By Pocholo Concepcion
UNIVERSITY of the Philippines Diliman alumna Rowena Bernardo has traveled the world for various jobs that suited her fancy. But her great gig these days is promoting a local invention on a global scale as systems and communications officer of Greentech Ecobooster — which was named top innovator at the Shell LiveWire 2025 Final Pitch Day competition recently.
Greentech won $1 million in equity-free funding from Shell Pilipinas Corp. for developing a fuel-optimization device that improves the performance of combustion engines while reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The Manila Times engaged Bernardo, or Bingo to family and friends, in an email chat.
Greentech CEO Raymund Acedera and cofounder ER Rollan (first and third from left) with members of the BF Homes Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association.
Tell us about Greentech Ecobooster.
Greentech Ecobooster is a 3-in-1 fuel ignition engine plug-in. It improves fuel efficiency, boosts engine performance, and reduces carbon emissions. It eliminates smog by 98 percent, toxic fumes by 92 percent, and carbon dioxide by 25 to 60 percent by virtue of its increased fuel economy. It is applicable to all fuel ignition engines.
Is it affiliated with the Taiwan-based Greentech Fuel Saver?
No, it is not related in any way; they just [happen to] have similar names. Greentech Ecobooster is a different technology that uses aerodynamic principles to produce optimum air-fuel mix.
How did you get involved in it?
The inventor, Rommel Bernardo, is my brother. When the pandemic hit, he had challenges that halted his [project] and asked for my help. In spite of the conditions at that time, I saw tremendous global potential. However, there are systemic hurdles facing inventors like him — which is why a lot of [them] never get to see their inventions commercialized, or worse, their inventions are illegally copied.
What exactly is your job?
My role is to design the systems and communications necessary to harness global opportunities. I help solve the high cost of intellectual property patent protection, create a platform for harmonious collaboration of manufacturers, distributors and sellers to reach the final global customer base, and pave the way for customers to verify product authenticity and correctness of public information.
Tell us briefly about your company partners.
Raymund Acedera, the cofounder and CEO, was my batchmate in the Unilever management trainee program when I started my corporate journey. He provides the grounding for our innovation program and overall orchestration of our organization. ER Rollan, another cofounder, is also the CEO of GrowSari, an ordering app for Filipino sari-sari stores. His experience in the start-up environment and grassroots level mobilization is invaluable as we scale and aim for a wider impact. Rommel Bernardo handles research and development. He works by immersing himself in the working condition of the community that uses the machines. He lives among tricycle drivers, farmers and fishermen with his tent and his bicycle.
How did Greentech develop its product?
Rommel comes from our family of inventors. He is a sound engineer and a motorcycling enthusiast. He merged these two disciplines to get an advantage in motorcycle racing. It started when he chipped the fuel nozzle of his motorbike’s carburetor. It gave an extra-powerful boost, catapulting him off the bike — a near-fatal accident. He spent the next three years hand-filing more than 100 prototypes to see if the power caused by the chipped nozzle could be controlled. It was a long journey in researching, testing on his own.
Eventually, he got a prototype that delivered power and saved on fuel. His early supporters used the nozzle in motorcycle races and all won. When he had it tested by the Department of Science and Technology, it yielded exceptional emission results, eliminating all smog and fumes.
The product was tested by tricycle drivers in Parañaque.
How many participated, and what was the result?
The ecobooster was previously sold online and through a network of motorcycle mechanics. Seeing its potential for meaningful impact to tricycle drivers, we tested it first on 35 tricycles in Parañaque. All drivers earned an additional P50 to P125 income per day, and their tricycles improved in engine performance. We then tweaked our product-market fit proposition (tech integration, pricing, installation policy, promotion) till we arrived at something that can scale. Now we have signed an agreement with the BF Homes Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (BFTODA) to install the ecobooster to the rest of their 360 members, and the TODA is managing collections and earning commission for every unit sold. Also in line are TODAs in Muntinlupa and Las Piñas, and the rest of the country.
Was joining Shell Livewire part of the plan to promote the product on a wider scale?
Yes. Shell was a perfect match since it serves the same clients that we cater to. With its global presence, Shell will open doors for us. For our part, we get Shell closer to the grassroots market.
How tough were the challenges in Shell Livewire? Quite tough. It required us to see our project from a different perspective. In our corporate experience, we were used to being “the clients,” with access to resources. Now, as a startup, we needed to be more entrepreneurial and resourceful in our ways of working. We had to be concise with our words and make the most of every opportunity, since we know that, often, we do not get a second chance.
How did Greentech hurdle them?
With hunger and humility. Even if we are veterans in our field, we needed to accept that we were the idiots in the room — and we were willing idiots hungry to learn.
What happened after Greentech won the top prize?
It changed the game for us. It got us in the radar of people and companies which can propel us forward — investor brokers, banks, media coverage, press, our first big agricultural client, and a fleet of over 800 cargo ships in line. It was an empowering vote of confidence.
But the biggest impact is the boost in the morale of the team and our tricycle drivers-partners. In their words, “Masarap pala ang may malaking kasangga (It feels good to have a big partner).”
What will Greentech do with the $1 million funding?
The money will accelerate our community-building efforts to reach out to more TODA and mechanics nationwide. We can now expand applications to agri and fishing sectors. We can start systems development in time to support a larger rollout to motorcycle brands and other country distributions.
Is the ecobooster limited to tricycles or motorcycles?
Not at all. We have models developed for carburetor motorcycles, but it can be used in all fuel ignition engines — those that mix air and fuel and are ignited by spark plugs (except diesel engines). It can function with 2- and 4-stroke engines, carburetor or electronic or fuel injection, fossil fuels or biofuels.
Do you think the world will continue to use oil, even if more people are switching to electric vehicles?
Yes. EVs still require oil to maintain and get off the ground. To replace all cars with EVs requires rare earth mining, cross-continent shipping, and heavy manufacturing that increases global greenhouse gases by 50 percent. So, it will pollute the world to get zero emission locally.
Though sustainable energy sources and technology are fantastic in theory, if you examine closely, the repercussions do not make a realistic, viable option. Land transport accounts for 12 percent of global emission. With EV, to “reduce” the 12 percent, they have to generate more than 50 percent additional emission and generate toxic waste that the developing world and future generations have to deal with. EV is very profitable with a huge marketing budget, but it is not the lifesaver that advocates claim it to be.
What’s next for Greentech?
The team is strengthening its community partnerships in the Philippines as a pilot model for replication and expansion in other countries. I am tasked to pave the way for global expansion on two fronts: B2B partnerships with Japan’s Big 4 motorcycle brands, Italy’s Piaggio, and India’s Hero.
Source: Manila Times