Shell LiveWIRE 2023 selects 11 community enterprises, tech startups for Acceleration program

Shell LiveWIRE is a program that aims to help businesses identify their core strengths and establish a system that can strengthen their capacity to scale, improve their products, expand their market, and generate sustainable streams of revenue.

“In these uncertain times, the significance of platforms like Shell LiveWIRE cannot be overstated. They act as catalysts for progress, fostering connections, driving innovation, and empowering local enterprises to navigate challenges and thrive in an ever-changing world,” Serge Bernal, SPC Vice President for Corporate Relations said.

This year, Shell LiveWIRE received 219 applications, 141 of them are tech startups, and 78 are community enterprises.

The Tech Innovators

Shell LiveWIRE supports businesses that are on the cutting edge of innovation, focusing on energy solutions, value chain integration, and economic diversification. This year, the selected tech startups include LITHOS Manufacturing OPC, a company focused on adding value to the local minerals for industrial, agricultural, aquaculture, and environmental applications; Lycan, a company that integrates smart technologies into two-wheeled electric vehicles; and Farmvocacy, Inc., a social climate fintech startup that supports climate-smart rice farming, environment-friendly, and high-yielding farming systems.

The Community-Driven Entrepreneurs

The six community enterprises selected for this year support Shell LiveWIRE’s vision of strengthening local economies by promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, and meaningful employment. These enterprises include Samahang Mangingisda ng Dalupaon (SAMADA), a group of fisherfolks that ventured into an agri-enterprise related to fish processing; Tagbilaran Young Workers Association, a business that produces bags, and other souvenir items, with upcycled plastic waste; PHILIA Variety Store, a direct market conduit for the smallholder community farmers of Coffee, Cacao, Coconut & other agricultural products; DLR Foods Supply Trading, a company that provides ready-to-eat meals in retort pouches that are halal certified; Odicon Small Coconut Farmers' Organization (OSCFO), an agricultural enterprise that specializes in the sustainable processing of coconut byproducts; and Agri-VINO Enterprises, a chicken poultry business that provides egg incubation service to the community, reducing travel costs for fellow growers.

Shell Sponsor’s A-List

Aside from the nine selected businesses under the tech startup and community enterprise categories, two other businesses also made it to the list of participants in the Acceleration Program. These businesses are Forent, Philippines' peer-to-peer car-sharing platform where car owners make money by renting their cars out to anyone in need of transportation; and USHER Technologies or the Universal Structural Health Evaluation and Recording System, a company that provides equipment that monitors and analyze the structural health of buildings.

The selection of the shortlisted businesses was done by a panel of judges comprising of Shell leaders, DTI representatives, and venture capitalists who are experts in industry and market requirements.

Tech startups will get a chance to win Php 1,000,000. While for community enterprises, all founders will receive a Php 100,000 grant after the program. On top of these, all participants get a chance to be a part of the Shell Value Chain as suppliers or vendors in the company’s ecosystem.

About Shell LiveWIRE

Shell LiveWIRE is the flagship enterprise development programme of Shell, with the vision to strengthen local economies by promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and meaningful employment. Shell LiveWIRE started 37 years ago. In 1982, one in eight people were out of work in the UK. Shell responded by launching Shell LiveWIRE in Scotland with the aim of addressing growing levels of youth unemployment through entrepreneurship. Today Shell LiveWIRE supporting businesses that are on the cutting-edge of innovation, focusing on energy solutions, value chain integration and economic diversification.

To know more about Shell LiveWIRE, visit: https://www.shell.com.ph/energy-and-innovation/make-the-future/shell-livewire-philippines.html

About Shell Pilipinas Corporation

Shell Pilipinas Corporation (SPC) changed its corporate name from Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, marking the energy company’s vital role in the energy transition. This change signifies that SPC goes beyond petroleum and will deliver more options to its consumers to provide sustainable and cleaner energy solutions to the country. Along with the name change, Shell will continue to invest and grow in the country as an energy user, provider and leader.

With this new chapter, SPC will continue to drive growth and innovation for their customers, investors, society, and the planet. For 109 years, Shell has been a vital partner in nation-building and aims to remain the same, making sure to provide cleaner energy solutions to customers, to power progress in the Philippines, in sync with society and the government.