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STT GDC signs 10-year RE deal with MPower

STTELEMEDIAGDC.COM

DATA CENTER operator ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) Philippines has entered into a 10-year renewable energy (RE) supply agreement with MPower, the electricity supply arm of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), to power its two data center facilities.

“By securing long-term renewable energy, we are ensuring that the mission-critical platforms our customers depend on every day are powered by sustainable sources, keeping carbon neutrality at the core of our operations,” STT GDC Philippines President and Chief Executive Officer Carlomagno E. Malana said in a statement on Sunday.

The company said it secured a 40.5-megawatt (MW) renewable energy supply for its STT Fairview and STT Cavite data center facilities.

STT GDC is a joint venture among Globe Telecom, Inc., Ayala Corp., and ST Telemedia Global Data Centres. It operates seven data centers in the Philippines with a combined IT load of 150 MW.

The company said the partnership would support the country’s digital infrastructure by helping meet demand for cloud services, artificial intelligence (AI), and online platforms. It added that securing a green energy supply would help sustain digital infrastructure expansion.

“AI and digital services are evolving at an unprecedented pace, and the infrastructure supporting them must scale responsibly,” Mr. Malana said.

STT GDC Philippines is expanding its footprint to meet growing digital demand, the company said. Its STT Fairview 1 facility began operations in 2025, while STT GDC Cavite 2 is undergoing testing and commissioning.

STT GDC aims to achieve carbon-neutral operations by 2030. In 2024, it expanded its renewable energy use to 78.5%, based on information from its website.

Earlier this year, Globe said it expects growth in its data center business after Singapore-based STT GDC secured new backing from global investment firms KKR and Singtel.

MPower holds more than a 35% share of the competitive retail electricity market within Meralco’s franchise area. It serves contestable customers, including large corporations.

Meralco’s controlling stakeholder, Beacon Electric Asset Holdings, Inc., is partly owned by PLDT Inc. Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has an interest in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

Kering CEO pledges to double profit margins and revive Gucci brand

FLORENCE, Italy — Kering Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Luca de Meo pledged to more than double the luxury group’s operating profit margin and boost the appeal of its flagship brand Gucci as he sought to reassure investors unnerved by economic uncertainty and war in the Middle East.

In a more than three-hour presentation to investors and analysts in Gucci’s birthplace Florence, the former Renault boss said he would more than double Kering’s profit margins, shrink and improve the company’s store network, and expand its jewelry sector.

Kering shares were down on the Paris stock market following the presentation, trading around 2.5% lower at 1020 GMT.

Gucci, which accounted for around 60% of Kering’s profit last year, was Kering’s cash machine until 2023 when a shift in tastes sapped its performance and that of the entire group.

“Our business has become structurally unbalanced,” Mr. De Meo said, adding that the group, and Gucci in particular, had relied too heavily on volatile fashion cycles. 

As Mr. De Meo spoke, Kering’s controlling shareholder and chair Francois-Henri Pinault watched from the front row of the audience. Mr. Pinault stepped down amid flagging sales and high debt last year to make way for Mr. De Meo.

KERING’S RETURNS HAVE LAGGED THE WIDER LUXURY SECTOR
Kering shares have risen by more than 40% since Mr. De Meo’s appointment was announced last June. They are down 28% since an October high, largely in line with the wider luxury industry.

Operating returns, however, still lag. Doubling them from 11% last year would bring the company more in line with industry peers.

In slides detailing the strategic plan, Kering also said it would cut inventory — a drag on its profit and loss — by €1 billion ($1.18 billion) within 12 months.

“The release remains light on near-term quantified guidance, with no explicit revenue or margin targets for full year 2026 or 2027,” JPMorgan analyst Chiara Battistini wrote in a note after Kering outlined the revamp plan in a press release.

UNMISTAKABLE GUCCI AND CLIENT-OBSESSION
Gucci, which Mr. De Meo ranked alongside Ferrari and chocolate spread Nutella as one of Italy’s icons, is being revamped under designer Demna, who took over last year after the styles of predecessor Sabato de Sarno failed to gain traction.

Mr. De Meo said he aimed to make Gucci’s styles unmistakable again while transforming the brand into a “fully client-obsessed organization” with fewer stores but a better understanding of its clients across regions.

He said he would more than double the share of high-margin leather goods in the revenue mix — or €1 billion of additional sales — by 2030.

The tense geopolitical context is likely to complicate Mr. De Meo’s mission.

Kering, as well as its rivals LVMH and Hermès, said last week that the escalation of the Middle Eastern conflict that started with US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran at the end of February cut luxury sales in the Gulf region.

It has also impacted their business indirectly through reduced travel activity.

“A turnaround story is easier to execute when the macro environment is booming,” said Soliane Varlet, equity portfolio manager at Mirova.

She added that inflation hit middle-class shoppers more than the ultra-rich, which could complicate things for Kering, whose brands mostly target aspirational shoppers.

AIMS TO INCREASE THE SHARE OF JEWELRY AND EYEWEAR
To try to make Kering resilient, Mr. De Meo is seeking to increase jewelry and eyewear sales, which so far only account for a small fraction of overall returns.

Kering’s eyewear division, which also produces glasses for Richemont brands including Cartier, will make luxury smart glasses together with tech giant Google, Mr. De Meo said, confirming a previously announced ambition.

As for acquisitions, the French conglomerate said it would take a “highly selective” approach, with a view to securing product quality and supply chains. The company, in a separate statement, said it would acquire a minority stake in fast-growing Chinese fashion brand Icicle. — Reuters

Family SUV, small sedan unveiled by Changan

The Changan Eado Plus is an affordable subcompact sedan. — PHOTO BY KAP MACEDA AGUILA

IN CONCERT with the launch of its brand campaign “Drive Smart, Drive Changan,” Changan’s local distributor Inchcape Philippines introduced several models at MIAS.

The all-new Changan CS35 Max is positioned as “an ideal vehicle for the on-the-go professionals who are looking to upgrade into a feature-packed and value-for-money vehicle.” Compared to its predecessor, the new model is bigger and bears a longer wheelbase (by 115mm). LED headlights with automatic on and off, LED daytime running lights, and a follow-me-home function are just some of the new features. It rides on 18-inch alloy wheels, standard on both Lite and Luxe variants, along with electric-adjust and heated side mirrors with integrated turn signals. The interior promises space, “better ergonomics,” and the use of “high-quality materials.” Powering the all-new CS35 Max is a 1.5-liter turbocharged Bluecore gas engine, mated with a seven-speed wet type dual clutch transmission. Output is 180hp and 300Nm. The Changan CS35 Max 1.5L Lite DCT is priced at P1.109 million, while the Changan CS35 Max 1.5L Luxe DCT costs P1.199 million.

Meanwhile, the Changan Eado, hailed as the “No. 1 Gasoline Sedan Brand” in China by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), has been introduced as well. The all-new Changan Eado Plus subcompact sedan is said to feature a “stylish and sophisticated design, spacious and comfortable cabin, and intelligent driving technology,” making it a “feature-packed, value-for-money” option. Available in two variants, the model is priced at P799,999 (Luxe) and P750,000 (Lite). Until April 30, they are sold with introductory pricing of P749,000 (Luxe) and P699,000 (Lite).

Previewed was the Changan CS55, set for launch in the second half of the year. The model features “several exterior, interior, and performance upgrades,” and it is slated to become the brand’s primary plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) here.

Asian Hackathon for Green Future 2026 launches with $24,000 total prize pool

The Asian Hackathon for Green Future officially opened for registration, marking the start of the competition dedicated to developing technology-driven solutions for a sustainable future, with a total prize pool of $24,000, open to undergraduate and master’s students from universities across Asia.

Held in Vietnam, the competition aims to identify and develop technology-driven solutions to pressing environmental challenges, while fostering innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration among the younger generation.

Participants will advance through three main stages: Registration & Preliminary (April 6-May 17); Online Training Phase (June 2-June 28); and Final Round & Hackathon at VinUniversity (July 2-July 5, tentative).

The competition encourages interdisciplinary ideas that integrate multiple fields — including technology, environmental sciences, economics, and social sciences — with the aim of creating solutions that are innovative, feasible, and socially impactful.

Proposed ideas should address one of three key challenge areas: renewable energy and low-carbon mobility; urban air quality and climate resilience; water resources and climate-resilient agriculture.

During the Online Training Round, the Top 30 teams will participate in a series of intensive training sessions and expert consultations with multidisciplinary specialists. These sessions are designed to equip teams with deeper domain knowledge and up-to-date insights on sustainability trends and relevant technologies, enabling them to further refine and expand their proposed solutions.

During the Final Round and Award Ceremony, all travel and accommodation expenses for the Top 30 teams will be fully covered. The teams will take part in a 24-hour hackathon at VinUniversity in Hanoi, where they will further develop and refine their technology-driven solutions before presenting them to the Judging Panel. Based on this evaluation, the top nine teams will be selected to advance to the final assessment round, from which the winning team will be determined.

The total prize pool comprises of one first prize of $8,000; one second prize of $5,000; two third prizes of $3,000 each; and five consolation prizes of $1,000 each. Beyond the awards, participating teams will gain valuable opportunities to engage with leading experts from across the region, expand their professional networks, and strengthen their access to the broader innovation ecosystem.

Dr. Le Thai Ha, managing director of the “For Green Future” Foundation and head of the organizing committee, shared: “We believe that ideas with the power to shape the future do not always emerge from large laboratories or well-established institutions; they often arise from the insight, initiative, and determination of young people to make a difference. Through the Asian Hackathon for Green Future, we seek to create a platform where students across the region can transform their environmental awareness into tangible, innovative solutions that deliver meaningful impact for communities and the future.”

The Asian Hackathon for Green Future is expected to foster innovation aligned with sustainable development, while contributing to the development of a new generation of young talents capable of cross-border collaboration to create solutions with lasting, positive impact across the region.

 

SparkUp is BusinessWorld’s multimedia brand created to inform, inspire, and empower the Philippine startups; micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); and future business leaders. This section will be published every other Monday. For pitches and releases about startups, e-mail to bmbeltran@bworldonline.com (cc: abconoza@bworldonline.com). Materials sent become BW property.

Style (04/20/26)

Puma merges motorsport heritage, balletcore

PUMA refines casual sophistication with the PUMA Speedcat Ballet Venus, a reinterpretation of the iconic Speedcat Ballet that blends racing heritage with the ballet aesthetic. Stripping back the bulky layers of traditional streetwear, the Speedcat Ballet Venus embraces a sleek, refined look. The elevated everyday slip-on is accentuated by a uniquely contoured Puma Formstrip that sweeps along the sidewall, visually elongating the foot. Featuring a secure elastic band closure, a classic rounded toe, and a grounded flat heel, the design is built for all-day comfort. The sneaker is equipped with a breathable 100% textile upper and a durable rubber outsole. It comes in two colorways — the Jasmine Flower-Warm White, which is a creamy, floral-toned neutral; and the Gray Sky-Vibrant Silver colorway which leans heavily into the shoe’s motorsport DNA, with sleek metallic silver accents that cut sharply through a muted gray base. The Speedcat Ballet Venus is officially available nationwide for P5,500 online at PUMA.com and in select Puma flagship stores across the country.

SSI does summer

RUNNING until May 15 is the SSI group’s Spring/Summer campaign, “Sun-Ripe Dreams,” which is inspired by summers and vintage postcards of the 1960s. Complementing the campaign is a roster of promotions across SSI’s portfolio of global brands. Gap offers 40% off regular-priced styles on May 1 to 3 via Gap.com.ph. On May 1 at Gap SM Mall of Asia, customers can also enjoy a “Customization Experience,” creating their own hand-written embroidery design. Meanwhile, Pazzion rolls out a series of offers across in-store and online channels via Rustans.com, Zalora, and Shopee: 15% off select items (April 30 to May 3), buy one item at 15% off or two or more items at 25% off (May 5 to 11), and 10% off bags and 15% off footwear (May 14 to 17). Marc Jacobs is offering an additional 10% off on sale items in-store until May 15. Calvin Klein offers a gift-with-purchase throughout April, where a P12,000 spend on regular items comes with a color-changing bottle, and up to 30% off regular items from April 16 to 22 via Rustans.com. Ongoing until April 30, DKNY is offering a special gift for a minimum P10,000 spend on regular items, available at its stores in SM Mall of Asia, TriNoma, 158DB Alabang Town Center, Rustan’s Shangri-La, and 158DB Central Square. Lacoste offers 15% off with a minimum P10,000 spend on select styles, from April 30 to May 3 in-store and at lacoste.com.ph, plus footwear offers from April 20 to 29 with 10% off on one regular-priced item and 20% off on two or more. Charriol features up to 30% off select items on April 20 to 27 on Zalora, and May 1 to 3 in-store. Tod’s offers 10% off regular-priced items in-store from May 8 to 10. For Mother’s Day on May 10, a gelato cart in collaboration with Venchi will be available in front of Tod’s Greenbelt 4 from 2 p.m. onwards while supplies last, with a simple on-site registration required to redeem. Extending the shopping experience further, SSI invites shoppers to take advantage of more perks via the My SSI Life app, that brings together app-exclusive offers, e-vouchers, points earned from purchases, and early access to select promotions. Users can download the app via the App Store or Google Play, head to the Vouchers tab, and redeem offers as they shop in participating stores. For Summer 2026, Regular and Elite members can enjoy a range of app-exclusive perks that are ongoing until Sept. 30. These offers are part of over 200 deals available on the app across participating SSI brands. Among these are 15% off on select regular-priced items with a minimum P3,000 spend at Beauty Bar, 10% off on regular-priced items at BOSS, and 10% off at Charriol (excluding fragrance, eyewear, and spare parts), alongside a 10x points multiplier on regular-priced rings with an in-app e-voucher. Members can also enjoy 30% off on two or more regular-priced items at Gap, a complimentary drawstring bag from JD Sports with a minimum P5,000 spend, 15% off at Polo Ralph Lauren with a P30,000 minimum spend, and 10% off at Samsonite with a P25,000 minimum spend.

New endorser of Marithé + François Girbaud Philippines

SOUTH KOREAN actor Kim Ji Soo has officially been unveiled as the newest face of Marithé + François Girbaud Philippines, with the announcement made through the brand’s official social media pages on April 16. The partnership marks another milestone for the actor as he continues to expand his presence in the Philippine fashion and entertainment scene. Kim Ji Soo is also currently appearing in the GMA action-drama series Never Say Die.

FASHIONPhilippines Milan 2026 opens applications

FASHIONPhilippines Milan returns for it second run in 2026 — opening applications to a new batch of Filipino fashion designers and brands ready to take their business to the global stage. Led by Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) and Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Textile Research Institute (DoST-PTRI), Philippine Consulate General in Milan, together with the Philippine Fashion Coalition (PFC) and LIT Fashion Consultancy, the 2026 edition returns with an expanded exhibition scale, stronger European market presence, enhanced mentorship and business development support, a sharper strategic focus on export-readiness and brand positioning, and sustained international visibility for participating brands. Selected applicants will join returning brands from the 2025 cohort will work with a Europe-based jury panel of fashion and business industry experts, who will also serve as mentors throughout the program. Beginning on Sept. 21 with mentoring sessions, the program will culminate in a three-day curated exhibition from Sept. 22 to 24 in Milan, held alongside the September edition of Milan Fashion Week. Interested applicants must have a distinct Filipino-owned, registered business; be willing to integrate Filipino textiles into their collection; be a Regular Individual Member of the Philippine Fashion Coalition; must have released at least two collections within the last two years; must present 15-20 export-quality, Philippine-made designs; and must pay a participation fee of $500 upon acceptance. Applicants must submit the following requirements: brand profile; line sheets for two past collections (including dollar price points), catalog or lookbook for the last two collections; photos of hang tags, logo, care instructions, and packaging; scanned copy of current passport; BIR Registration; links to website, social media, DTC platforms, collaborations, and press releases from the last two years; and completed Brand and Business Assessment Form. Apply through: https://fameplus.com/trade_fairs/fashionphilippines-in-milan-2026. Applications for the FASHIONPhilippines Milan 2026 are open until April 26.

Solar firm proposes 250-MW project in Bataan

STOCK PHOTO | Image by Oleksandr Ryzhkov from Freepik

SOLAR ORIGIN 1 Corp., a local affiliate of Singapore-based renewable energy firm Enertrans Global Pte. Ltd., has proposed a 250-megawatt (MW) solar power project in Bataan and is conducting feasibility and scoping studies.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) said the company will hold a public scoping on April 20 to present the project and gather feedback from stakeholders.

“Enertrans Global seeks to participate in the country’s renewable energy expansion by developing utility-scale solar power facilities that support the national objective of increasing the share of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix, consistent with the Renewable Energy Act of 2008,” the company said in a notice issued by the DENR.

Project documents show the proposed facility will have a capacity of 250 megawatts of alternating current (MWac) and will be located on about 280 hectares in Bamban and Maite, Hermosa, Bataan.

The company said projected revenues will mainly come from electricity sales under a contracted tariff of P4.14 per kilowatt-hour.

If approved, construction is expected to take about 12 months, while commercial operations are projected to run for 25 years.

The project will be financed through a 70:30 debt-to-equity structure, covering engineering, procurement and construction costs, land acquisition, and development expenses.

The planned site will host solar photovoltaic arrays and related facilities needed for power generation and system operations.

The company said the project aims to help meet Luzon’s growing power demand and support efforts to diversify the country’s energy mix.

“It supports the country’s efforts to accommodate increasing demand while diversifying the energy mix and reducing dependence on conventional fuel sources,” it said, citing Luzon’s projected installed capacity requirement of 80,781 MW by 2050. — Ashley Erika O. Jose

T-bill, bond rates may be mixed as market awaits BSP decision

BW FILE PHOTO

YIELDS on Treasury bill (T-bills) and Treasury bonds (T-bonds) to be auctioned off this week could be mixed as players look ahead to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) policy decision, with some already expecting a rate hike as the global oil shock stokes domestic inflation concerns.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) will offer up to P36 billion in T-bills on Monday, or P9 billion to P12 billion each in 91-, 182-, and 364-day papers.

On Tuesday, the government is targeting to raise P20 billion to P30 billion from reissued 10-year T-bonds with a remaining life of seven years and three months.

T-bill and T-bond rates could mirror the mixed week-on-week movements in secondary market yields as traders priced in developments in the Middle East conflict and their resulting effect on global oil prices, and their bets for the BSP’s policy decision on Thursday (April 23), Rizal Commercial banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said in a Viber message.

Demand for the T-bonds on offer could be weak, with the papers likely to fetch rates ranging from 6.6% to 6.7% and providing “good opportunities for investment books,” a trader said in an e-mail.

The trader added that the market now expects the BSP to raise rates this week, which would mean some bullish bets if it ends up adopting a wait-and-see stance instead.

At the secondary market on Friday, yields on shorter tenors went down while those on longer debt rose, reflecting cautious sentiment over the Iran war and its impact on the Philippine economy.

Rates of the 91-, 182-, and 364-day T-bills went down by 14.16 basis points (bps), 20.61 bps, and 6.22 bps week on week to end at 4.6183%, 4.708%, and 5.0969%, respectively, based on PHP Bloomberg Valuation Service Reference Rates data as of April 17 published on the Philippine Dealing System’s website.

Meanwhile, the yield on the 10-year bond went up by 6.24 bps week on week to 6.6604%, while the seven-year debt, the tenor closest to the remaining life of the papers to be sold on Tuesday, saw its rate drop by 3.54 bps to 6.5568%.

A BusinessWorld poll showed that 11 out of 19 analysts expect the Monetary Board to hike its target reverse repurchase rate by 25 bps to 4.5% this week, which would mark the first increase since October 2023.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. told BusinessWorld on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank’s 2026 Spring Meetings last week that the central bank has room to tighten to quell rising inflation amid the Middle East conflict as they expect government spending to support growth.

He said second-round effects may emerge sooner than expected as the oil shock is expected to spill over into domestic food and transport costs. In March, elevated oil prices due to the war drove inflation to a near two-year high of 4.1%, faster than the BSP’s 3.1%-3.9% forecast and 2%-4% target for the year.

Last week, the Treasury raised P32.06 billion via the T-bills it auctioned off, above its P30-billion program as total tenders reached P99.425 billion or more than thrice the amount on offer. Yields went down across all tenors, even as awards were mixed.

Meanwhile, the reissued 10-year bonds on offer on Tuesday were last sold on March 10, where the government raised only P9.451 billion, below the P20-billion to P30-billion plan. The issue fetched an average rate of 6.473%, above the 6.625% coupon rate.

The Treasury wants to borrow up to P248 billion from the domestic market this month, or P140 billion via T-bills and P108 billion through T-bonds.

The government borrows from local and foreign sources to help fund its budget deficit, which is capped at P1.61 trillion or 5.3% of gross domestic product this year. — Aaron Michael C. Sy

Deepal serves up trio of electrics

Previewed was the Deepal S07 (left), alongside the Deepal G318 (now available for P2.6 million). — PHOTO BY KAP MACEDA AGUILA

NEW MARKET ENTRANT Deepal introduced its Range-Extended Electric Vehicle (REEV) technology, designed specifically for real-world Philippine driving conditions. REEV is said “to deliver the benefits of electric mobility while addressing range anxiety and infrastructure limitations, positioning it as a practical and forward-looking solution for Filipino motorists.”

Deepal introduced a battery electric vehicle version of the S05 (P1.588 million) and an REEV variant priced at P1.688 million. Also introduced was the G318 REEV (P2.6 million).

Previewed was the upcoming S07, which is seen to reinforce Deepal’s “long-term product roadmap and commitment to expanding its EV portfolio in the Philippines.” Autohub Group President and newly appointed Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines (EVAP) President Willy Tee Ten said, “With high fuel prices, the right time to shift to electric vehicles is now.” Autohub Group was recently confirmed as the exclusive distributor of Deepal in the Philippines.

900 more distribution sites planned for P20 rice program

PNA PHOTO BY CESAR ABAD JR.

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it will expand the government’s P20-per-kilo subsidized rice program by opening about 900 additional selling sites, following a funding and supply agreement between state-owned Food Terminal, Inc. (FTI) and the National Food Authority (NFA).

In a statement on Sunday, the DA said the new outlets will be established in priority and high-need areas, including Capiz, Bukidnon, Cebu, Cotabato, and Catanduanes.

According to the DA, the FTI-NFA agreement also covers procurement of around 1.8 million 50-kilogram sacks of well-milled rice, supported by a P3-billion allocation under the government’s P10-billion “Rice for All” program.

The DA said part of the funding will also be used to expand palay (unmilled rice) procurement to support farmers.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said the expansion is intended to improve access to affordable rice as transport costs continue to affect retail prices.

“We have sufficient food supply, but elevated fuel and logistics costs are pushing market prices to levels that further pressure the budgets of many Filipinos,” he said.

As of the first quarter of 2026, the program had 932 outlets, including KADIWA stores, NFA warehouses, local government units, National Government agencies, and FTI-accredited sellers, the DA said.

It added that the program had served 6.45 million beneficiaries as of April 7. Eligible beneficiaries include senior citizens, 4Ps households, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and selected farmers and fisherfolk.

The DA said the program’s expansion also includes longer operating hours to improve beneficiaries’ access to subsidized rice. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel

James Dyson Award 2026 accepting entries for design and engineering

The James Dyson Award is now open for 2026 entries, inviting the next generation of Filipino innovators to submit inventions tackling real-world challenges. The global design and engineering competition is open to all eligible university students and recent graduates.

Short-listed entries will be reviewed by national judging panels of design and engineering experts, including Dyson engineers. National winners will receive P398,280 and a chance to progress to the international stage. Sir James Dyson will select global winners to receive P2,390,230 and a platform to take their inventions to the next level.

The Award gives winners media exposure, international recognition, and the momentum for these young inventors to accelerate their ideas to commercialization.

“I established the James Dyson Award to encourage young ‘doers’ in life who are focused on solving the problems they see in the world, not grandstanding about them. It has been inspiring to see so many brilliant ideas from young design engineers, many of whom have gone on to build businesses and take their problem-solving ideas to people and markets all over the world. I look forward to judging this year’s submissions,” Sir James Dyson, founder of Dyson, said.

In 2025, the James Dyson Award marked its 20th year and received more than 2,100 inventions from young engineers worldwide, spanning solutions from health screening and household waste to disaster relief.

Over the years, the award has recognized Filipino national winners who have developed solutions that create meaningful change to the lives of many Filipinos in communities and classrooms.

In 2023, Make-Roscope addressed a common barrier in Filipino classrooms: the lack of accessible science equipment for hands-on learning. Invented by Jeremy De Leon, the device turns a smartphone or tablet into a powerful microscope, giving students a simple, intuitive way to explore the microscopic world.

SolAsin, the Philippines’ 2025 National Winner, was developed by John Carlo Reyes, a graduate of the University of the Philippines Diliman, to address the unpredictable and labor-intensive process of producing salt. The salt farming unit uses sun-driven evaporation in a compact, controlled setup to help small‑scale salt farmers produce higher‑quality, more consistent flaky salt, improving efficiency and livelihoods in coastal areas.

Entries can now be submitted via the James Dyson Award website, with the deadline set for midnight on July 15. University students and recent graduates of design and engineering subjects are eligible to apply. Entries must tackle a clear global problem, demonstrate a thoughtful design process, and showcase originality and technical feasibility.

 

SparkUp is BusinessWorld’s multimedia brand created to inform, inspire, and empower the Philippine startups; micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs); and future business leaders. This section will be published every other Monday. For pitches and releases about startups, e-mail to bmbeltran@bworldonline.com (cc: abconoza@bworldonline.com). Materials sent become BW property.

Film of Indian epic Ramayana aims for global audience

Ramayana (2026)
Ramayana (2026)

LAS VEGAS — The filmmakers behind big-budget Hindu epic Ramayana are aiming to bring a classic Hindu story to global audiences this year.

Ramayana tells a 5,000-year-old story about Prince Rama, an incarnation of the Hindu deity Vishnu, played by Ranbir Kapoor, who is exiled to the forests for 14 years along with his wife and brother. When his wife is kidnapped, the story brings Rama into conflict with Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, played by Indian actor Yash.

“I have tried to internalize… the whole essence of Ravana and tried to make him as human as possible at times,” Yash said in an interview this week. “It’s important for people to relate to him, especially (since) we have global ambitions, so we need to make it familiar to a Western audience as well.”

The team behind the films, which have a combined budget of up to $500 million, appeared at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas, where Ramayana posters were displayed alongside promotions for Hollywood’s upcoming releases.

The first movie will be released in India and the United States on Nov. 8 to coincide with Diwali, the Hindu “festival of lights.” The second will come out in 2027.

Producer Namit Malhotra said the film would mix elements of fantasy and human drama from movies such as The Lord of the Rings and Gladiator.

“It will promise a very different experience unlike anything traditionally that, let’s say, Indian movies offer or even Hollywood for that matter,” Mr. Malhotra said. “It’s meant for the world and it’s got the best of the East and the best of the West coming together to make it happen.” — Reuters

DigiPlus joins global network to monitor betting risks

DIGIPLUS.COM.PH

DIGIPLUS INTERACTIVE CORP. has integrated its sportsbook brand ArenaPlus into a global monitoring network to strengthen oversight of betting activity, as operators face increasing regulatory and integrity risks.

The company said the move links ArenaPlus to Sportradar’s Integrity Exchange (SIE), a real-time intelligence network that allows betting operators to share alerts on suspicious betting patterns and help detect potential match-fixing and irregular activity.

The partnership, announced in March, enables the exchange of data across operators and supports early detection of betting-related risks.

“Joining the SIE network is a strategic move to further enhance the ArenaPlus platform,” ArenaPlus head Erick Su said in a statement over the weekend.

“By exchanging critical data with an established firm, we are ensuring a safer environment for our users and playing an integral role in protecting the integrity of the sports we support,” he added.

DigiPlus said the integration adds another layer of oversight to ArenaPlus operations and complements its existing monitoring systems.

Sportradar’s Integrity Exchange is used by betting operators globally to report suspicious activity in real time. The system combines operator data with artificial intelligence (AI)-driven fraud detection tools and expert analysis to support investigations.

“The SIE complements our wide range of integrity services, including the Universal Fraud Detection System AI (UFDS AI) and education programs to help enhance sports integrity globally. Partnering with ArenaPlus, which shares our commitment to transparency and integrity, is an important step in strengthening the region’s betting ecosystem,” Sportradar Executive Vice-President of Integrity Services Andreas Krannich said.

The integration reflects broader efforts by gaming operators to strengthen compliance systems and manage risks as online betting expands across markets. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno

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