SM Supermalls Champions Women Entrepreneurs in Technology at She Loves Tech 2024

SM Supermalls showcased its dedication to innovation and entrepreneurship by hosting the Philippine leg of She Loves Tech 2024 in New Manila. This event held on 2nd of August and was aimed at supporting the women entrepreneurs as well as supporting all the technological solutions, which had the effect of reiterating their support to the advancement of women in the field of technology as well as supporting the efforts that are being put in place towards supporting entrepreneurship.

They also featured ten of the most promising Filipino-led tech companies and startups that make Filipino solutions to pressing social issues possible. This was evident among the finalists such as Farmtri – an AI powered farmer support system and Unprude – a cultural sexual health marketplace. Both startups will compete for Philippines at the She Loves Tech 2024 Regional Finals in Singapore.

The SM Supermalls’ engagement in She Loves Tech is part of its overall goal of promoting women-owned startups as well as the use of technology and sustainability within its operations and strategies. The partnership has been positively received by Leanne Robers, the co-founder of She Loves Tech expressing that SM’s involvement greatly enhances the organisation’s goal of supporting women innovators in technology.

The event also included discussions with the Accelerating Asia Program Manager Bettina Gamboa, Imaginable Impact Co-Founder and CEO Nina Terol, and Connected Women founder Gina Romero, which all focused on women in technology as the latter is known to be dominated by men.

Aside from this event, SM Supermalls has been pushing for MSMEs thru different platforms it supports. Responding to the company code, SM targets mostly MSMEs with 67% of its tenants providing accessible and flexible retail spaces to grow the packages. Some of the issues that are attended to by the “SM for MSMEs” program are high operation costs and competition and other issues, while others are addressed by StartUp Package which offers SMs affordable rental costs and marketing for new businesses.

Indeed, SM Supermalls has made it its responsibility to increase access of MSMEs and local producers from rural areas. The SM Weekend Market and the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Sustainable Livelihood Program provides skills and market to local farmer and food suppliers most of which are beneficiaries of the SM Foundation.