Oracle + NetSuite Social Impact Launches Buildathon 4Good in Manila

Posted by Debra Askanase, Project Manager, Oracle NetSuite Social Impact

For Hazel May Pajotagana, CFO of HiGi Energy, a social enterprise focused on clean energy and environmentally friendly products, balancing the demands of managing finances for a busy nonprofit organization leaves little time to experiment and optimize HiGi Energy’s ERP system. That’s where the Oracle + NetSuite Social Impact Buildathon 4Good comes in.

The one-day event in Manila, Philippines provided real-time NetSuite customizations for seven local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and one social enterprise, all Social Impact donation recipients. They included the Philippine Foundation for Science and Technology, UP System Information Technology Foundation, HiGi Consultancy Corporation (HiGi Energy), Bayan Academy for Social Entrepreneurship and Human Resource Development, Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, Generation Hope, ChildHope Asia Philippines, and Save the Children Philippines.

The Buildathon is a new effort for the Social Impact group. Unlike the Hackathon 4Good held at SuiteWorld, the Buildathon 4Good focuses on helping multiple nonprofits solve the same challenge, and are deployed the same day. Organizations were invited to participate in either of two challenges: track the donor life cycle, or develop customized dashboards.

Suite Pro Bono 

Through the Suite Pro Bono program, 32 local NetSuite employees worked collaboratively with seven nonprofit organizations and one social enterprise to craft customized solutions to the challenges. Employees represented the Product, Support, and Professional Services departments. Four highly skilled employees served as team advisors who checked solution feasibility. Prizes were awarded to the teams that were the first to deploy, and to the overall challenge winners.

Judges included Hazel del Rosario-Lee (Managing Director of Oracle NetSuite Philippines), Anton Ancheta (Oracle NetSuite Consulting Senior Practice Director), Chester Que (CEO, Achieve Without Borders) and VJ Africa (CEO, Tech4Good).

Hazel del Rosario Lee, Managing Director of Oracle NetSuite Philippines addressing the Buildathon 4 Good

For the Social Impact organizations, this was a rare chance to receive pro bono consulting. Every nonprofit works with leads, whether they are potential members, donors, or participants. Developing a customization to track the lead-to-donor lifecycle is a big step to increasing efficiencies.

Results 

The organizations left with at least one unique customization enabling them to better utilize NetSuite, and work more effectively. Many teams deployed solutions above and beyond the challenge requirements, adding additional customizations.

Hazel May Pajotagana, of HiGi Energy, learned a lot from the dashboard challenge.

“With the help of the team, I learned a lot about NetSuite…and NetSuite is helping us master the software.”

Bayan Academy for Social Entrepreneurship and Human Resource Development was awarded the overall dashboard winner, and ChildHope Asia Philippines won the lead-to-donor life cycle challenge. Philippines Director, Hazel del Rosario-Lee, in her concluding remarks, praised the team efforts and the Buildathon 4Good: “Thank you for maximizing NetSuite functionality.” The Social Impact group looks forward to many more successful Buildathon 4 Good events in the future.

Learn more about what the Hackathon 4Good did for Found Animals Foundation and the winners of one recent Hackathon 4Good.

For more information on Oracle + NetSuite Social Impact, read our data sheet here and check out our website. For questions about the social donation program, contact socialimpact@netsuite.com.