Cropital, a crowdfunding platform for anyone to invest in improving the income and productivity of farmers in exchange of returns after harvest – thus, empowering the farmers in the process, was named the best business model in Esquire Financing Inc.’s 2nd run of Fueling the Dream: Business Model Competition.
Represented by Ruel Amparo and Rachel de Villa, both graduates of University of the Philippines Diliman, Cropital bested nine other finalists to win the Php 100 thousand cash prize, up to Php 1 million in capital, as well as features in offline and online media.
Other close contenders were Green Footprint (Patricia Barron, Michelle Herrera, Ma. Yzabel Domingo and Rey Buyco), providing 100% proudly Pinoy, and toxic-free woven rattan caskets, Project Mushroom (Paula Dela Cruz, Rio Abrenica and Keith Caasi), innovating products and by-products of Oyster and Milky mushroom, Hot Papa Chili (Auie Anatalio, Martin Nunga and Alyssa Anatalio), introducing a local brand of all-natural, well-balanced, and natural fortified chili products, and Diligence Café (Anna Lorraine Uy, Elmerei Cabello Cuevas), providing all-nighter students and young professionals a conducive working spaces.
Rounding up the Top 10 are Empleo, an experience-centric employment platform, Mia Zorelle, a gelato made of all-natural and chemical-free leafy vegetables, Shroombella, an efficient, affordable and eco-friendly mushroom-based ferticides, Pret Rolls, a hand-held, full-packed and on-the-go spring rolls, and Pollinasyon, an apiary service that promotes pollination for crop productivity.
The final panel included Esquire Financing Inc. Chairman and CEO Rajan Uttamchandani, AIM core faculty Prof. Richard Cruz, LBCX Ecommerce Tech President Dino Araneta, Foundation for a Sustainable Society Inc. Assistant Director for Development Services Jerome Ignacio, Bridging Creative Quotient CEO Raymund Sy, DTI-GIZ Consultant Dr. Ed Canela, Entrepreneur Philippines Managing Editor for Web Jaime Humarang, and Impact Hub Manila Co-Founder Ces Rondario. The event was also attended by EFI’s Vice Chairman Ravi Uttamchandani and CFO Sandeep Chandiramani.
Before the Final Presentation, the Finalists underwent a Mentoring Session at Impact Hub Manila. Mentors include Esquire Financing Inc. President & COO Navin Uttamchandani, Got Heart Foundation Founder and Earth Kitchen Owner Melissa Yeung-Yap, and Impact Hub Manila Co-Founder Mathias Jaeggi.
Fueling the Dream was brought to the students and young professionals by Advocacy Partners: WWF Philippines and Foundation for a Sustainable Society Inc. (FSSI), Endorsers: Young Entrepreneurs Society (YES) and Global Entrepreneurship Week Philippines, and Media Partners: Entrepreneur Philippines, WhenInManila.com, MoneySense, BusinessMirror, BusinessWorld, and The Manila Times. Asian Institute of Management (AIM) hosted the Workshop last August 15 and this Final Presentation.
Esquire Financing Inc. is the country’s leading financing company that caters to the needs of SMEs. It was incorporated in 2011 and has served more than 5,000 businesses around the country. It aims to fuel the dreams of entrepreneurs by providing fast, flexible, hassle-free, and non-collateral business loans from Php 100 thousand to Php 10 million to small and medium enterprises. Learn more about Esquire and its services at www.esquire.com.ph or by calling 811.8888.
