In March 2021, Navegar invested in MDI Novare, a Philippines-based IT company specializing in custom application development, infrastructure, data analytics and IT security solutions for businesses and the public sector. Navegar was interested in partnering with Myla Villanueva, who founded and successfully built MDI at a time when female entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia was exceedingly rare.
With Navegar’s support, MDI has experienced robust growth: from 2019 to early 2024, revenue rose 17% and EBITDA grew 13%. The employee count increased from 650 in 2021 to over 850 by May 2024. Villanueva focuses on empowering women in a male-dominated industry, implementing initiatives like breastfeeding rooms and a “Parenting Club” for employee support. MDI also promotes inclusivity through awareness sessions on sexual orientation and gender identity, alongside resource groups for women and LGBTQIA+ employees.