Investa, a finalist in Microsoft’s 2020 Emerge X Startup Competition, developed a platform that will provide Filipinos access to low-cost investment opportunities and financial benefits.

In its initial deployment, Investa was a learning tool, giving users access to investment strategies, insights, and even a virtual trading platform to simulate the experience of buying and selling stocks without actual financial risks. The platform also provides updates on publicly listed companies and facilitates a community of traders where members can share news and insights.

“With the new Investa app, anyone can invest in the best-performing mutual funds in the country and even abroad, even with minimal funds. People can do so according to their risk profiles and financial goals. Whether they be conservative investors or high-risk-takers, they can choose the funds that suit their lifestyle,” said Airwyn Tin, co-founder and CTO of Investa.

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The company joined Microsoft’s regional Emerge X competition, which was held at the Philippine Startup week last year, and was chosen as a finalist. This kickstarted a year-long mentorship program with Microsoft for Startups designed to help them scale and accelerate their growth.

Cloud infrastructure

Microsoft also helped Investa set up its cloud infrastructure on Microsoft Azure, allowing the platform to handle more users and workloads without compromising speed or performance, even during peak usage. Investa also utilizes Azure DevOps and Azure Application Insights to help detect errors in advance, so the platform gets fixed immediately. To ensure data security, Investa harnessed a wide array of Microsoft Azure’s security options, which are configurable and can be customized based on their specific security requirements. Microsoft Azure’s offering for financial services is also designed to enhance risk management and counter fraud.

“Investa’s easy-to-use platform enables Filipinos to learn how to invest their money in a smart way,” said Abid Zaidi, chief marketing and operations officer at Microsoft Philippines. “Moreover, as more individual investors participate in the stock market, they help new and established enterprises raise capital to open new business opportunities, accelerating the country’s economic recovery. We will continuously support the growth of Investa so that more people can have these opportunities fully and inclusively,”

Today, according to Investa, it has over 1 million users and averaging 20 million views per month and has evolved into a full-fledged investment platform, catering to all Filipinos.