SUMMIT | ASEAN social enterprises showcase solutions at Manila forum
Two enterprises were selected based on their progress during the programme’s mentorship and their potential to expand their community-focused businesses.
Two social enterprises from Southeast Asia showcased their products and connected with potential investors, business partners and regional markets during the ASEAN Inclusive Business Forum and MSME Summit held in Manila on Sept. 21 and 22.
MAGWAI, a sustainable personal care enterprise, and Real Bean Coffee, a coffee business focused on improving farmers’ livelihoods, were selected to participate through the ASEAN Social Enterprise Development Programme (ASEAN SEDP) Elevate, an initiative of the ASEAN Foundation supported by SAP.
The two enterprises were selected based on their progress during the programme’s mentorship and their potential to expand their community-focused businesses.
“ASEAN SEDP is part of our commitment to fostering a more connected and inclusive ASEAN ecosystem where social enterprises can collaborate and access opportunities beyond their home markets,” said Dr. Piti Srisangnam, executive director of the ASEAN Foundation.
“Through ASEAN SEDP Elevate, we continue to create pathways for social enterprises to grow and expand their impact across the region,” Srisangnam said.
Mentorship and AI training
Launched in 2026 as a continuation of the four-year ASEAN SEDP, the Elevate program connects 17 alumni from 10 ASEAN member states with experts to address specific business objectives.
Participants undergo a needs assessment before entering one of five tracks: Market Access, Investment Readiness, Social Impact, AI or Custom.
The program provides one-on-one mentorship, business matchmaking with investors and strategic partners, and SAP Masterclasses covering the use of AI for market access, investment readiness and social impact measurement.
SAP Southeast Asia President and Managing Director Liher Urbizu said the partnership is intended to help social enterprises apply digital technologies to practical business challenges.
“At SAP, we believe meaningful digital transformation begins when people have the skills and confidence to apply technology to real-world challenges,” Urbizu said.
“By equipping social enterprises with practical digital and AI capabilities, we are helping build a more resilient, inclusive, and future-ready economy across Southeast Asia,” he said.
The ASEAN SEDP has supported 401 social entrepreneurs from 100 social enterprises across 10 ASEAN member states over four years, according to the program.
The enterprises collectively reached 6,241,157 people through their solutions. The program also reported that 83% of participating enterprises were led by women, while 17 employed persons with disabilities, including seven enterprises led by persons with disabilities.
More than 65% of alumni said the program helped strengthen their strategic leadership, while more than half reported revenue and profit increases ranging from 5% to 194%, according to the program.
MAGWAI’s expansion
MAGWAI, one of the two enterprises selected for the Manila forum, said its participation in ASEAN SEDP Elevate helped strengthen its growth strategy through mentorship and new business connections.
“ASEAN SEDP Elevate has strengthened our strategy for growth through valuable mentorship and new connections. We hope to build on these lessons to expand our reach, deepen our impact, and create lasting value for the communities we serve,” said Czarina Carbonel, co-founder and CEO of MAGWAI.
The forum was held as part of the Philippines’ role as ASEAN chair for 2026 and brought together social enterprises, governments, businesses and investors.
Faye L. Solina, OIC director of the Department of Trade and Industry’s Bureau of SME Development, said the forum provided an opportunity to showcase community-focused enterprises from across the region.
“As the ASEAN Chair for 2026, the Philippines is proud to once again welcome ASEAN’s social enterprise community. Social enterprises and MSMEs are the backbone of our economy, and they are the ones that grow our communities and uplift Filipino families,” Solina said.
She said the Department of Trade and Industry supports platforms that provide social entrepreneurs with access to markets, partnerships and investment.
Full disclosure: All news articles published on the TechSabado website are written by human journalists, unless otherwise specified. Final text editing is also performed by human editors, with artificial intelligence (AI) used only to assist with additional grammar and style guide corrections..
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