givvable helps organisations across Southeast Asia to better manage their global supply chains.
Australian startup givvable has had one founder in Sydney and one in Singapore since the day it was launched. Today, it has clients throughout Southeast Asia and beyond. As founders (and sisters) Naomi Vowels and Frances Atkins have discovered, having eyes and ears on the ground is invaluable.
givvable is a due diligence platform focused on sustainability. It covers all aspects including environmental, ethical sourcing, social impact, governance, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Due diligence as a concept is nothing new, Vowels explains. But traditionally it has focused on financials, legalities, risk and regulatory compliance.
Now, more businesses want to work with suppliers that align with their values. But there are also regulations on the way that mandate sustainable and ethical supply chains, and demand transparency.
'Until now, organisations haven't had visibility on whether the suppliers they're working with are actually aligned to their sustainability goals,' Vowels says.
givvable's data is all third-party verified, meaning organisations don't have to rely on self-reporting from their suppliers.
'Relying just on what a supplier says doesn't fly in a regulatory filing,' Vowels says. 'You have to have data-backed evidence.'
Building the plane while you're flying
While givvable was founded in 2019, the founders spent the first 12 months building the product, in collaboration with some of their earliest customers.
'That gave us the opportunity to get real-time feedback, and build the plane while we were flying,' says Vowels.
Initially, givvable's customers were large corporates, and the business grew mainly through word-of-mouth. The team is now onboarding more mid-cap companies - the suppliers to the behemoths.
'It's starting to flow down the supply chain,' Vowels notes.
Landing Pads support global growth
With Vowels based in Singapore, givvable has always had a presence in Asia, as well as Australia. The founders always knew givvable would be a global business. Supply chains are global, after all.
'We have a very strong focus on APAC, because a lot of the businesses within global supply chains are in this region,' Vowels says.
However, Vowels being located in Singapore means givvable's relationship with Austrade and the Landing Pads program is a little unusual.
To an extent, Vowels knows this market. But in many ways, givvable is also another Australia-founded business launching in Asia. The founders had much to learn.
For Vowels, industry introductions through Landing Pads have been invaluable.
'Even though the conversation around sustainability has been going on for a while, we're quite niche in what we do, so it wasn't very widely known,' she explains.
'The Landing Pads program was very helpful in identifying and introducing us to some of those companies that were more forward-thinking and advanced on their sustainability journey.'
givvable's founders Naomi Vowels and Frances Atkins.
Austrade provides 'eyes and ears' around Asia
Today, givvable works with banks and credit bureaus, telecommunications providers and their subsidiaries - basically any business with significant procurement and purchasing activities.
Through Austrade connections and existing clients, the startup has built a customer base not only in Singapore, but in Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, India and beyond. Its customers include Ayala, Bupa, Moet Hennessey and Singtel.
Vowels has found herself with cheerleaders from all over Southeast Asia.
'Someone from Austrade in India might send me a link to a conference and ask if it's of interest to me, and if I would like a speaking spot,' she explains.
'I don't have the capacity to be across all the conferences and events around Asia, so they're an extra pair of eyes and ears.
'The fact that they've got the network to be able to support us - it's invaluable.'
Overcoming export challenges with Austrade's help
There are things you can't understand about a market until you're in it, Vowels explains. In Singapore, for example, everything is done via WhatsApp, from business interactions to arranging dentist appointments.
'Australian companies coming over here might be a bit hesitant because it feels a bit intrusive,' Vowels says. 'But that's just how things are done.'
There can also be barriers to acceptance in a new market. Naturally, businesses and consumers alike gravitate to brands they're familiar with; brands they recognise.
For givvable, this is another area in which Austrade has been incredibly valuable, Vowels says.
Representatives have joined prospect calls or client meetings, with their mere presence adding an extra layer of credibility to the offering.
'Having Austrade and the government showing support for you as an organisation speaks a million words,' she says.
Future plans
givvable is looking beyond Asia, with expansion already underway in the UK, Europe and the US.
The startup is increasingly growing through distribution partnerships, working with software providers including e-procurement or ERP platforms, to disseminate data through their broader networks.
No overseas expansion path comes easy, but these founders now have a wealth of wisdom to draw upon, as well as some experts in their corner.
