So you want to be an InveSTAR? Philstar Media Group and Bajaj Philippines tap students with the best startup ideas
You just came up with a great business idea — so now what?
PhilSTAR Media Group, through its biggest advocacy (for local SMEs) to date, “Nakakalocal: Love Local, Grow Global,” provides a venue for budding entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into a profitable business.
InveSTAR, a program under the Nakakalocal initiative, is designed to immerse young people (college students) into “the doing” of entrepreneurship and innovation.
“It is a crowdsourcing battle of business ideas and plans,” explains PhilSTAR Media executive vice president Lucien Dy Tioco, the brains behind Nakakalocal. “The program aims to cultivate a ‘wealth building mindset’ of the students by inviting them to submit their business ideas to us.”
Investar college battle
For its initial offering, Nakakalocal holds “InveSTAR College Battle,” a university competition where students battle it out for the best and most innovative business ideas related to motorcycles.
Nakakalocal partners with Trimotors Technology Corporation, which provides the canvas — the Bajaj Three-wheeler — for students.
As we all know, motorcycle is one of the most efficient means of transportation. Not only is it easy to use, motorbikes are also fuel efficient. Other perks of using motorcycles are that they are cheaper to repair and maintain than a car, truck, or van; have more flexibility in traffic, and the fact that you can even start your own business to make the most of your motorcycle ownership. The possibilities are endless for those who want to start a business related to motorcycles.
We’re one with the PhilSTAR Media Group in empowering every student to dream and aspire. We encourage them to fulfill and actualize these dreams through delivering a powerful solution to every business idea.
“We’re one with the PhilSTAR Media Group in empowering every student to dream and aspire,” enthuses Maria Cristina Taller, marketing communication supervisor, Trimotors Technology Corporation. “We encourage them to fulfill and actualize these dreams through delivering a powerful solution to every business idea they have with Bajaj Three-Wheeler.”
She said it would also enable each student to be a “madiskarteng entrepreneur” as it is having a long-term goal, as well as adaptability to catch up with the trend or be the trend itself.
With InveSTAR, Taller noted that student’s application of business concepts, theories and principles will be tested.
“We believe that more than the plan, the best real-life experience is found in the execution and actualization of the Bajaj business solutions unit they will create,” she said.
Trimotors believes that it entails diskarte to be a resilient entrepreneur through these changing times.
“Proper mentorship, linkage opportunities, and a tool like Bajaj Three-wheeler are a few of the things to consider in taking care of our SMEs,” adds Taller.
Bajaj: The World’s No.1 Three-wheeler
Initiating the change in the landscape of last-mile transportation in the country, Trimotors partnered with Bajaj Auto Limited, the largest distributor of three-wheelers worldwide, to provide the ultimate solution for a road-worthy mode of transportation in the country.
Dubbed as “The World’s No.1 Three-wheeler”, Bajaj Three-Wheeler is fast becoming the last-mile land transportation partner of Filipinos in many cities and neighborhoods nationwide.
Trimotors saw the opportunity “to better the means of sakay, byahe, and diskarte of the mass Filipino” as Bajaj Three-wheelers can be “the key to your diskarte is our initial step to strengthen SME trade amid the global health crisis.”
“Trimotors initiated the provision of transport and business solutions to entrepreneurs. We believe that entrepreneurial diskarte is achievable as long as they have the proper tool,” Taller noted.
While it is true that the pandemic has changed the way we do business, “it also made us reevaluate our methods and tools.”
Bajaj Three-wheelers are available nationwide to over 1,000+ branches with strong aftercare service through 900+ parts and service networks all over the country.
“Having a reliable tool in business through Bajaj Three-wheelers with nationwide accessibility to our customers is one of our means to connect to SMEs, and also, through Nakakalocal’s InveSTAR,” Taller said.
Entries will be judged by a distinguished panel led by PhilSTAR Media Group EVP Lucien Dy Tioco, GoNegosyo executive director Thermina Akram, and Trimotors executive vice president and chief operating officer Raul Jay Manglapus III, based on the following criteria:
25% originality and creativity
25% application of the Nakakalocal theme
20% audience engagement
15% feasibility of the plan
15% business impact and value to the community
The first InveSTAR can be you!
For those interested to join “InveSTAR College Battle,” here are the mechanics:
- Participants must be a student or a group of student not exceeding three members
- Must be enrolled in the current school year
- The business plan and model they will submit should be a representation of Filipino culture and identity
- They should submit a business plan and model using an agreed Trimotors products
