Here’s How Two Southeast Asian Innovators are Using Blockchain, IoT and AI to Accelerate the SDGs

By Lina M, Community Impact Stories, Impact Hub Kuala Lumpur

+SocialGood recently collaborated with ASEAN Impact Challenge to host the ASEAN+Social Good Forum, a gathering of innovators, investors and corporate leaders to capture conversations on how technology and businesses can be used as a force for good in Southeast Asia.

ASEAN Impact Challenge is a key programme in the region aimed at discovering innovators who are working towards accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals through cross-sector partnerships and scaling disruptive innovations.

Themed “Tech Forward: Innovations for a Digital Economy”, 2018’s ASEAN Impact Challenge has recently concluded and they have announced the winners of the challenge.

Here is a look at the winners.

Positive Energy, a blockchain-based renewable energy finance platform from Singapore, won the early stage category; and Warung Pintar, from Indonesia, a social venture that provides micro and small business owners access to digital tools powered by IoT and data analytics through “smart kiosks”, won the scale-stage category.

Improving renewable energy financing

Demand for renewable energy sources is on the rise. However, its future relies on access to finance. Currently, renewable energy project owners struggle to obtain funding because (1) they have to deal with non-specialised investors and (2) the financing process is long, complex and costly.

Recognising the challenges, Nicolas Payen and Vincent Bakker came together and created Positive Energy. The objective is to revolutionise the energy funding process to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy assets globally with a blockchain-based platform. They aim to make green investments fast, liquid and economically viable for all parties involved.

Upon winning the challenge, Nicolas Payen, CEO and Co-Founder of Positive Energy, expressed, “We are honoured to be recognised by ASEAN Impact Challenge. Being a for-profit company with a strong social agenda, it is important for us to find people who believe in our vision that we can do business while delivering value to society.”

Winning the ASEAN Impact Challenge is Positive Energy’s third success within weeks of winning two other regional events: the Schneider Bold Idea competition and the Startcon 2018 pitching contest.

Provide equal entrepreneurship opportunity to micro and small business owners

MSMEs have always been the backbone of Southeast Asia’s economy, accounting for over 90% of all business establishments in the region. However, most of them still do business the traditional way, making it harder for them to scale the business.

Warung Pintar is founded upon the mission to uplift the MSME community and encourage tech inclusion for the micro and small enterprises.

Warung Pintar essentially means “Smart Kiosk”. The company provides the MSMEs a tech-integrated kiosk, featuring a digital system, surveillance camera, an LCD TV, dispensers and stoves, a refrigerator, and a charging station.

“We joined the ASEAN Impact Challenge because we think it is the right platform to show the ASEAN community that this is a worthy cause, this is something that could be replicated throughout the entire ASEAN region. We are extremely happy and delighted to win the Challenge. It will surely serve as a catalyst in our mission to eradicating poverty and reducing inequality,” said Riefhano Patonangi, Socio-economic Research Analyst at Warung Pintar.

Warung Pintar recently closed a US$4 million funding round from Vertex Ventures, Pavilion Capital and Line Ventures. In less than one year, Warung Pintar has digitised 1,000 kiosks across the Greater Jakarta area.

Creating impact together

Both winning teams of the ASEAN Impact Challenge 2018 will receive continuous mentorship support from Impact Hub Kuala Lumpur, which has an established global network of impact-driven intermediaries, investors and corporate leaders. Leveraging the organisation’s deep expertise in developing social enterprises in the region, Impact Hub Kuala Lumpur will complement Warung Pintar and Positive Energy’s existing partners by helping them strengthen their social and sustainability footprint.

“Technology innovators have the biggest potential to create social impact at scale, and Southeast Asia is home to many talents yet to be discovered and nurtured. Together, we can create impact on the lives of those living in the region, leaving no one behind and accelerating the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” said Shariha Khalid Erichsen, Board Member of Impact Hub KL

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