Pinoy startup joins Anthropic’s partner network

MANILA, Philippines — A Philippine digital startup has been selected as a network partner of Anthropic, the developer of artificial intelligence (AI) assistant Claude, to become the first in the country to do so.

Apper Digital Inc. said that it has been promoted to the select tier of Anthropic’s partner network for Claude, one of the world’s leading AI assistants.

With this, Apper became the first Philippine company to earn such distinction, granting it access to a program that provides as much as $100 million in assistance.

Apper CEO and founder Diwa del Mundo said the inclusion guarantees clients that the company has been reviewed by Anthropic.

Del Mundo added this means local firms could turn to Apper if they need Claude in their operations.

Last March, Anthropic launched the Claude Partner Network to support AI providers for enterprise demand. The developer also placed up to $100 million for partner training and technical support.

Del Mundo said clients could turn to Apper for their Claude needs, as the startup understands how to use the AI tool in a local context, with consideration for domestic laws.

“For Philippine enterprises, this means a local team whose certifications and delivery work have been reviewed by Anthropic itself,” Del Mundo said.

“Filipino organizations can adopt the same technology enterprises use worldwide, with support in their own timezone, from a team that understands local regulations like the Data Privacy Act,” he added.

Claude is one of the world’s biggest AI assistants, built in 2023 by former executives of OpenAI, which developed ChatGPT. Claude’s creator Anthropic is competing with AI giants Google and OpenAI in the race for the most efficient automator.

About 40,000 firms globally have applied to join Claude Partner Network. The program features four tiers: registered, select, preferred and global premier.

For select-tiered partners like Apper, they must present at least 10 Claude-certified practitioners and two businesses running on the AI tool to Anthropic.

Based on Apper’s website, the startup has trained more than 200 certified Claude professionals in big-ticket companies like GCash and Globe Telecom Inc.