On July 2 at Shangri-La Plaza, changemakers gathered for Impact Happy Hours, a community event co-hosted by Villgro Philippines, xchange, and Ashoka Philippines. The evening featured the Good Start Challenge, which will support and fund bold ideas improving parental and caregiver wellbeing. Social entrepreneurs shared local solutions from human milk banks to digital mom communities. Applications for the challenge are open until September 17, with funding of up to €200,000. Learn more at goodstart.challenges.org.

Changemakers from various backgrounds and sectors gathered at Impact Happy Hours last July 2, at Refinery, Shangri-La Plaza Mall. The event has been running since 2017 and has been a community space for individuals and organizations interested in social impact to connect and collaborate. Impact Happy Hours’ main organizers are entrepreneur support organizations Villgro Philippines, xchange, and Ashoka Philippines, but the event has also been co-hosted with different partner organizations who have designed several ways to facilitate connections between attendees. The featured partner of last night’s event was the Good Start Challenge.

Attendees of Impact Happy Hours were invited to reflect on modern parenting, wellbeing, and caregiving within the family. “How difficult is it to get on a crowded city bus with a baby—and how many other challenges do parents face in daily life? We need to ask: can we redesign systems, services, and infrastructures for the wellbeing of parents and caregivers?” said Kathy Nothstine from Challenge Works, one of the implementing partners of the Good Start Challenge.

“We’re excited about the huge opportunities in the Philippines—especially with the growing digital economy, the rise of technology and innovation, and the potential to tap into indigenous solutions that can create more sustainable, lasting impact. At the same time, we are aware of the complex challenges Filipino parents face—from the increasing risks of climate-related disasters to high rates of teenage pregnancy—issues that disproportionately affect women and families in vulnerable communities,” Kathy added, highlighting why the Philippines is one of the eligible countries for the challenge.

The Good Start Challenge will support up to 22 finalists globally to develop their solution with €50,000 in funding and a package of non-financial support. Organizations that are addressing the wellbeing of caregivers from pregnancy and the first years of parenthood, are meeting the needs of underserved and marginalized communities, and have demonstrated effectiveness and are ready to take the next steps towards scaling are invited to apply. 

At the end, up to six winners will receive €200,000 and the opportunity to showcase in front of prospective funders and partners. Entries are now open from 22 May 2025 to 17 September 2025, 1pm (UTC). Full details are available at https://goodstart.challenges.org/ 

The Good Start Challenge was made possible by the Van Leer Foundation, FEMSA Foundation, Fundação Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal, LEGO Foundation and Challenge Works. 

The opening remarks were followed by a panel of three social entrepreneurs, namely Nadine Angelica Gadia Casiño (ALIMA Mother Support Center), JM Dioso (Project Payatas PH), and MK Bertulfo (FH Moms) who shared their real stories and insights of systems-level solutions that center parental wellbeing. 

“Aside from the lack of opportunities and education, one thing that I wanted to emphasize is that a lot of moms already have access to equipment and the experience but they lack the confidence,” said MK Bertulfo of FH Moms, speaking on the barriers women face.

Adding to the discussion on maternal challenges and care systems, Nadine Angelica Gadia Casiño of ALIMA Mother Support Center shared, “There are daycare centers, there are schools, but where are the spaces for moms?”

“We partnered with local government units to establish the first-ever city human milk bank and lactation support center—not just a pasteurizing facility, but a space where mothers receive skilled, individualized breastfeeding support… If we can create more breastfeeding clinics and mother support centers, then mothers will know where to go and I think collaboration is key for us to make that happen.”

The panelists’ stories and perspectives offered a glimpse into what’s possible when community-led solutions are given the support to grow. These served as a call to action for entrepreneurs with bold ideas to join the Good Start Challenge and scale their impact for parents and caregivers who need it most.

To stay updated on upcoming Impact Happy Hours events, follow the co-organizers on Facebook: Villgro Philippines (https://www.facebook.com/villgrophilippines/), xchange (https://www.facebook.com/xchangephilippines), and Ashoka Philippines (https://www.facebook.com/AshokaPhilippines/)

About Ashoka Philippines

About Challenge Works

Challenge Works is a global leader in designing and delivering high-impact challenge prizes that incentivise cutting-edge innovation for social good. It is part of UK innovation foundation agency Nesta. For more than a decade, it has run more than 100 prizes, distributed more than £210 million in funding and engaged with 16,000 innovators.

About the Van Leer Foundation

The Van Leer Foundation initiated the Good Start Challenge. The Van Leer Foundation is an independent Dutch organization working globally to foster inclusive societies where all parents, children and communities can flourish. Van Leer Foundation brings together people with different perspectives and supports them to achieve large-scale impact. Support involves a unique combination of funding, networks, executive education, technical assistance, and knowledge.

About Villgro Philippines

Villgro Philippines is a gender-smart incubator that funds, mentors, and nurtures enterprises addressing the pressing social and climate issues. Over the last 5 years, Villgro Philippines has supported more than 120 enterprises across South and SE Asia.

About xchange 

xchange is an impact venture builder, offering tailored mentorship to help impact-driven enterprises achieve scale and sustainability efficiently. 

About Ashoka 

Founded in 1980, Ashoka has created the first and largest professional network that supports leading social entrepreneurs around the world, with nearly 4,000 Ashoka Fellows from 93 countries. Ashoka envisions an “Everyone A Changemaker” world where each individual has the freedom, confidence, and societal support to address any social problem and drive change.

This press release has also been published on VRITIMES

Coliving isn’t a trend—it’s infrastructure. After relocating to Finland with my family, I’ve continued to live part-time in an 18 sqm unit in the Philippines—immersed not just as a founder of Woke Coliving, but as a full-time community member. And what I’ve seen inside our walls is extraordinary.

We run together. We puzzle together. We laugh, share meals, and sometimes even fall in love. All while the outside world grows more digitally connected—and more emotionally distant.

The real challenge? Scaling this kind of community without losing its soul. And convincing cities to treat coliving not as a novelty, but as essential social infrastructure for the future.

📖 Here’s how we’re building not just rooms, but rhythms of belonging.

#Coliving #UrbanDesign #CommunityBuilding #FutureCities #WokeColiving #RealEstateInnovation #SocialInfrastructure

In a post-pandemic world shaped by isolation, remote work, and housing scarcity, the question is no longer whether people want to live together—it’s how we intentionally build environments where they can thrive.

About one year ago, my family relocated from the Philippines to Finland so my wife could take on an exciting new role. Since then, I’ve become even more immersed in Woke Coliving—not only as its founder, but as a full-time community member. I had to leave behind my “expat life” in Rockwell, arguably one of the best neighbourhoods in the world (and believe me, I’ve had the privilege of living and working in diverse cities around the world). Yet even after trading that lifestyle for an 18-square-meter room, I found myself surprisingly at ease.

Adaptability is part of who I am. And after a year of living the coliving experience firsthand, I can proudly say: we’ve built a strong, resilient community. What was once a professional venture has become something much more personal—an experiment in proximity, shared rhythms, and purpose-driven living.

At Woke, we don’t just manage the space—we live and breathe it. Most of the Woke team, myself included, live and work within the very walls we operate. And that proximity has allowed me to witness something remarkable.

Every week, I see groups forming organically around shared interests—fitness, wellness, hobbies, even romance. We have a running group and a gym crew that train together and join marathon and fitness challenges. Just last night, I walked through the lobby of our Mandaluyong property and was caught off guard—in the best way possible. A group of sporty residents were gearing up for a night run, another few were laughing around a table, fully engaged—with no phones, no laptops, just presence. Two more were deep into a jigsaw puzzle, heads bent in focus. This wasn’t some curated brand experience. It was a real community, unfolding in real time.

And yet, outside these walls, the digital world is doing the opposite—fragmenting our attention and pushing people further into isolation. The irony is hard to ignore: we’re more connected than ever, but lonelier than we’ve ever been. That’s why we’ve made a deliberate decision at Woke to design for connection. From the layout of common spaces to the temperature of the lighting, the height of the counters, and the softness of the couches—every detail is considered. Because the right atmosphere encourages people to linger, to engage, to open up.

But physical design is only half the equation. Community needs culture—and culture needs boundaries. We’ve implemented a clear, firm set of rules that uphold the health of our community. Racism, discrimination, or any kind of hostility is simply not tolerated. We’re Woke not just by name, but in spirit. That means inclusion, respect, and shared responsibility. Most of our team lives in the properties, and we lead by example—keeping the spaces clean, showing up for others, and creating the kind of environment we’re proud to call home.

A Dual Challenge—Operator and Architect

As both coliving operator and active resident, I’ve seen firsthand how well-designed spaces and strong community frameworks can combat urban isolation. But with that insight comes responsibility—and complexity. The challenge for us at Woke is twofold.

From an operator’s perspective, the next frontier is scaling without losing soul. Growth brings investors, metrics, expansion targets. But how do we preserve intimacy and human connection when managing 1,000+ residents across multiple cities? How do we replicate a culture—not just a floor plan? The operational playbook must evolve to include not just SOPs and legal compliance, but deep rituals of community building, staff integration, and long-term resident engagement.

From the architect’s perspective, coliving must be recognized as an essential component of future cities. We’re no longer talking about an alternative housing model—we’re talking about critical social infrastructure. One that addresses density, affordability, and the need for intentional connection in urban environments. Yet most city plans and zoning regulations still lag behind these realities. The question now is: how do we embed coliving into the architectural and policy fabric of modern cities? How do we design neighbourhoods that are not just liveable, but shared, inclusive, and vibrant?

At Woke, we’re still writing the blueprint. But we know this much: coliving isn’t a temporary fix—it’s a long-term solution to urban loneliness and fragmentation. It calls on us to build not just better rooms, but better rhythms. Not just amenities, but belonging.

This press release has also been published on VRITIMES

Office Chatani, Inc. (CEO: Masayuki Chatani) has announced the results of a survey they conducted on “intrapreneurs” in large companies, targeting those with over 1,000 employees. These results shed light on the actual state of business creation personnel in these companies.

Background
The world is currently in what has been called the VUCA age, where the business world is rapidly changing and uncertainty is growing. As the market and customers’ needs change by the second, companies are expected to respond to these needs with flexibility and innovation. Under these circumstances, business creation is an essential initiative to maintain and strengthen a company’s competitive position. On the other hand, due to the scale of resources and complexity of their decision-making process, managers cannot focus solely on the business environment, but must also face challenges such as rigid internal organization and a risk-averse culture while striving to generate new value. Among them, “intrapreneurs,” or one who creates new businesses while working within an organization, have been attracting attention. Large companies have a strong desire for individuals willing to go against the existing business structure and culture and generate new value within the company. To that end, Office Chatani, Inc. conducted a survey targeting managers within large companies regarding intrapreneurship in such companies.

Survey summary
– Among companies with over 1,000 employees, over half of them have personnel who are considered “intrapreneurs”
– The largest age group for “intrapreneurs” is 40-49
– The top three common skills among intrapreneurs are 1. Creativity and Imagination, 2. Business Strategy Acumen, and 3. Autonomy and Independent Action
– Many companies are working on “supporting internal and external personal networking” for the purpose of developing intrapreneurs
– The most important environmental factor for successful intrapreneurship is considered to be “a corporate culture that is tolerant of new challenges”
– Among companies indicating that they did not have any “intrapreneurs,” over 70% were not taking initiatives to cultivate intrapreneurship in their company
–  Among companies without “intrapreneurs,” many named “providing training and educational opportunities for new business” as an initiative for cultivating intrapreneurship
– Among companies without “intrapreneurs,” the top three challenges or obstacles for cultivating intrapreneurship were said to be 1. “Lack of a role model in the company”, 2. “Lack of internal resources (time, budget, personnel)”, and 3. “Lack of a system or culture to evaluate challenges.”

Survey overview
Period: April 4-15, 2025
Method: Online survey
Target: Managers at companies with over 1,000 employees (men and women from 20s to 60s)
Total surveyed: 107 people
Monitored by: RC Research Data

Among companies with over 1,000 employees, over half of them have personnel who are considered “intrapreneurs”
For the first question, “Do you have any “intrapreneurs” in your company?”, the top responses were “No.” with 46.7%, “Yes, a fixed number.” with 32.7%, and “Yes, we have many.” at 20.6%. Through these responses, it was found that more than half of companies with over 1,000 employees have intrapreneurs.

The largest age group for “intrapreneurs” is 40-49
The next question was “What is the largest age group for intrapreneurs active in your company?” The top two responses were 40-49 (40.4%) and 30-39 (19.3%), so it was found that the most common age group for intrapreneurs was 40-49.

– The top three common skills among intrapreneurs are 1. Creativity and Imagination, 2. Business Strategy Acumen, and 3. Autonomy and Independent Action
Following that, respondents were asked “What are the common traits or skills among intrapreneurs active in your company?” The top responses were “Creativity and Imagination” with 54.4%, “Business Strategy Acumen” with 50.9%, and “Autonomy and Independent Action” with 49.1%. In addition, a number of other options outside the top three exceeded 40%, meaning that a large number of traits and skills are common among intrapreneurs.

– Many companies are working on “supporting internal and external personal networking” for the purpose of developing intrapreneurs
Next, companies that indicated that they have intrapreneurs in their company were asked “How do you develop intrapreneurs at your company?”, with the top answers being “By supporting internal and external personal networking” with 43.9%, “By introducing an internal entrepreneurship system and new business solicitation system” with 42.1%, and “Through mentorship by management and senior employees,” “By participating in external training and seminars,” and “by introducing an evaluation and reward system that encourages proactive challenges” each tied at 38.6%. Based on these results, it was found that many companies are working on “supporting internal and external personal networking” for the purpose of developing intrapreneurs.

Continues in Part 2.

Survey conducted by:
Office Chatani, Inc.
Location: Tokyo
CEO: Masayuki Chatani
Description of business: Creative Management Support, Lectures, Writing, etc.
URL: https://www.office-chatani.com

Office Chatani, Inc. supports creative management.

CEO Masayuki Chatani, author of “Behind the Scenes at PlayStation: Former CTO Talks about 16 Years of Creation,” has previously served as CTO and EVP of a global video game business, an executive officer of an internet conglomerate, CEO of a professional firm’s digital group company, the Japan Head of the digital team at a strategic consulting firm, and other positions.

This Press Release has also been publsihed on VRITIMES

Office Chatani, Inc. (CEO: Masayuki Chatani) has announced the results of a survey they conducted on “intrapreneurs” in large companies, targeting those with over 1,000 employees. These results shed light on the actual state of business creation personnel in these companies.

Background
The world is currently in what has been called the VUCA age, where the business world is rapidly changing and uncertainty is growing. As the market and customers’ needs change by the second, companies are expected to respond to these needs with flexibility and innovation. Under these circumstances, business creation is an essential initiative to maintain and strengthen a company’s competitive position. On the other hand, due to the scale of resources and complexity of their decision-making process, managers cannot focus solely on the business environment, but must also face challenges such as rigid internal organization and a risk-averse culture while striving to generate new value. Among them, “intrapreneurs,” or one who creates new businesses while working within an organization, have been attracting attention. Large companies have a strong desire for individuals willing to go against the existing business structure and culture and generate new value within the company. To that end, Office Chatani, Inc. conducted a survey targeting managers within large companies regarding intrapreneurship in such companies.

Survey summary
– Among companies with over 1,000 employees, over half of them have personnel who are considered “intrapreneurs”
– The largest age group for “intrapreneurs” is 40-49
– The top three common skills among intrapreneurs are 1. Creativity and Imagination, 2. Business Strategy Acumen, and 3. Autonomy and Independent Action
– Many companies are working on “supporting internal and external personal networking” for the purpose of developing intrapreneurs
– The most important environmental factor for successful intrapreneurship is considered to be “a corporate culture that is tolerant of new challenges”
– Among companies indicating that they did not have any “intrapreneurs,” over 70% were not taking initiatives to cultivate intrapreneurship in their company
–  Among companies without “intrapreneurs,” many named “providing training and educational opportunities for new business” as an initiative for cultivating intrapreneurship
– Among companies without “intrapreneurs,” the top three challenges or obstacles for cultivating intrapreneurship were said to be 1. “Lack of a role model in the company”, 2. “Lack of internal resources (time, budget, personnel)”, and 3. “Lack of a system or culture to evaluate challenges.”

Survey overview
Period: April 4-15, 2025
Method: Online survey
Target: Managers at companies with over 1,000 employees (men and women from 20s to 60s)
Total surveyed: 107 people
Monitored by: RC Research Data

Among companies with over 1,000 employees, over half of them have personnel who are considered “intrapreneurs”
For the first question, “Do you have any “intrapreneurs” in your company?”, the top responses were “No.” with 46.7%, “Yes, a fixed number.” with 32.7%, and “Yes, we have many.” at 20.6%. Through these responses, it was found that more than half of companies with over 1,000 employees have intrapreneurs.

The largest age group for “intrapreneurs” is 40-49
The next question was “What is the largest age group for intrapreneurs active in your company?” The top two responses were 40-49 (40.4%) and 30-39 (19.3%), so it was found that the most common age group for intrapreneurs was 40-49.

– The top three common skills among intrapreneurs are 1. Creativity and Imagination, 2. Business Strategy Acumen, and 3. Autonomy and Independent Action
Following that, respondents were asked “What are the common traits or skills among intrapreneurs active in your company?” The top responses were “Creativity and Imagination” with 54.4%, “Business Strategy Acumen” with 50.9%, and “Autonomy and Independent Action” with 49.1%. In addition, a number of other options outside the top three exceeded 40%, meaning that a large number of traits and skills are common among intrapreneurs.

– Many companies are working on “supporting internal and external personal networking” for the purpose of developing intrapreneurs
Next, companies that indicated that they have intrapreneurs in their company were asked “How do you develop intrapreneurs at your company?”, with the top answers being “By supporting internal and external personal networking” with 43.9%, “By introducing an internal entrepreneurship system and new business solicitation system” with 42.1%, and “Through mentorship by management and senior employees,” “By participating in external training and seminars,” and “by introducing an evaluation and reward system that encourages proactive challenges” each tied at 38.6%. Based on these results, it was found that many companies are working on “supporting internal and external personal networking” for the purpose of developing intrapreneurs.

Continues in Part 2.

Survey conducted by:
Office Chatani, Inc.
Location: Tokyo
CEO: Masayuki Chatani
Description of business: Creative Management Support, Lectures, Writing, etc.
URL: https://www.office-chatani.com

Office Chatani, Inc. supports creative management.

CEO Masayuki Chatani, author of “Behind the Scenes at PlayStation: Former CTO Talks about 16 Years of Creation,” has previously served as CTO and EVP of a global video game business, an executive officer of an internet conglomerate, CEO of a professional firm’s digital group company, the Japan Head of the digital team at a strategic consulting firm, and other positions.

This Press Release has also been published on VRITIMES