Going beyond its core business of ride-hailing, global mobility platform inDrive emerges a leader in cultural and technological empowerment with the Southeast Asian Alternativa Film Festival and Aurora Tech Award. The company underscores its commitment to elevate underrepresented narratives and advance women innovators whose work is redefining industries and catalyzing transformative social change worldwide.
Set to return to Colombia in 2026, the Alternativa Film Festival shines a spotlight on films that push the boundaries of creativity while amplifying the voices of marginalized storytellers. By having a Filipino representative in its committee, the festival strengthens cross-cultural collaboration between Asia and Latin America, underscoring the power of filmmaking to inspire dialogue and broaden perspectives.
With the announcement of the Alternativa Film Festival, acclaimed Filipino filmmaker and producer Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala joins the 2026 Selection Committee. The esteemed panel consists of global industry leaders and is tasked with curating works that showcase independent cinema from underrepresented regions and communities.
‘It’s a true honor to return as a Selector for Alternativa — a festival that pulsates with artistic innovation and a fierce sense of community. I’m excited to encounter the bold visions, daring forms and urgent voices of filmmakers who reimagine the world through their craft. To stand alongside them as both witness and co-creator in this evolving, collective space of art and advocacy is a privilege I embrace with gratitude and anticipation,” shared Magsanoc-Alikpala, documentary and impact producer, Oscars jury and AMPAS member, and president of Filipino Documentary Society.
For a full list of the 2026 Selection Committee, visit the Alternative site.
At the Bogotá Audiovisual Market (BAM), Alternativa, in partnership with founding partner inDrive, hosted the session “Festival-Ready: 5 Ways to Boost Your Film’s Visibility and Impact.” Speakers Natalia Pylaeva, Anna Gudkova and Marcela Lizcano shared strategies on helping filmmakers reach audiences and drive social change, underscoring Alternativa’s commitment to give local storytellers global visibility.
Alternativa also introduced a new Residency for Impact Campaigns, led by regional partner Nodo Sur, which will support six Latin American films in building outreach strategies. “This partnership is a powerful opportunity to strengthen Latin American cinema and foster collaboration across the region’s impact film ecosystem,” said Lizcano.
Aurora Tech Award 2026 opens call for women-led startups
Meanwhile, in the sphere of entrepreneurship, inDrive has unveiled the Aurora Tech Award 2026, a prestigious global accolade dedicated to advancing women founders at the helm of technology startups. Since its inception in 2021, the award has distinguished itself as a transformative platform, amplifying women-led ventures that marry innovation with profound social impact while challenging the structural inequities that continue to pervade the capital landscape.
Applications close on November 12, 2025 at www.auroratechaward.com. Eligible startups must be founded and led by women, no more than five years old and are at the preseed or seed stage.
Winners will receive $50,000, $20,000 and $15,000, respectively, alongside access to global investors, strategic partners and inDrive’s mentorship network. Beyond capital, the award provides visibility and structural support to scale internationally.
“Through initiatives such as our filmmaking festival, inDrive is giving Filipino storytellers the opportunity to showcase their creativity on a global stage, strengthened further by the presence of a Filipino jury that highlights the country’s growing excellence in the arts. In the same spirit of elevating local talent, we are also championing women entrepreneurs through the Aurora Tech Award,” said Shaerine Irwina Kaur, inDrive SEA communications manager.
For women entrepreneurs in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia, the Aurora Tech Award provides a rare platform to rise above the glass ceiling, gain international visibility, and secure the funding and mentorship needed to scale tech ventures that can reshape local and global markets.
Alternativa is an international nonprofit project launched by the global technology company inDrive in 2023. The project is designed to support and promote filmmakers from the Global South whose work has the potential to bring positive change to the world. Its mission is to amplify the international visibility of impact-driven talents and help their films reach broad and diverse audiences. By championing stories that make a difference, Alternativa bridges regional divides, empowers local communities and contributes to meaningful social transformation.
inDrive is a global mobility and urban services platform. The inDrive app has been downloaded more than 280 million times and has been declared the second most-downloaded mobility app for the third consecutive year. In addition to ride-hailing, inDrive provides an expanding list of services, including intercity transportation, delivery and financial services. In 2023, inDrive launched New Ventures, a venture and M&A arm.
inDrive operates in 888 cities in 48 countries. Driven by its mission of challenging injustice, the company is committed to having a positive impact on the lives of 1 billion people by 2030. It pursues this goal both through its core business, which supports local communities via a fair pricing model, and through the work of its impact arm. inDrive’s community empowerment programs help to advance education, sports, arts and sciences, gender equality and other vital developments.
For more information visit www.inDrive.com.
