Photo from SM Supermalls website

SM Supermalls’ The SM StartUp Package hopes to provide and aspiring entrepreneurs the visibility they need both in-person and digital.

Launched last week, The SM StartUp Package is looking at over 88,000 new e-commerce registrations (as of the end of 2020) at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which also expect that the numbers will reach one million by 2022 (from 500,000 in 2020).

The COVID-19 pandemic cost many people their jobs and livelihood while some found their entrepreneurial spirit and started their own micro or small businesses.

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“We created The SM StartUp Package because we saw how Filipinos persevered in the past year,” said Steven Tan, president, SM Supermalls. “Very much true to the spirit of Henry Sy (The founder of SM. — Ed), who always said he worked harder during bad times, many MSMEs did not let the pandemic stop them from providing good service and products — even from their own homes. We want to give them a chance to further grow their businesses and brands, and enable them to start their own SM shops which they can one day grow into business empires, just like our founder once did.”

Economy

The package offers features such as start-up friendly rental rates and use of kiosks or carts free of charge; marketing assistance to give the brand free exposure in SM online assets and ad spaces inside malls; financial assistance with BDO; and mentorship from SM experts on operations and marketing.

The StartUp Markets, as they will be called, will be situated in prime mall locations within 13 regional and premier malls in major cities: SM North Edsa, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, SM Southmall, SM Pampanga, SM Clark, SM Grand Central, SM Sta. Rosa, SM City Cebu, SM Iloilo, SM Bacolod, SM CDO Downtown Premier, and SM Lanang Premier.

As inoculations are underway and the government is easing lockdown restrictions, people will soon go back to malls and buying from stores. The mall giant believes this is a good time for entrepreneurs to expand their home-based or online businesses.

The SM StartUp Package is available to the first 100 digital-based MSME owners who currently don’t have a shop inside SM or any other physical store in general.