Mayani, a five-year-old Filipino startup focused on uplifting the lives of farmers and fisherfolk through technology, has been chosen as one of the first five climate and nature impact innovators to participate in the Amplifier mentorship program. This program was announced at the Philanthropy Asia Summit 2024 and aims to support impact startups in scaling their positive environmental impact in Asia.
Mayani is joined by Circ from the United States, GRST from Hong Kong, MYCL and Sampangan from Indonesia in the first cohort of impact startups in the program. The startups will receive up to 250,000 Singaporean dollars (approximately P10.5 million) in funding, mentorship, and guidance from global and regional industry leaders. The program is supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth as an Impact Innovation Partner.
The startups were selected from 139 submissions from 35 countries, evaluated based on their mission and impact potential, business feasibility, and alignment with the program’s goals. The Amplifier program is managed by the Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (CIIP) and Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA) of the Temasek Trust ecosystem, with the support of over 30 industry partners.
The Amplifier program's 2024 theme is 'Climate and Nature', focusing on scaling solutions related to sustainable agriculture, circular business models, waste management, sustainable materials, and emissions reduction. The program will run for 12 months and takes a "whole-of-ecosystem" approach, bringing together experts, mentors, and resources from various sectors to support the growth of impact ventures.
"Asia is a hotbed of innovation, with a thriving startup culture across many markets. We’re seeing more startups seeking to address complex social and environmental issues, but they too struggle with the 'valley of death,' lacking access to expert guidance, advisors, and funding beyond the initial seed round", said CIIP CEO Dawn Chan.
Mayani Co-Founder and CEO JT Solis expressed the importance of Amplifier's support at this critical juncture in its journey. The company aims to tackle pressing issues in the agri-fisheries sector, such as extreme weather conditions, rural financial exclusion, and food insecurity.
"The sector is challenged in ways that we’ve never seen before", said Solis in a statement. "In our pursuit of multifaceted solutions that can drive financial returns and positive impact, we wanted to leverage Amplifier and the Temasek Trust ecosystem entities CIIP and PAA in charting that path ahead".
Mayani plans to expand its network of smallholder farmers and fisherfolk to one million across 12 regions, up from its current base of 144,000 smallholder farmers and fisherfolk in eight regions. This expansion involves activating supply chain operations, building market bases, and providing climate-positive agricultural inputs such as bio-fertilizers and rural credit for sustainable farming practices.
To achieve these goals, Mayani will work with mentors from ABC Impact, 500 Global, and Schneider Electric Energy Access Asia under the Amplifier program.
The Amplifier program aims to empower promising startups to achieve scalable and financially sustainable impact with the help of a wider ecosystem of partners. Lim Seok Hui, CEO of PAA, emphasized the value of the collaborative approach in the successful launch of the program.
"We are deeply grateful for the steadfast support from our extensive network of partners, which has been instrumental in the successful launch of the Amplifier", said Lim. "This collaborative approach not only enables mentees to scale their impactful solutions but also paves the way for transformative change, particularly in this critical era where urgent climate action is imperative".
The Amplifier program continues to welcome new partners as funders, mentors, and reference clients to pilot or trial companies' products and services, offering in-kind resources, services, and advice to support the growth and impact of the selected startups.