Filipino entrepreneurs will soon gain direct access to Alibaba’s digital business ecosystem as Alibaba Global Initiatives (AGI) formally enters the Philippines for the first time through a partnership with local e-commerce enabler Gencys Group.

The company said Thursday it has an executive partnership with Alibaba Global Initiatives (AGI), a program established by the Chinese technology giant to educate and support entrepreneurs.

The partnership will roll out the E-volve Program, which combines training, overseas immersion, and business mentorship to help Filipino entrepreneurs adopt digital business models and scale their operations.

“For the first time, Alibaba Global Initiatives would formally establish a program in the Philippines through Gencys, giving Filipino entrepreneurs direct access to Alibaba’s digital entrepreneurship ecosystem,” Hermani Razon, chief executive and chief financial officer of Gencys, told reporters.

The program is designed to equip Filipino business leaders with skills in e-commerce, artificial intelligence, automation, and digital innovation as companies increasingly compete in the global digital economy.

The first phase consists of face-to-face and digital training sessions through House of Prime, Gencys’ educational platform. Professor Jeff Towson, an expert on China’s digital economy, will provide insights into how China’s leading technology companies achieved rapid growth and scale.

Participants will then travel to China for a five- to six-day immersion program, visiting technology companies and innovation hubs, including Alibaba’s campus, where they will gain firsthand exposure to e-commerce, artificial intelligence, robotics, logistics, and the digital systems driving China’s business ecosystem.

The final phase focuses on implementation, with mentorship to help participants apply what they learned to their own businesses.

Razon said the first batch will send at least 50 entrepreneurs to China, with the partnership intended as a long-term initiative.

“The company aims to help at least 1,000 Filipino businesses undergo digital transformation within the next three years. 

Rather than acting as a traditional agency, Gencys positions itself as an enabler—helping entrepreneurs understand e-commerce, automation, artificial intelligence, and digital business systems while empowering them to build sustainable growth independently,” he added.