Small Enterprise Acceleration Lab (SEAL)
Project Series

Take the SEAL challenge: BE READY TO ACCELERATE!

BPI Foundation, in partnership with Bayan Academy, launches the third year of the Small Enterprise Acceleration Lab (SEAL) project series. SEAL seeks to assist and develop interventions for micro-enterprises, nano enterprises, and those who aspire to start their entrepreneurial journey. The programs of SEAL are intended to boost the capabilities of Filipino start-up entrepreneurs to meet current challenges and accelerate by providing programs for developing and strengthening their entrepreneurship skills and knowledge, cash grants, and other potential linkages.

BPI SEAL-SEGA 2024

Last 2023, a total of 190 entrepreneurs joined the BPI SEAL SEGA Creation for Microenterprises and Nano Enterprises wherein the project assisted startup entrepreneurs, both formal and informal, in learning the various entrepreneurial activities.  Each boot camp was designed to assist these entrepreneurs in sustaining and accelerating their start-up enterprises. All project activities would guide the startup businesses in crafting winning strategies that may be used as a map to chart future directions and as a tool to attract potential partners or funding for the enterprise. 

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Once again, BPI Foundation (BPIF) partnered with Bayan academy to continue this project dedicated to these startup enterprises wherein they will be given opportunities to develop and scale up their businesses. BPIF and Bayan Academy envision that through the Small Enterprises Acceleration Lab (SEAL) - Small Enterprise Growth Agenda (SEGA) and the newly developed Business Education and Growth Initiative for Nano-entrepreneurs project (BEGIN), these micro startups enterprises (MSEs) and nano-enterprises can push ahead to becoming small enterprises. 

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The SEAL-SEGA and BEGIN project includes an archive of startups, training, and mentoring sessions - each for MSEs and nano enterprises. These programs will give a chance to participating micro startup entrepreneurs to craft their startup enterprise development plan, business pitch, be part of the winners of cash grants, and a mentorship program. Programs for nano enterprises will include training on entrepreneurship to strengthen their proof of concept and legitimize their enterprises.

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1. SEAL-SEGA Year 3 - for Micro Enterprises (ME)

Small Enterprise Acceleration Lab - Small Enterprise Growth Agenda or SEAL-SEGA is a search for start-up businesses ready to level up their viable business ventures. The project is designed to meet the needs of start-up businesses through training, mentoring sessions, and cash grants. The training program aims to help startups assess their enterprise in terms of products/services, operations, and marketing. This also aims to assist micro-entrepreneurs (MEs) in developing clear and sound start-up enterprise development plans. By the end of the training program, the start-up entrepreneurs will be given a chance to showcase their plans through the SEAL-SEGA Business Challenge. The Top SEAL SEGA participants shall receive cash grants and move on to the mentorship program wherein they will be partnered with experts to properly guide and execute their business plans along with proper utilization of the grant given. This initiative led by BPI Foundation and Bayan Academy is geared toward recognizing the significance of start-ups and upscaling the potential of these micro-enterprises to small enterprises. 

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Since its successful pilot run in 2022, the BPI Foundation and Bayan Academy continue to expand their reach in assisting new entrepreneurs to sustain and grow their enterprises. Over the two project runs, entrepreneurship training programs were provided to 106 enterprises, and a total of Php 3.5M worth of grants was disbursed to 40 micro-enterprises for two years.

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This 2024, the third year of SEAL-SEGA is positioned to focus on the in-depth growth of startup entrepreneurs by integrating additional modules and exercises on enterprise mastery and sustainability concepts in the start-up phase of the enterprise life cycle.

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The target beneficiaries of SEAL-SEGA are micro-enterprises who have already established their proof of business concept and are ready to undergo a higher level of intervention. Having proof of concept means the startup business already has viable products/services and serves a sustainable market. Yet, they are struggling to reach their full potential due to limited resources. These enterprises require capital to procure equipment, purchase additional raw materials, or retool their personnel to realize a higher level of growth. These cohorts necessitate receiving advanced training and mentoring on enterprise development.


SEAL-SEGA Benefits

  • Free Online SEAL Creation Training Program for Microenterprises
  • Chance to join the SEAL-SEGA Business Challenge (Pitching Sessions)
  • Chance to win the cash grants from 80,000 PHP - 120, 000 PHP
  • Mentoring sessions with experts

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2. SEAL-BEGIN for Nano Enterprises and Aspirants

Small Enterprise Acceleration Lab - Business Education and Growth Initiative for Nano-entrepreneurs or SEAL-BEGIN sprung from the second year of BPI SEAL SEGA. This is to provide intervention to nano entrepreneurs and the popular demands of non-qualifiers of the SEAL-SEGA program for microenterprises. SEAL-BEGIN echoes the objective of the SEAL-SEGA; to provide a learning environment where startups in the creation phase and those who would like to start their enterprises. BEGIN also intends to promote entrepreneurship by encouraging and capacitating aspiring entrepreneurs to improve their business concepts and entrepreneurial skills. Assisting these upcoming enterprises is important since they contribute to economic growth, specifically, they generate jobs, they invest in breakthrough technologies that create value, and they produce wealth in communities where they are situated.

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BEGIN shall support the Startup Act (Republic Act No. 11337), which aims to offer benefits and programs that will enhance, encourage, and cultivate the Philippine Startup System. SEAL-BEGIN shall back up this government initiative by providing interventions to nano enterprises and aspiring entrepreneurs through basic entrepreneurial training. The program will include learning modules promoting local and government resources to amplify business creation and growth, especially in the digital age.  SEAL-BEGIN shall enable aspiring and nano-entrepreneurs to navigate challenges and seize digital-age opportunities.

SEAL-BEGIN Benefits

  • Free Onsite SEAL Creation Training Program for Nano enterprises and aspirants at Bayan Academy Office (limited slots)
  • Free Online SEAL Creation Training Program for Nano enterprises and aspirants

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SEAL-SEGA and BEGIN shall be achieved by highlighting the following phases (3 A’s)

  • Archive of startups through registry and assessment of their startup credentials;
  • Andragogy for qualified participants-to go through SEAL-SEGA MEs and SEAL-BEGIN- Nano training program; and
  • Advisory where the SEAL-SEGA MEs winners will be partnered with mentors to improve their enterprises.

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Who Can Join?

BPI SEAL-SEGA and SEAL-BEGIN seek competitive entrepreneurs and aspirants willing to take their start-up business concepts to the next level.  These entrepreneurs must have clear and significant market potential businesses. The business model should be responsive to the ever-changing business environment and allow the enterprise to grow and adapt or shift to level up from their initial stages of business.  

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The following are the requirements for joining the program (Note: There will be different requirements and separate registration forms for SEAL-SEGA and SEAL-BEGIN):

1. SEAL-SEGA for Micro Enterprises (MEs)

A.  Start-up Entrepreneurs:

  • Must be at least 18 years old;
  • Must be the owner or manager of a registered startup enterprise and must be involved in the business operations for at least three months;
  • Must be willing to undergo and complete the online training to qualify for the business pitch and the grant;
  • Must be willing to allocate time for mentoring;
  • Must register as a member of the SEAL SEGA Startup Enterprise HUB Registry Page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/sealsegahub;
  • Must have a valid bank account 

‍B.  For Start-up Enterprise:

  • The asset size of the enterprise must be Php 3 million and below. 
  • The type of ownership may be a single proprietorship, partnership or corporation.
  • Submit a copy of proof of registration (permits, SEC, DTI registration, provision of official receipts, other regulatory bodies); 
  • The enterprise must be operating for at least one year but not more than three years (latest business registration can be until June 2023 only);
  •  Latest financial statement of the Enterprise (preferably audited financial statements, if available);
  • If selected as top winners, the business owner and the enterprise must comply with the Tripartite Agreement with Bayan Academy and BPI Foundation for the release of the cash grant; and
  • If selected as top winners, must be willing to share some business information during the mentorship program. 

2. SEAL-BEGIN for Nano Enterprises and Aspirants

  1. SEAL-BEGIN - for nano entrepreneurs and aspirants*

A. Nano Entrepreneurs and aspirants:

  • Must be at least 18 years old;
  • Must be either the owner or manager of the nano enterprise and must be involved in the business operations;
  • Must be willing to undergo and complete the online training to qualify for the mentorship program;
  • Select nano enterprises must be willing to allocate time and must participate in completion of the  mentorship program.
  • Must register as a member of the SEAL SEGA Startup Enterprise HUB Registry Page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/sealsegahub;

B.  For Nano Enterprise and/or Business Concepts:

  • Online or Home-based business;
  • Informal businesses with incomplete or no legal papers on business registration yet;
  • Enterprise is in its initial phase in establishing its proof of concept .
  • The enterprise is testing its product/service- market fit; 
  • Enterprise has some business operations for at least three months;
  • Building up working capital for operations;
  • Establishment of business infrastructure (organization’s people, processes, and tools or technologies);

‍*SEAL-BEGIN applications with satisfactory requirements shall be considered for the limited slots face-to-face training at the Bayan Academy Office. 

For other updates and programs of implementing partners can also click and like the following pages:

BPI Foundation Facebook Page
BPI Foundation Instagram Account
Bayan Academy Facebook Page
Bayan Academy Instagram Account

Submission of Entry

Interested participants must submit the SEAL-SEGA and SEAL-BEGIN Online Application form with required documents (Note: There are separate registration forms for SEAL-SEGA and SEAL-BEGIN. Please read the form and prepare necessary attachments).

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SEAL-SEGA Required Documents

  • Enterprise Profile  
  • Official Logo of Startup Enterprise 
  • at least (1) government registration document (SEC, BIR, DTI, MAYOR’S PERMIT, ETC.)
  • at least (1) sample of official receipt
  • Photos or videos  of products/services
  • Any other documents or materials as proof of work (flyers, brochure, website/page, articles, photos, etc.)

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SEAL-BEGIN Required Documents*

  • Enterprise Profile (if available)
  • Official Logo of Nano Enterprise (if available)
  • Photos of products/services
  • Any other documents or materials as proof of work/ testing of products and services (flyers, brochure, website/page, articles, photos, etc.)

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*SEAL-BEGIN applications with satisfactory requirements shall be considered for the limited slots face-to-face training at the Bayan Academy Office. 

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SEAL-SEGA Business Pitch Screening Criteria

Qualified ME participants will undergo a series of screenings throughout the competition for the cash grants. Essentially, the Screening Committee will use the following criteria:

BPI SEAL-SEGA Program Process

SEAL-SEGA Creation Training Program Requirements

Once the registration entry is submitted, it will go through a screening process. The MEs and Nano enterprises qualified to join BPI SEAL SEGA and BEGIN will receive a confirmation email from the BPI SEAL admin. They must reply to proceed with their enrollment in the SEAL Creation online modules in the Bayan Academy’s Learning Management System (LMS) platform. Complete attendance (100%) in the training sessions via Zoom is required. Failure to comply with the attendance requirement will automatically disqualify the participating SEAL-SEGA participants from the business pitch and the SEAL-BEGIN from the training certification. 

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The qualified participants must sign a commitment form indicating their commitment to actively participate in all activities from the start of the training program up to the end. This also includes the privacy consent. 

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Qualified SEAL-SEGA participants are required to showcase their actual products during the online business pitch, while for services a 2-minute video should be presented.

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After the business pitch of the qualified SEAL-SEGA participants, the Top 20 will be chosen by a panel of judges based on the same criteria used in the initial screening.  The Top 1 – 10 will receive a cash grant of 120,000 pesos each, while the Top 11 -20 will receive a cash grant of 80,000 pesos each.

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All communications should be directly addressed to the BPI SEAL Admin. Should there be special concerns, the startup enterprise should advise Bayan Academy at least one week before the training program. Special concerns will be discussed by Bayan Academy and BPI Foundation, and the enterprise will be notified of the decision accordingly.

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