The Philippines is facing an urgent need to prioritise digital skills development among its workforce. According to the 2023 World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, the country ranked 59th out of 64 countries in overall digital competitiveness, scoring low on knowledge and talent, technology, and future readiness.

This is the problem that KodeGo aims to solve as an edutech platform.

“Our key differentiator is really that the model we operate on prioritises accessibility and affordability,” explains KodeGo CEO Ina Gervasio.

“The courses that we provide range from basic digital skills all the way up to intermediate-level skills, which allows us to cater to all types of interests and needs of both students and companies. This ensures our students gain practical knowledge and skills that are highly sought after by companies. We also endorse our graduates to companies who are looking for digitally skilled workers, which allows us to support companies in bridging the gap.”

Launched in 2020, KodeGo implements a flexible payment scheme that includes a study-now-pay-later format while providing end-to-end career assistance and support for its students post-training. Each curriculum takes between two and 22 weeks to complete.

Also Read: Bold moves: Capitalising on market dips in edutech

KodeGo is a portfolio company of 917Ventures, a corporate venture builder and the innovation arm of Globe Telecom. The platform provides digital skills training programmes that offer multiple courses, including full-stack web development and virtual assistance. It also provides courses in virtual bookkeeping and basic transcription.

“Aside from mastery of these in-demand tech stacks and skills, KodeGo also focuses on cultivating essential soft skills crucial for tech professionals. These include staying updated on current industry trends, fostering effective communication, honing problem-solving abilities, nurturing leadership qualities, and fostering creativity,” Gervasio says.

To date, the platform has had more than 2,000 graduates, many of whom have been successfully hired by the likes of GCash and Accenture.

Gervasio further explains that KodeGo users consist of participants of a diverse range of backgrounds, including career-shifters aiming to upskill in tech and individuals with minimal to no prior knowledge of tech but aspire to build a career in the field.

“To easily reach a nationwide audience, our acquisition strategy primarily relies on online marketing through Meta, Google, Tiktok, etc. Our Kwentong KodeGo campaigns featuring KodeGo students JM and Lorraine helped us leverage the positive experiences and successes of our graduates to attract new learners to our platform,” she explains.

Also Read: A sneak-peek into the six edutech startups joining EduSpaze’s cohort 8

“We have had music teachers, undergraduates, housewives, and more on the website, many of whom successfully found employment opportunities after completing KodeGo courses.”

Talking about the business model, she further explains that the company’s flexible payment options allow it to earn through different streams, from one-time payments, monthly instalments as students go through the courses, and another monthly instalment after they have been hired.

“In line with this, we also do not charge placement fees from our partners so there is less burden to both our students and partners,” Gervasio points out.

Towards a brighter future

KodeGo is run by a lean team from its base in Manila. In 2024, the company wants to focus on fostering B2B partnerships, engaging with local governments, and launching more courses.

It is also looking forward to launching its first scholarship programme that will allow KodeGo to cater to even more underserved communities in the Philippines.

Also Read: In this age of digitalisation, is edutech a bane or boon for educators?

“We launched Training-as-a-Service (TaaS) in 2023, and because of the high demand, we will be further expanding and enhancing it this year. TaaS allows us to work with companies to customise a curriculum or boot camp specific to their employees’ most crucial needs, hyperfocusing on what it takes to make them more productive and deliver optimal results,” Gervasio closes.

“This, however, does not stop us from fine-tuning and refining our current operations as we continue to learn and test along the way. There is definitely a lot to look forward to from KodeGo.”

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Image Credit: KodeGo

The post KodeGo wants to make digital skill development programmes more accessible to Filipino workers appeared first on e27.

In December, Forte Biotech, a producer of on-site RAPID diagnostic tests for early detection of prawn diseases, won the Food Systems & Sustainable Agriculture track at the inaugural Net Zero Challenge 2023, a climate innovations competition in Vietnam conducted by Touchstone Partners and Temasek Foundation.

Its patented RAPID system, which was developed in partnership with the National University of Singapore, utilises the LAMP PCR technology, allowing farmers to diagnose diseases without needing any expert help quickly.

e27 recently caught up with its founder, Kit Yong, to learn more about the technology and the opportunities in Vietnam.

Edited excerpts:

Can you elaborate on the specific prawn diseases your RAPID tests can detect? Are there plans to expand the range of detectable diseases in the future?

Currently, our RAPID tests are capable of detecting three of the most common and devastating diseases affecting prawn farms: White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV), Enterocytozoon hepatorenal (EHP), and Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND), also known as Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS).

These diseases pose significant threats to prawn health and can lead to substantial economic losses for farmers if not detected and addressed promptly. Some of these diseases cause a complete wipeout of the crop, while others lead to slow growth and reduced efficiencies.

Also Read: Alterno, Forte Biotech, AirX Carbon win Net Zero Challenge 2023 in Vietnam

While our current focus is on these three diseases, we are actively researching and developing new testing capabilities to address a broader spectrum of diseases that may impact prawn farming in the future.

What is the level of accuracy and sensitivity of your RAPID tests? How does this compare to traditional diagnostic methods?

Currently, we have close to a 93 per cent concurrence rate with PCR. This is an excellent number, considering that farmers do not require expensive equipment such as PCR machines and centrifuges to conduct their tests; instead, they rely only on handheld equipment. The main advantage of our testing system is the speed with which farmers can get results on their farms in an economical manner.

Considering the potential user base of prawn farmers, how user-friendly are your RAPID tests designed to be? What level of training is required for farmers to conduct the tests effectively?

Our RAPID tests are user-friendly, ensuring that even farmers without extensive technical background can conduct the tests effectively. Typically, only minimal training is required, often provided during a demonstration by our salesperson.

Additionally, we offer instructional videos and manuals for farmers to refer to at their convenience. Farmers can quickly learn how to use the RAPID tests and incorporate them seamlessly into their farming routine with these resources.

How can widespread adoption of your RAPID tests benefit the Vietnamese prawn farming industry economically? (e.g., reduced crop losses, improved farm management)

By enabling faster detection of diseases such as WSSV, EHP, and AHPND, farmers can take proactive measures to mitigate disease outbreaks and minimise crop losses. Harvesting prawns earlier, facilitated by early disease detection, can significantly reduce crop losses and maintain optimal growth rates. As a result, the overall feed conversion ratio improves, leading to more efficient use of feed resources and ultimately increasing overall farm profitability.

Additionally, the timely identification of disease outbreaks allows for targeted treatment strategies, reducing the need for costly interventions (e.g. antibiotics).

This way, farmers can improve their farm management practices, further optimising production efficiency and ensuring the long-term sustainability of their operations.

What strategies are in place to encourage them to integrate them into their practices?

Our strategy revolves around direct sales and marketing efforts, primarily targeting prawn farmers in Vietnam. We employ a hands-on approach, utilising our sales team to conduct in-person demonstrations of our RAPID Test kit directly at partner farms. This strategy allows us to showcase the effectiveness and benefits of our product firsthand, capturing the interest of potential customers.

To further expand our market reach, we engage key opinion leaders (KOLs) within the province to test and endorse our product. Leveraging their influence, we aim to validate our technology and build credibility within the farming community. We also show them our case studies with Anh Phuoc, a partner farmer in Vietnam, and how Forte Biotech has enabled him to save 10% of his costs and double his revenue. Through word-of-mouth referrals facilitated by satisfied customers and KOL endorsements, we seek to organically spread awareness and drive adoption among other prawn farmers in the region.

Also Read: How biotech is changing the global agriculture game for investors

Additionally, we plan to establish dealership and distribution networks in neighbouring countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Partnering with local distributors and dealerships allows us to penetrate new markets efficiently, leveraging their cultural understanding and market expertise. By offering the benefits of RAPID prawn testing to these partner distributors and intermediaries, such as increased yields and reduced disease losses, we aim to establish mutually beneficial relationships and expand our market presence beyond Vietnam.

How do you ensure the cost and availability of your RAPID tests make them accessible to a wide range of prawn farmers in Vietnam?

We have analysed the lifetime cost of using our test kits for the farmers; the cost of using them is less than 0.2 per cent of their production costs.

We also offer schemes like free machine trials to ensure farmers are not constrained by cash flow factors when adopting our machine. Our machines start from 10 million VND (US$403), which is around 15 times cheaper than the nearest competitor’s.

Beyond disease detection, are there plans to develop additional products or services to support prawn farmers? (e.g., data analysis tools, disease prevention strategies)

In addition to disease detection, Forte Biotech has recently launched an app – Aotomatic – designed to support prawn farmers in various aspects of their operations. This app allows farmers to track essential data such as water quality, nutrition, medicine, shrimp sizes, and RAPID test results. Furthermore, it enables farmers to project their revenue from prawn harvests, providing valuable insights for decision-making and farm management.

The collection of data is crucial to enable us to produce risk models, which will allow us to help farmers predict the severity of disease outbreaks and take action to reduce their losses.

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The post Forte Biotech: Helping farmers with early detection of prawn diseases in Vietnam appeared first on e27.

Editor’s note: e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

What business idea is your startup working on?

Is it a world changing idea? Will it have a huge impact on some part of the world?

Startups founders, particularly first time founders, do have this urge, an urge to change the world. The way their business ideas are analysed by investors too, at times, puts an emphasis on this aspect of a business idea.

A world changing idea sounds like a big opportunity. It has an added advantage — it gives a great sense of purpose too. A sense of purpose does play a role in motivating you in an uncertain, at times worrisome environment when you build your startup.

Drive : The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, a book written by Daniel H. Pink, delves into the role of “purpose” in motivation. Drawing on four decades of scientific research on human motivation, Pink exposes the mismatch between what science knows and what business does — and how that affects every aspect of our lives. In DRIVE, he reveals the three elements of true motivation: AUTONOMY — the desire to direct our own lives; MASTERY — the urge to get better and better at something that matters; PURPOSE — the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves.

We all have read the story — “I am building a Cathedral”. Bill von Achen, in his blog “I’m Building a Cathedral!”–The Role of Purpose in Motivation illustrates the importance of purpose in motivation using this story.

“A man came across three masons who were working at chipping chunks of granite from large blocks. The first seemed unhappy at his job, chipping away and frequently looking at his watch. When the man asked what it was that he was doing, the first mason responded, rather curtly, “I’m hammering this stupid rock, and I can’t wait ’til 5 when I can go home.”

”A second mason, seemingly more interested in his work, was hammering diligently and when asked what it was that he was doing, answered, “Well, I’m moulding this block of rock so that it can be used with others to construct a wall. It’s not bad work, but I’ll sure be glad when it’s done.”

”A third mason was hammering at his block fervently, taking time to stand back and admire his work. He chipped off small pieces until he was satisfied that it was the best he could do. When he was questioned about his work he stopped, gazed skyward and proudly proclaimed, “I … am building a cathedral!”

With startling clarity, this simple story illustrates that purpose has the power to transform not only our attitude about the work that we do but the quality of our work as well.

So, do the startup founders need to start building cathedrals?

Well, there are lots of people who say NO.

In The Big Idea Myth, Geoff McDonald asks us, why you need a big idea. Most people talk about a big idea as something that changes the world. Some ideas are big at their conception because they have profound implications. And, some ideas are merely big because of their popularity. Instead, of trying to change THE world, start with an idea that simply changes your world. If it doesn’t change your world, then it’s not that significant and you probably won’t do anything with it anyway. This is the starting point. The Myth of the Big Idea is that it has to change THE entire world.

In The Myth of Good Ideas, Jonathan Courtney, Co-Founder of AJ&Smart, a Digital Product Design agency states that being a creative genius is not the only way to have world-changing ideas. Ideas can be generated and in huge quantities. Good ideas simply come from having lots of ideas. The famous inventor Thomas Edison said that his “real measure of success” was “the number of experiments” he could crowd into one day. Rather than focus on coming up with the “perfect idea” or invention, he produced and produced. Failed and iterated. Failure was baked into his process. Waiting for inspiration can be the death of a projects’ momentum. Start with quantity, then curate.

Also read: e27 discussions, how do you generate (quality) ideas?

According to a blog How to uncover a world-changing idea by Dinushi Dias; Sam Altman, from his work as the President of Y Combinator, has an advise for the start-up founders, “You will never uncover a world-changing idea unless you start working on something now.”

Walker & Co’s founder and CEO, Tristan Walker has another take on the world-changing Idea, from his own personal experience. In a video chat about World-Changing Idea, he explains his journey before starting to build a health and beauty products company that makes health and beauty simple for people of color. After his stint in Andreessen Horowitz as an entrepreneur- in- residence, he says:

“I was like, man, I got to make these guys proud. I want to build the most ambitious thing that I can build. First seven months, I spent some time thinking about how I was going to fix childhood obesity in this country. I spent some time thinking about whether or not I should build a bank. I think I spent four months working on an idea to fix freight and trucking in this country. Only to think, shit, what do I know about freight and trucking? And I felt like if I was going to dedicate the next 20 plus years of my life to anything, I wanted to fundamentally feel like I was the best person in the world to solve that problem. Fortunately, seven months later, I figured that out. And Walker and Company was born”.

In What makes for a great entrepreneur? Andy Rachleff, Founder of Weslthfront, discusses a question about what separates the exceptional entrepreneurs from the rest of the pack. He explains great entrepreneurs’ greatness comes from the quality of their insights — in other words, their ability to recognize how an inflection point in technology can solve an important problem. That insight emerges from as authenticity to a particular problem. The great entrepreneurs have a deep command of the problem they are trying to solve. They achieve that deep command, in turn, by following their passions.

In an article, How do you generate innovation?, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, says the secret to innovation isn’t to have a great idea. It’s about moving quickly–and trying everything.

All these views resonate with lean startup building.

Lean startup building believes, start-up is a stage in the process of turning a business idea into an established real company and a ‘start-up’ is a company that is confused about — what its product is? Who its customers are? How to make money? We start with assumptions about everything, to begin with. More early you start to get a sense for theories against reality, the safer you are. Unlike in earlier times, today’s founders start small and make smart micro-experiments, besides customer interviews to test the assumptions.

The whole concept that a business idea has to be absolutely unique and world changing is quite irrelevant. And questions like ‘what is your competitive advantage and where will you be in 5 years?’ don’t have any meaning, because, in the early days, there is very little certainty about where a startup is going.

While we shouldn’t focus on the grand vision (or lack of) in the daily existential crises of the early days of a startup, what we need to focus on is what we as founders go ahead and put our hands to the grind towards building their businesses. Time and time again, what is clear is that one does not get anywhere without doing the very next thing in front of you as a founder.

Hopefully, some of us will get an opportunity to build a Cathedral, along the way.

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Featured Image Copyright: kadmy / 123RF Stock Photo

This article was first published in September 7, 2017

The post Ask yourself, are you building a cathedral with your startup ideas? appeared first on e27.

Despite global headwinds, the Philippine startup ecosystem showcased resilience by raising US$956 million in funding in 2023, according to a report.

While this is a relatively modest dip (14 per cent) year-on-year, the number of deals increased by 16 per cent to 96, according to the Philippine Venture Capital Report released by Foxmont Capital Partners and BCG. This is a notable achievement, given the 62 per cent y-o-y decline in funding observed across the region by the Global Private Capital Association across Southeast Asia.

Also Read: Founders are pessimistic about Philippines’ funding climate in 2024: study

The total deal value experienced a modest 14 per cent drop in the Philippines. In comparison, the deal value witnessed a 62 per cent decline across Southeast Asia, with Indonesia and Singapore feeling the largest drops at 68 per cent and 73 per cent, respectively.

Fintech (22 deals), B2B SaaS (14), and e-commerce (13) were the top 3 funded verticals
in 2023.

Agritech is the emerging sector with good public support as agriculture holds a significant role in the Philippine economic development in the coming years.

The report further revealed that the Philippines’s share of total funds raised in Southeast Asia continued to climb to 13 per cent from 7 per cent in 2022 and 5 per cent in 2021.

“The sustained momentum we see in Philippine startup investments is encouraging, particularly with early-stage deals. We attribute this performance to a deepening pool of strong founders, attractive Philippine macro fundamentals, modest entry valuations, and a reallocation of regional private capital,” said Jelmer Ikink, General Partner at Foxmont Capital Partners.

Furthermore, the report highlights that the Philippines has reached an inflexion point in key digital transformation levers, mirroring trends observed in countries like Indonesia, China, and India.

On the macro level, the report indicates that the Philippines’s growing labour participation rate is expected to overtake the global average by 2030. To fully capitalise on this demographic dividend, concerted efforts are underway within the public and private sectors to create job opportunities, improve talent quality, and promote entrepreneurship.

Also Read: Kaya Founders looks to back 30-40 startups in SEA with new funds

While the Philippine startup ecosystem is nascent, the report links numerous initiatives that have begun to facilitate exits for alternative investments, with the government implementing more progressive laws to encourage inbound investments and boost participation in the public market. Joint consultations between the private sector, operations, and the public sector have been taking place to make IPOs more accessible to both growth companies and investors.

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The post Philippine startups raised US$956M in 2023 amidst funding winter appeared first on e27.

Some of today’s coolest tech startups were launched out of dorms, basements and friends’ living rooms. The majority of entrepreneurs launch their ventures with $10,000 or less to their name. In fact, 75% rely on their personal savings only to get off the ground.

Certainly, it’s nice when you have some additional financial support from friends or peer investors. But if your finance are really tight, that doesn’t mean you should steer away from launching your business. You can bootrstarp an MVP product such as an interactive mockup, a simple website or landing page, or even a demo video for less than 10K. Here are some tools to help you do just that.

1. Framer

Framer offers a robust toolkit for designing animated protorypes. Non-designers should enjoy the drag & drop functionality, while more advanced users will appreciate a bunch of additional editings tool, which allow to create pixel-perfect designs. Framer comes with handy presents for desktop, iOS and Adroid, which streamline and speed up the design process. With this tool you can create an attractive app prototypes to pitch to potential investors and test with early-bird adopters.

Also read: Planning to bootstrap your business? Follow these 7 tips

2. Deluxe Logo Maker 

Speaking further about design, don’t understimate the power of your logo. That small visual makes your brand unique and memorable. According to the Association for Psychological Science, logo design can also strongly influence how customers perceive products. More angular logos, for example, meant that customers were more likely to rate a company’s products as “durable.”

Deluxe Logo Maker is one affordable tool to help you design just the right logo for your brand. Even the most basic package provides the talents of multiple designers, redesigns to incorporate your feedback, and multiple scalable image files. Deluxe’s most comprehensive service, its Platinum Package, includes services such as a hand-drawn mascot and printed business cards, while its do-it-yourself service lets you customize a wide variety of templates for only $50.

3. Shopify

If you plan to launch an ecommerce startup, Shopify is the safest bet. Lifehacker recently called this platform “unquestionably the easiest way to open an online store.” You can use it build customizable ecommerce storefront, choose from 70 payment gateways and enjoy over 1,200 pre-integrated ecommerce tools such as discount code generator, shipping, vendor relationship management and more. Shopify can even take over handling sales in your brick-and-mortar location.

4. Chargify

Subscribtion businesses and booming. This industry as a whole has been growing at 200% annually since 2011 and is no where close to slowing down. So why shouldn’t you capitalize on the trend? The particular appeal here is that you can launch a subscribcribtion business as relatively low cost as you can direct the customer’s recurring paymets first and use them towards paying vendors, rather than using your own funds to keep everything in stock.

Also read: 5 reasons why subscription models can be a double-edged sword for e-commerce retail

Chargify will help you collect those recurring payments and keep your records neat. You can also integrate it with Xero – a popular accounting software – to have complete control over your books and cashflow.

5. Packlane

If you choose to go the ecommerce or subscribtion route, beyond the storefront and payment processing, you should also think about how your products will be delivered. Packlane lets you provide your customers with a customized, branded, and beautiful experience whenever they receive a package. With an easy-to-use online platform for box designs and almost endless options for color printing, interiour printing, and box size and shape, Packlane will please your inner aesthete. And because its minimum order is so low–they’ll even print you just one cardboard box, if that’s what you need–it’s a truly small-business-friendly solution.

6. MailChimp

According to Wordstream, businesses experience an average of $44 dollars in returns for every dollar spent on email marketing. Many email marketing systems are out there, but some are better than others. MailChimp is among the top choices. It provides a comprehensive platform for sending out customized email content and newsletters to interact with your audience e.g. ask for their feedback on the product; notify about new deals, beta launch and so on.

7. Animatron  

You probably know that Dropbox got started as a screencast video created by founders and posted on Hacker News. That’s exactly how they measured the interest in such product and acquired some beta adopters. Today, video marketing still remains among the most promising tools any the entrepreneurs stack as it converts better than any other type of content. Want even better news – you don’t need to hire some fancy video production study to create an animated explainer video. Try Animatron instead. The free version will allow you to choose from 2,200 pre-animated objects, style them into a quick video reel, add a voice over and share your creation in one click.

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Editor’s note: e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

Featured Image Copyright Copyright: flynt / 123RF Stock Photo

This article was first published on February 19, 2018

The post Bootstrapping your startup? Here are 7 tools you can use to make launch and growth easier appeared first on e27.

Visit Echelon X to learn more about the program. Get your tickets here!

As the world grapples with an increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters, the landscape of disaster preparedness has undergone significant evolution. Challenges persist, ranging from the unpredictability of certain events to the disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities. Climate change exacerbates these challenges, with rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, wildfires, and floods, posing significant threats to communities globally. All of these things are happening alongside rapid urbanisation and population growth, intensifying the vulnerability of densely populated areas to disasters and the potential for catastrophic impacts.

Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the critical need for robust disaster preparedness and response mechanisms, exposing vulnerabilities in healthcare systems, supply chains, and social infrastructure.

Amid these challenges, innovative solutions are emerging to enhance disaster preparedness and resilience. Advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, remote sensing, and data analytics, are revolutionising disaster forecasting, early warning systems, and response coordination. Moreover, community-based initiatives that build local resilience and foster collaboration among diverse stakeholders are gaining traction. These initiatives emphasise the importance of grassroots participation, cultural sensitivity, and inclusive planning processes in enhancing community resilience to disasters.

Also read: Sustainable development through empowering commerce in Indonesia

Furthermore, there is a growing recognition of the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental factors in shaping vulnerability to disasters, driving efforts to address underlying systemic issues such as poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. As the global community confronts the complex challenges of the 21st century, innovative approaches and collaborative strategies will be essential in building a more resilient and sustainable future.

Taking on the mantle of fostering education, research, and support for disaster-preparedness efforts is Prudence Foundation, the community investment arm of Prudential PLC which aims to address target issues in three key areas with purpose-built programmes to make communities safer and more resilient to life’s risks: financial literacy and inclusion, health and safety prevention, and climate adaptation.

Prudence Foundation as a catalyst for disaster tech

Technological advancements such as blockchain and decentralised platforms are enhancing coordination and transparency in disaster response operations, facilitating efficient resource allocation and accountability have proven important. These innovations spell the difference between saving and securing human lives before, during, and in the aftermath of disasters.

However, despite these advancements, persistent challenges such as funding constraints, political inertia, and systemic inequalities continue to hinder progress in achieving comprehensive and equitable disaster preparedness and resilience. Thus, there remains a pressing need for sustained commitment and collaboration at all levels to navigate the increasingly complex landscape of disaster risk management.

Over the past few years, Prudence Foundation has been spearheading initiatives such as the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards to address these challenges.

In a nutshell, the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards finds, funds, and supports innovative technology solutions which save lives before, during and after events of natural disasters. Since 2019, the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards has helped support startups working towards various aspects of disaster resilience, from digital platforms for remote project supervision and monitoring as well as infrastructure quality assurance, to cleantech startups offering waste-to-worth solutions focused on transforming waste materials into reusable products while delivering social and environmental benefits, and even to social enterprises that build simple and portable filters to make clean water accessible through water shortage solutions.

Also read: SAFE STEPS D-TECH Community Hub is leading the way to a resilient future

By examining these examples, Prudence Foundation demonstrates a holistic perspective of where to offer its support. This stems from their understanding that empowering disaster tech initiatives that address challenges in natural disasters before, during, and after they occur is paramount for enhancing resilience and reducing the impact of these events.

These initiatives are crucial in proactive preparedness by providing early warning systems, predictive analytics, and risk assessment tools, enabling communities to mitigate risks and plan effectively. During disasters, technology facilitates rapid response and coordination among stakeholders, improving the efficiency of search and rescue operations, resource allocation, and communication with affected populations. Moreover, post-disaster recovery efforts are bolstered by innovative solutions that streamline aid distribution, assess damage, and facilitate reconstruction, thereby expediting the recovery process and promoting long-term resilience.

By seeking out opportunities for investors to discover and support these initiatives, societies can better adapt to the evolving challenges posed by natural disasters, ultimately saving lives, protecting livelihoods, and building more resilient communities.

Meet Prudence Foundation at Echelon X!

Aligned with this commitment to promote and empower innovators addressing today’s most pressing global challenges, Prudence Foundation will be joining Echelon X as an official Disaster Technology Partner!

Echelon X will bring together industry leaders, visionary entrepreneurs, and groundbreaking startups from all corners of the region for two packed days. Happening on May 15 to 16 at the Singapore EXPO, Echelon X will feature dedicated content stages, exhibitions, panel discussions, and more — all to support and empower the tech startup ecosystem with actionable insights through a series of knowledge-sharing activities.

Also read: Leading end-to-end property platform in Indonesia will share insights at Echelon X!

Whether you’re eager to expand your knowledge, network with key players from the tech startup scene, or showcase your innovative ideas, Echelon X offers an unparalleled experience. Join us as a participant or an official partner by securing your spot now on our official page. Together, let’s embark on a journey to shape the future and create a lasting impact.

Join us at Echelon 2024, where innovation knows no limits, and the possibilities are endless!

The post Empowering innovators: Prudence Foundation tackles disaster challenges appeared first on e27.

Sherrie Low and Goh Ai Yat, esteemed academic lecturers at RMIT and the Singapore Institute of Management, bring decades of combined managerial experience to their work, having trained over 100 businesses and 200,000 participants. In March, they published a new book called The S.T.A.R. System, which aims to help entrepreneurs embrace and implement the transformative potential of pictures.

The following is an excerpt from the book.

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PICTURES MATTER

Pictures matter. They reinforce your idea and give it greater clarity.

We draw to improve our understanding of the stories we encounter.

In the next few pages, we shall show you that simple pictures can give better clarity to the thinking process.

Why Pictures Matter: Example #1

Team A does large accounts and Team B does small accounts. Both teams bring in $50 million in profits each. Team A requires two persons to manage fewer clients, whereby each client has a higher yield compared to a client in Team B. Team B has more clients in absolute numbers compared to Team A, although the profits generated are on par with Team A. Team B requires more headcount to manage more clients, compared to Team A.

We have used several lines of words to explain this situation. The pictures effectively reinforce the message. You can clearly see that the desired and additional headcount for Team B is sorely missing.

Also Read: What are the basics of design thinking, and how to apply it?

Example #2

In the past, Company M was in an enviable position, owning a big share of the niche market and reaping huge profits.

Fast forward to the present and things are different. There are now many competitors, such as Companies A, B and C, each taking a slice of the market share.

The appearance of increasing competition shrinks the profitability of Company M. This should compel Company M to evaluate their current offerings, with the option to move to another quadrant in the positioning map, to become more relevant and profitable.

Example #3

Company X must be able to identify what customers deem important to fulfil their wants and needs.

Using one attribute, Design, as an example, we can see a gap between what customers want and what Company X is perceived as delivering. This should signal to Company X the need to rethink how to meet changing customer needs, based on current and potential resources.

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The book is available for purchase on Amazon.

Image Credit: xixinxing, 123RF Free Images

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Interruptions and distraction stall productivity and the office may be where the biggest offenders are. In this TED Talk, Jason Fried talks about why people can’t get work done at work and offers three suggestions to remedy it.

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This article was first published on November 16, 2017.

The post Why work doesn’t happen at the workplace appeared first on e27.

Remote workers make things simpler, more efficient, and often cheaper for startup organizations. It’s also a perk for employees who like eliminating their commute and working from the quiet of their own homes. For these exact reasons, remote work has grown exponentially over the last few years. According to a Gallup survey, 43 percent of employed Americans spend at least some of their time working remotely.

Remote work has its clear advantages, but cybersecurity threats will accompany them. Remote workers often allow easier access for hackers, malware, and other attempts to corrupt or steal sensitive information from a company. Their unsecured networks, weak passwords, high employee turnover, and limited monitoring ability make them ideal targets.

The benefits of remote work are many, and as such, it’s better to handle the threats that come with it rather than trying to eliminate it. Your security threats don’t have to increase dramatically just because you use remote workers.

Here are some things you can do.

Manage the BYOD Movement

The bring your own device (BYOD) movement is a popular strategy for employers. It saves money, is more efficient, and eliminates the need for an IT department. However, it can also increase your risk of being infiltrated by a hacker who gains access through an unsecured personal device.

Also Read: Remote work leads to better productivity and lower costs; Here are 10 reasons why remote work rocks

“Frequent trainings to ensure compliance with security measures are critical to decreasing risk,” suggests an article from the secure SD-WAN firm Cato Networks. “Teams should have well-researched BYOD policies in places to protect against as many potential threats as possible. You also may want to consider mobile device management (MDM) which requires employees to grant IT access to their personal devices, including permission to wipe a lost or stolen device clean.”

Mandate strong password regulations

Passwords are often an easy entry point for hackers. Weak passwords are easy for experienced hackers to crack. Plus, many people use the same password for everything, so once that password is hacked, they’ll have access to every account that’s connected to it.

Many employees have varied, strong passwords, but they store them on a piece of paper or in a document on their computer. Hackers know to look for those saved documents to gain access to a network.

Create a series of password standards for your employees. Passwords should have special characters, numbers, and capitals, and they should be changed often. Each password should be reserved for just one account, and should not be shared. To keep passwords secure, have employees use a cloud-based password manager like LastPass, Dashlane, or Sticky Password.

Secure your network with a VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) is like a secure tunnel that allows your computer to connect to the internet. Enterprises often use a VPN to protect their privacy and prevent casual hackers from accessing transactions while using Wi-Fi, whether public or private.

Also Read: The 4 drawbacks of working remotely and how to address them with your team

“When you’re on public Wi-Fi at an airport or café, that means hackers will have a harder time stealing your login credentials or redirecting your PC to a phony banking site,” says Ian Paul of Tech Hive. “Your Internet service provider (ISP), or anyone else trying to spy on you, will also have a near impossible time figuring out which websites you’re visiting. On top of all that, you get the benefits of spoofing your location.”

Each of these masking elements allows your remote workers to stay secure while working on your network, limiting exposure to unwanted third-party attention.

Use two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication can be used in multiple ways to protect both your employees and your organization from unauthorized access. When employees must go through two steps to access your server or website, such as entering both a password and a code sent to their personal email, access is considerably more secure.

Additionally, if you provide your remote workers with their hardware, consider requiring two-factor authentication when they access their devices. For example, many laptops now come with an eye or fingerprint scanner. Requiring employees to put in both a password and a bio-print scan can add an extra layer of security that protects both your organization and your employees from major cybersecurity threats.

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This article was first published on March 22, 2018.

The post How to keep your remote employees’ networks more secure appeared first on e27.

Spacely AI, an interior architecture design platform powered by Generative AI, has announced the closing of an undisclosed pre-seed investment from SCB 10X.

The Thai startup is expanding its global footprint, serving users from Thailand, the US, Portugal, and several other countries worldwide.

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Spacely AI is a “quick and easy” rendering tool for interior designers. The platform offers 12+ innovative features, 100+ interior curated premium styles, and supports more than 100+ space types, from interiors to exteriors.

Along with this announcement, Spacely has launched instant rendering API (to allow for quick visualisation of design concepts), smart recommendation API (which matches the products with customers’ designed space based on their preferences, budget, and space), product visualisation API (which provides a visual representation of the products within customer’s spaces), and precision space planning API (which offers detailed space measurement guidance for optimal fit and sizing).

The company said it has formed strategic partnerships with Index Living Mall and Proud Real Estate to design over one million spaces for 120,000+ users worldwide.

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“Given the powerful breakthroughs in visual-based generative AI, spatial design is an application that will continue to benefit from the rapid advancements of this technology. We will continue to support Spacely AI in identifying the strategic and product priorities for the platform, enriching Spacely AI’s proposition from Thailand to the global design community,” said Mukaya (Tai) Panich, CEO and Chief Venture and Investment Officer of SCB 10X.

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