Socialgiver, a Thailand-based, charity-focused business services marketplace won the grand prize at the second Singtel Group – Samsung Regional Mobile App Challenge on Tuesday.
The challenge, jointly organised by telecommunications group Singtel and consumer electronics manufacturer Samsung, attracted more than 700 submissions from startups from across Asia, Australia and Africa.
The second challenge was launched in May 2015 with regional competitions selecting two finalists each which progressed a two-day mentorship program in October before pitching earlier this week in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Socialgiver operates an online platform where customers can purchase products and services at a discounted rate, with part of the cash donated to a charity, in turn enabling participating businesses to claim a tax rebate.
Otto, an Australia-based developer of an app that lets drivers manage calls and texts through voice-control, won the Samsung Innovation Award for showing the best level of integration with Samsung’s products.
Both Socialgiver and Otto will receive help from Singtel to market their apps to the firm’s 500 million customers, while Samsung will advertise the companies’ offerings on its platforms.
Mark Chong, chief executive of Singtel’s international business, said: “The Singtel Group – Samsung Regional Mobile App Challenge is a platform to encourage talented app developers to grow their companies and bring their innovations to market more quickly.
“At the same time, we seek to help our customers gain access to a larger variety of apps – whether it is to automate their homes or manage their lifestyles.”