Global Mentorship Programme Amplifier 2025 Launches Tourism Track to Advance SME Supplier Sustainability in Asia
- Three Southeast Asian impact organisations selected for a 12-month capacity-building programme under the new Tourism track of global mentorship programme Amplifier, which seeks to advance small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) supplier sustainability transformation in Asia’s tourism sector
- Each mentee will receive up to S$100,000 of catalytic funding, supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth (the Center) as Impact Innovation Partner, as well as mentorship from over 70 global and regional industry leaders across sectors
Singapore, 23 October 2025 — The Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (CIIP) and the Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA), in collaboration with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth (the Center), today announced the mentee cohort for the new SME Supplier Sustainability Transformation in Tourism track (“Tourism track”) of their global mentorship programme, the Amplifier.
Launched to advance sustainable growth and resilience across the region’s tourism sector, the cohort comprises Alterpacks, Green Rebel and N&E Innovations.
- Alterpacks: A Singapore-based advanced materials startup pioneering circular economy innovation across Asia, transforming agricultural waste into high-performance, compostable alternatives.
- Green Rebel: A Southeast Asian food tech startup based in Indonesia, on a mission to democratise sustainable protein with delicious, healthy, and accessible products such as wholesome plant proteins and dairy-free cheese.
- N&E Innovations: A Singapore-headquartered biotechnology company transforming food waste into sustainable solutions, including antibacterial food packaging and agriculture post-harvest coating solutions.
More details on the mentees can be found in the Appendix.
Supported by the Center as an Impact Innovation Partner, each mentee will receive S$100,000 in catalytic capital. Over one year, the mentees will also benefit from tailored support through mentorship from partners across sectors, workshops, as well as sectoral and market insights to ensure both commercial relevance and long-term industry impact.
The Amplifier is led by CIIP and PAA and supported by a network of more than 70 partners including the Center. It identifies and scales promising solutions to address critical gaps in Asia’s sustainable development landscape. The 2025 Tourism track marks the latest effort to advance sustainable growth and resilience across the region’s tourism sector.
The announcement took place the day prior to the inaugural Mastercard ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit, hosted by the Center. The Summit aims to spur an exchange of ideas between leaders in the East and West, opening the door to innovation, partnerships, shared collaboration and outcomes for the region.
This year’s Summit, hosted in Kuala Lumpur, brings together government leaders, business pioneers, and development organisations in a high-level forum focused on inclusive and sustainable growth, with a spotlight on micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), digital innovation and impact-driven partnerships. The Summit builds on the success of the Center’s Global Inclusive Growth Summit and aims to catalyse sustainable economic growth and advance ASEAN’s collective prosperity by demonstrating how regional and business leaders can come together to create opportunities for all.
Subhashini Chandran, Senior Vice President, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, said, “At the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, we believe sustainable tourism isn’t just about protecting destinations, it’s about supporting the small businesses and suppliers who form the backbone of the sector. Through the Amplifier 2025 Tourism track, we’re proud to help innovative MSEs across Southeast Asia bring environmental sustainability into their operations and supply chains, enabling access to new market segments. By combining catalytic funding, mentorship and partnerships across sectors, we can transform the tourism sector, making growth sustainable, inclusive and resilient for communities across the region.”
Shaun Seow, Chief Executive Officer, Philanthropy Asia Alliance, said, "The mentees have shown promising ways to make tourism more sustainable — from turning food waste into compostable packaging to advancing plant-based dining. Through training, guidance, and mentorship, the Amplifier programme supports early-stage innovations in growing their business and impact. PAA values its partnership with alliance members such as the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth in advancing inclusive and sustainable growth across Asia."
Mentees Selected Through Whole-of-Ecosystem Collaboration
In Southeast Asia, where the travel and tourism industry supports over 38 million jobs[1], growing consumer demand for more sustainable tourism and stricter supplier standards are reshaping the sector. The Tourism track spotlights SMEs already embedding environmental impact into their operations and offerings – from waste and circularity to local and sustainable sourcing and alternative proteins – demonstrating how everyday suppliers can accelerate the sector’s transformation and seeks to help them enhance and improve their environmentally sustainable offerings.
The three mentees are impact organisations that operate across Southeast Asia and beyond, and were chosen through a rigorous, consultative selection process. This included extensive industry engagement and workshops in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, conducted in collaboration with Funding Societies, with over 110 stakeholders, including hotel partners, SME suppliers, and ecosystem enablers. Employing a whole-of-ecosystem approach, the mentee selection process was informed by contributions from partners such as Artotel Group, Banyan Group, CapitaLand Investment, Eastin Hotel Penang, Marina Bay Sands, Marriott International, The Ascott Limited, and UOB.
For more information on the Amplifier, please visit: https://philanthropyasiaalliance.org/our-impact/the-amplifier/2025. You can also reach out to us at [email protected].
[1] Source: Transforming for Sustainability: Driving Impact and Value through Supply Chain Action (pg. 165)
END
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Centre for Impact Investing and Practices
The Centre for Impact Investing and Practices (“CIIP”) was established in 2022 as a non-profit entity by Temasek Trust to foster impact investing and practices in Asia and beyond by building and sharing knowledge, bringing together stakeholders in the community, and bringing about positive action that accelerates the adoption of impact investing principles and practices. CIIP is the anchor partner for the United Nation Development Programme’s Private Finance for the SDGs, providing Asia investors and businesses with clarity, insights and tools that support their contributions towards achieving the SDGs. Temasek and ABC Impact are CIIP’s strategic partners. For more information, please visit www.ciip.com.sg.
About Philanthropy Asia Alliance
Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA) is a Temasek Trust initiative dedicated to catalysing collaborative philanthropy in Asia through dynamic multi-sector partnerships. By harnessing collective strengths, PAA multiplies impact, accelerates positive change, and takes urgent action to address the pressing environmental and social challenges of our time. PAA’s flagship programme is the annual Philanthropy Asia Summit. For more information, visit http://philanthropyasiaalliance.org.
About Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth
The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth advances equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world. The Center leverages the company’s core assets and competencies, including data insights, expertise and technology, while administering the philanthropic Mastercard Impact Fund, to produce independent research, scale global programs and empower a community of thinkers, leaders and doers on the front lines of inclusive growth. For more information and to receive its latest insights, follow the Center on LinkedIn, Instagram and subscribe to its newsletter. www.mastercardcenter.org
MEDIA CONTACTS
CIIP & Temasek Trust
Tess Chia
Head, Communications & Engagement
[email protected]
Christabel Reena David
Communications & Engagement, Strategic Communications
[email protected]
PAA
Nicole Tan
Communications
[email protected]
Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth
Jessica Jeng-Mitchell
Director
Global Communications
[email protected]
APPENDIX
- Amplifier 2025 Mentee Cohort for Powering SME Supplier Sustainability Transformation in Tourism
Alterpacks Alterpacks is a Singapore-based advanced materials start-up pioneering circular economy innovation across Asia. Its vision is to reshape the global materials economy by transforming agricultural waste into high-performance, compostable alternatives — redefining waste as a valuable resource and reducing reliance on plastics, aluminium, and virgin materials. Using proprietary technology, Alterpacks upcycles food by-products and agricultural waste into scalable, 100% plant-based materials that replace single-use plastics across tourism, hospitality, foodservice and healthcare. To date, its materials have reached over two million people, avoided 260 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, and upcycled around 140 tonnes of agricultural by-products. By 2030, Alterpacks aims to eliminate one billion single-use plastic items, upcycle over 19,000 tonnes of agricultural waste, and abate nearly 37,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions—creating measurable environmental and economic value while redefining how industries design, produce, and consume materials. 
Green Rebel Green Rebel is a Southeast Asian food tech startup that makes wholesome plant proteins and dairy-free cheese. Its mission is to democratize sustainable protein with delicious, healthy, and accessible products. It has an ambition to win 1% of protein market share in Southeast Asia by 2029 by empowering food services and consumers to conveniently shift to healthy & sustainable options while also reducing their food costs. It provides flavours consumers love, made from sustainable ingredients, at affordable prices. Green Rebel is now available throughout Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Through Green Rebel, the team aims to create high-quality, nutritious affordable alternatives that are good for people, planet, and animals. 
N&E Innovations N&E is tackling the large global food waste problem through upcycled food waste technologies. Its products include antibacterial food packaging – which has been adopted by supermarkets and hospitality players in Singapore and regionally – and agriculture post-harvest coating solutions – which are being trialled by growers across ASEAN including the Philippines, Myanmar and Malaysia, enabling food to last up to 3x longer compared to conventional approaches.
Its flagship product, ViKANG, is a 100% natural antibacterial agent made entirely from upcycled food waste. Certified to eliminate harmful particles, bacteria, and viruses, including the coronavirus, ViKANG is a safe, versatile, and eco-friendly solution that advances a circular, sustainable future. - Partners supporting the Amplifier 2025
Impact Innovation Partner - Macquarie Group Foundation
- Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth
- SHEIN
Strategic Partner (Textiles) - Singapore Fashion Council
Strategic Partner (Employability) - NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute (NTUC’s e2i)
- Generation Hong Kong
Programme Partners - ABC Impact
- Deloitte Singapore
- Enterprise Singapore
- Funding Societies
- Temasek Lifesciences Accelerator
- Temasek Shophouse
- UOB
Industry Partners - 500 Global
- adidas
- ALBA Singapore
- Antler
- Artotel Group
- B Lab Singapore
- Banyan Group
- Bovis International
- CapitaLand Investment
- Circulate Capital
- Double Delta
- Eastin Penang
- Envisioning Partners
- Fashion for Good
- H&M Foundation
- OCTAVE Capital Pte Ltd
- Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA)
- Integra Partners
- Katapult
- Mana Impact
- Marina Bay Sands
- Marriott International
- MAS Holdings
- Paloma Sjahrir Foundation
- Providentia Wealth Singapore
- qonvolv Ventures
- SG Enable
- Shanghai Innovation Bank
- Social Ventures Hong Kong
- SOSV
- Stride Ventures
- Synthegrate LLC
- TAL Apparel
- The Ascott Limited
- The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel
- The Mills Fabrica
- UOB Venture Management
- Workforce Singapore
- Yehyehyeh
Advisory Partners - A&O Shearman
- Deloitte Singapore
- Helmsman LLC
- Hogan Lovells
- Lee & Lee
- MSL Singapore
- PwC Singapore
- Rajah & Tann Asia
- Tri-Sector Associates
- True Materialist
- WongPartnership LLP
Network Partners - 100x Impact
- Dalberg
- Elemental Impact
- Instellar
- MYSC
- Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)
- The Earthshot Prize
- Touchstone Partners
- Unreasonable Group
|