Stories of inspiration

Shell LiveWire 2025: Growing Enterprises, Powering Possibilities

February 24, 2026

Through Shell LiveWire, implemented locally by Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., entrepreneurship becomes more than a source of income. It becomes a pathway to stability, dignity, and long-term resilience.

For more than four decades globally, Shell LiveWire has championed enterprise development. In the Philippines, that commitment continues to translate into practical support for grassroots businesses and technology-driven startups. The result is a growing network of Filipino entrepreneurs who are building solutions for their communities and beyond.

2025 at a Glance: From Ideas to Enterprises

Between 2020 and 2025, Shell LiveWire supported 157 Community Enterprises and 26 Tech Startups nationwide.

In 2025 alone:

47 Community Enterprises were reached through the Community Enterprise Development Program
42 Community Enterprises received startup capital
5 Tech Startups were awarded equity-free grants through the Acceleration Program
10 sites nationwide were engaged, including Shell fenceline communities and open-category areas

Strengthening Grassroots Enterprises

From Palawan to Cagayan de Oro, the 2025 Community Enterprise Development Program localized Shell’s global enterprise framework to support community-based entrepreneurs.

Out of more than 100 applicants, 47 enterprises completed hybrid learning sessions covering:

Basic entrepreneurship
Accounting and financial management
Production and sales planning
Business plan development
Pitch refinement

Each entrepreneur presented before a panel of PSFI and Shell Pilipinas leaders. Grants were awarded based on feasibility, sustainability, innovation, and potential for job creation.

More than capital, participants gained structure. Mentorship helped turn passion into systems, and ideas into operational plans. For many, it was the first time their businesses were treated not just as side hustles, but as enterprises with growth potential.

Accelerating Innovation: Tech Startups Take the Stage

While grassroots enterprises strengthened local economies, the Acceleration Program spotlighted technology-driven innovation.

Implemented with Brainsparks, the program supported five promising tech startups in 2025. Participants underwent intensive mentoring, pitch sessions, and 18 learning modules before presenting at Echelon Philippines, a major tech business conference in the region.

Greentech Ecobooster emerged as Champion, receiving a ₱1 million equity-free grant. Other finalists, including startups focused on green adhesives, drone-powered agricultural solutions, sodium-ion battery technology, and food innovation, also received grants and national exposure.

These ventures reflect a shift toward climate-conscious and efficiency-driven innovation, demonstrating how Filipino founders are building solutions aligned with sustainability and energy transition goals.

Enterprises That Multiply Impact

Shell LiveWire’s long-term value is most visible in its alumni.

PHILIA, a 2023 cohort alumnus, connects smallholder farmers to improved markets. In 2024, it earned global recognition as a Top Ten Innovator for Social Impact.

Agro-DigitalPH, a 2021 Acceleration Program winner, now works with 2,000 farmers and supplies approximately 40 tons of vegetables to supermarkets through its farm-to-market model.

These enterprises show that growth does not stop after a grant is awarded. It compounds. It expands employment. It strengthens supply chains. It creates ripple effects that extend well beyond the original cohort.

Partnerships That Sustain Progress

Shell LiveWire operates through collaboration. In 2025, PSFI partnered with:

Local Government Units and livelihood offices
National agencies such as DTI, DOST, PESO, and TESDA
Private sector partners and innovation hubs

These partnerships ensured localized delivery, stronger mentorship ecosystems, and improved market linkages. The goal is not simply to launch businesses, but to sustain them.

Beyond 2025: Investing in Sustainable Growth

Looking ahead, the program remains focused on:

Deepening support for grassroots enterprises in host communities
Standardizing and strengthening training assets
Expanding acceleration pathways for technology-driven startups

Entrepreneurship is not only about profit. It is about creating dignified work, building resilient communities, and enabling Filipino innovators to design solutions for Filipino realities.

Every pitch refined. Every grant awarded. Every enterprise launched.

Shell LiveWire demonstrates that when preparation meets opportunity, impact grows.

Once a PSFI scholar, Louise Victoria Zaide has come full circle as a Program Excellence Officer who helps preserve the lessons, stories, and knowledge behind the Foundation’s work. Through her quiet but meaningful contributions, she reminds us that lasting change is built not only in communities, but also through the people and systems that help every opportunity grow into greater impact.

The Opportunity That Changed Everything: How Cheilo Padilla Found Her Calling in Helping Others Thrive

From rebuilding her life as a single mother to helping scholars, entrepreneurs, and communities in Palawan pursue better futures, Cheilo Padilla’s journey reflects the transformative power of opportunity. As PSFI celebrates 44 years of service, her story reminds us that meaningful change touches not only the people we serve, but also those who dedicate themselves to making it possible.

EJ’s Calling to Serve: A Life Dedicated to Community Empowerment

Driven by a passion for working with communities, EJ San Jose finds purpose in helping families strengthen their livelihoods, improve food security, and recognize new possibilities for their future. Through every home visit, training session, and conversation, he builds the trust that turns opportunities into meaningful and lasting change. As PSFI celebrates its 44th anniversary, EJ’s story reflects how its mission continues to move forward through people who choose to listen, serve, and empower others.

Where Bayanihan Lives: Maezel Cardel and a Community That Chose Hope

As PSFI celebrates its 44th anniversary, Maezel Cardel’s journey reflects the spirit of “Driven by Purpose. Powered by People.” From earning the affectionate nickname “Mae-Shell” to inspiring communities to take ownership of change, her story shows how trust, collaboration, and bayanihan can transform a shared purpose into lasting impact.

Growing Food, Growing Futures: Roots to Shoots Pasacao 2.0 Helps Caregivers Build Healthier, More Resilient Families

Through the Roots to Shoots Pasacao 2.0 Program, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., with the support of Metrobank Foundation, Inc., is empowering child caregivers in Pasacao with practical skills in home gardening and financial management, helping families improve nutrition, strengthen livelihoods, and build more resilient communities.

Mula sa Maliit na Tindahan Patungo sa Mas Matatag na Kinabukasan: Ang Kwento ni Alma Cajan

Sa pamamagitan ng Roots to Shoots (RTS) Pasacao 2.0 Program, na ipinatutupad ng Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. sa suporta ng Metrobank Foundation, Inc., unti-unting nababago ang buhay ni Alma Cajan. Mula sa masustansyang pagkain para sa kanyang anak hanggang sa pagpapalago ng kanilang sari-sari store, ipinapakita ng kanyang kuwento kung paano ang kaalaman at oportunidad ay maaaring magbukas ng daan tungo sa mas matatag na kinabukasan.