HACK THE ALGORITHM, START CONVERSATIONS
QBO takes “hacking the algorithm” both literally and figuratively.
At the beginning of the year, they launched their hero videos—a series of ads that empowers Filipino women in tech to go beyond their interests, cultivate big ideas, and turn them into business opportunities through programs like Startup Pinay. The videos utilized contextual advertising, an automated process where a promotional message is matched to relevant digital content. In this case, QBO through Startup Pinay took stereotypical women’s interests and flipped them into business ideas and startup opportunities. The campaign in partnership with Investing In Women, launched on Facebook and YouTube, has collectively garnered nearly 10 million impressions and engagements.
Figuratively, it’s about hacking the old ways and carving a new path for Filipino women, the tech industry, and future generations through Startup Pinay and its vast array of programs and campaigns.
For Filipino women, it is crucial to build a safe space wherein they are encouraged and enabled to reach their full potential as important players in the country’s journey to digitalization. QBO and Startup Pinay foster this through their Startup Pinay BOOTQAMP, a four-week program that empowers women through tech by validating business ideas and gaining early traction for these female-led startups, as well as providing a series of learning and mentorship sessions focused on validating and launching a scalable business venture.
The call within the Philippine tech industry is to work together to build and develop it into the ecosystem Filipinos deserve—the call for diversity and inclusivity in the tech industry does not stop in the gender of the people in it, but continues in the ideas put out there and the needs addressed. QBO further supports the industry and fosters growth within the ecosystem through INQBATION and AQELERATION, a series of incubation and accelerator programs in partnership with organizations such as Microsoft and DTI. The programs aim to provide early- and growth-stage incubates with multiple learning sessions led by esteemed and seasoned mentors.
These efforts and goals extend beyond today—it is important to put in the work for future generations where there are no gaps, no divide but a rally for a change in mindset where everyone is on equal and equitable footing. To achieve this, QBO invests in the youth through intercollegiate competitions such as QOMPETE, or training and education sessions targeted towards students interested in startups.
