Accenture and Microsoft Asia support 33 businesses in APAC with Project Amplify

Accenture and Microsoft Asia have launched a platform to support 33 startups and social enterprises across the Asia Pacific region.

The joint initiative, called Project Amplify, extends activities launched in South Asia in 2020 to support entrepreneurs from Singapore, Australia, Japan, Sri Lanka, and more.

The initiative has a long-term goal of accelerating the region's potential and improving lives by addressing diverse societal challenges.

The investment focuses specifically on social impact and sustainability, by helping APAC businesses scale emerging solutions and business models.

Through Project Amplify, all 33 startups will have access to technology, as well as know-how, expertise and mentoring from both Accenture and Microsoft.

The companies state they will help startups test and validate proof-of-concepts to re-envision and expand the impact and social benefit of their solutions.

Accenture states it will focus on helping startups apply technologies to address critical challenges facing environment and society and to advance organisations' sustainability agendas.

Microsoft's involvement in Project Amplify is part of its Global Social Entrepreneurship programme designed to help social enterprises build and scale their companies to do good globally.

The Global Social Entrepreneurship programme offers qualified startups access to technology, education, customers and grants.

The 33 startups selected for the program have demonstrated how their product, service, and operations address a significant social or environmental problem and have shown early signs of impact, the companies state.

Accenture managing director and technology sustainability innovation lead Sanjay Podder says, "Social enterprises face many challenges, including access to technology and innovation expertise to scale their solutions.

"By leveraging the technology experience and networks of both Accenture and Microsoft, we can help bridge this gap.

"As these social enterprises expand their reach, we hope to see significant improvement in the status of vulnerable groups in our communities that need support in sustainability, healthcare, education and agriculture."

Microsoft Asia president Ahmed Mazhari says, "At Microsoft, we empower organisations and individuals to achieve more, through co-innovations and trusted partnerships.

"We're committed to addressing some of Asia's most pressing challenges, including expanding access to healthcare, education and finance.

"Many of the social enterprises in Project Amplify are focused on solving these issues, and were honoured to support them with the technology, expertise and ecosystem they need to scale and make meaningful change.

"I am confident that equipped with the right tools and support from Microsoft, these startups can grow and accelerate Asias future as an engine for global innovation, while driving societal progress.

:Collaborating with Accenture will help turn lifelong passions of mission-driven enterprises into reality and deliver greater positive change for millions of people in Asia Pacific."

Startups participating in Project Amplify include India's Docturnal, a provider of affordable healthcare through non-invasive point of care screening to proactively detect disease.

Another example is TapEffect, a social enterprise that is making clean tap water accessible and affordable for households in under-served towns and rural areas of Cambodia.

In Singapore, DIBIZ is focused on empowering manufacturers, traders, plantations, and farmers to adhere to sustainable practices through collaboration.