company in the Philippines for monitoring the lifespan of its transformers through the use of intelligent tracking devices.

Through Azure and Microsoft regional partner rhipe’s support, startups at The Incubator are  provided with cloud enabled tools to help them digitally transform their businesses to become more competitive in their respective industries,” Eileen Ong, Director for Commercial Partners and Small Medium Corporate Business Unit of Microsoft Philippines, said. “With Microsoft technologies empowering local startups, Microsoft’s overarching goal is to prepare startups for global competitiveness,” Ong said.

MAIN PHOTO: AIM-Dado Banatao Incubator Executive Director Prim Paypon, AIM President and Dean Dr. Jikyeong Kang, Microsoft Philippines Director of Commercial Partners & Small Medium Corporate Business Units Eileen Ong, and Microsoft Philippines Territory Channel Lead for Small Medium Business Precious Lim sign the Memorandum of Agreement for the Microsoft and AIM-Dado Banatao Incubator Progressive Program to help boost local startups.