Singtel report cites Globe‑backed social startups

Two Globe-backed Philippine startups made the telecommunication company proud by getting featured in the Singtel Group Future Makers (SGFM) 2025 Impact Report, a regional review celebrating 10 years of tech-driven social innovation.

Virtualahan, the pioneering social enterprise in the country’s disability space, and The Spark Project, which assists entrepreneurs in building sustainable ventures, were featured in the report for addressing community needs while enabling business growth through technology.

SGFM has become a regional platform supporting 85 start-ups through grants, mentorship and ecosystem access, benefiting over 24 million people across 11 countries through initiatives in education, healthcare, mental health, environment, agriculture, waste management and inclusion.

Andrew Buay, vice president for Group Sustainability at Singtel, said, “We will focus on working with alumni ventures to help drive their expansion and build stronger collaboration.”

Virtualahan first gained recognition as one of the startups that won the Globe Future Makers (GFM) in 2017, while The Spark Project partnered with Globe for GFM 2019. Both later represented the Philippines for the regional SGFM network.

GFM provides the startups with essential resources such as mentorship, marketing assistance, and networking opportunities. The program aims to cultivate an ecosystem of social innovators who leverage technology to create positive change, aligning with the Singtel Group of Companies’ broader social innovation initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region.

“Through our partnership with SGFM, we had the opportunity to support Filipino social enterprises in their journey to expand their impact and contribute to positive change in the communities they serve,” Yoly Crisanto, Globe chief sustainability and corporate communications officer, said.

Social enterprises

Virtualahan equips persons with disabilities (PWD), vulnerable youth, solo parents, recovering addicts, persons deprived of liberty, and displaced workers with digital skills training and support programs that open up access to livelihood and long-term reintegration.

Since completing the 2017 GFM and SGFM cohorts, Virtualahan has trained 1,267 persons with disabilities, with a 66 percent employment rate and a 25 percent income increase among graduates. It has increased annual revenues by approximately 300 percent and incubated two spin-off businesses.

“The exposure, learning, and endorsement we received from SGFM and Globe helped boost our credibility as a pioneering social enterprise in the local disability space,” Ryan Gersava, founder of Virtualahan, said.

The Spark Project, originally a crowdfunding platform for creative ventures, evolved after its GFM and SGFM experience into an entrepreneur-support organization that has assisted over 135 enterprises, channelled P25.5 million into impact projects, and deployed a P16.6 million loan fund.

“By connecting us with a wider network of mentors, collaborators, and supporters, GFM and SGFM enabled us to build stronger programs that support Filipino creatives and social entrepreneurs,” said Patch Dulay, founder of The Spark Project.

Collaborating with Globe, both startups launched impactful thematic programs. Virtualahan, for instance, connected PWDs, displaced workers, and out-of-school youth to the internet, enabling their participation in the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s Digital Jobs PH upskilling programs in 2021.

Meanwhile, the Spark Project teamed up with Globe for Spark Fest 2018 and 2019, creating a dedicated space where individuals passionate about social causes can find inspiration, learn, and connect with creative founders, thought leaders, and other aspiring entrepreneurs, demonstrating how telco infrastructure can amplify civic impact.

Globe remains committed to empowering Philippine enterprises that harness technology to address pressing social challenges by driving sustainable growth through strategic collaboration, digital innovation and regional partnerships.