BIZ BUZZ: Local tech firm spreads wings
From Philippine shores, homegrown tech company CostPlus Inc. is setting its sights on expanding abroad after establishing a presence here.
CostPlus Inc. founder and president Anand Mahtani said the company, through its clean energy solution Kidlat EV, has already energized more than 27,000 homes, schools and community hubs in the country.
Kidlat EV provides solar power solutions to underserved areas. It was earlier tapped by the Department of Education to power off-grid schools.
“It’s not just about electricity,” Mahtani said.
“It’s about enabling education, internet, clean water, and sustainable cooking in communities that need it most. We’ve proven it works here—and now we’re scaling globally to help the 800 million people still without reliable energy,” the official said.
To get the ball rolling, CostPlus joined the Department of Trade and Industry at the inaugural Battery Show Asia and Mobility Tech Expo in Hong Kong this month.
The Philippines hopes to achieve total electrification by 2028, with about P85 billion to P100 billion needed to realize this goal.
