The Philippine startup ecosystem is once again featured in the annual Global Startup Ecosystem Report (GSER) by Startup Genome. In its inaugural ranking of the world’s top 100 emerging ecosystems, Manila is ranked 36^th globally.

The GSER 2020 puts the value of Manila’s startup ecosystem at USD1.6 B, with a total early stage funding of USD102 M over the last two and a half years. It is among the startup ecosystems in their activation phase, together with Busan in Korea, Calgary in Canada, Frankfurt in Germany, and Taipei in Taiwan.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez remarked, “The DTI is committed to sustaining the growth of our thriving startup ecosystem in Manila and the whole country during this pandemic and beyond. We continue to implement enabling policies and strategic support programs for enterprises, particularly as we aggressively promote the digitalization of business operations and the digital transformation of our MSMEs and large enterprises.”

Among Manila’s strengths as a top emerging ecosystem are its market reach (or the early-stage startup access to customers allowing them to scale and go global), as well as talent and experience (or the access to talent by early-stage startups). These place Manila among the top 20 ecosystems for Bang for Buck and among the top 30 ecosystems for Affordable Talent.

The GSER 2020 identifies fintech and e-commerce as Manila’s ecosystem sub-sector strengths. Fintech companies account for almost 15% of Manila’s startups, with a transaction value reaching approximately USD10 B in 2019 and is expected to grow by 24% in 2020, while taking into account the expected impact of COVID-19. On the other hand, the e-commerce industry is growing at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 26.4%, which is one of the fastest rates in Southeast Asia.

“The proliferation of fintech and e-commerce startups in the country is testament to the abundance of opportunities in the Philippine market. By mutually reinforcing one another, these two sectors are enabling the growth of traditional sellers and buyers despite today’s trying times. Our young, creative, and resourceful pool of talent will keep our ecosystem vibrant and competitive in the years ahead,” said Undersecretary for Competitiveness and Innovation Rafaelita Aldaba.

In partnership with the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Information and Communications Technology as lead implementing agencies of the Innovative Startup Act, the DTI will facilitate more collaboration among members of the startup community, support the scaling up of startup enterprises, and foster their global expansion.

“We strongly believe that Filipino startups can compete globally, especially with the right collaborators. We are constantly looking out for the chances to showcase the solutions and services they can offer to meet market demands and address social needs. We look forward to seeing our startups grabbing the attention of more mentors and investors as we promote them in the world market,” said Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) Director Senen Perlada.

The GSER is the world’s most comprehensive and widely-read research on startups with 250 ecosystems studied. The GSER 2020 is published by Startup Genome – a world-leading policy advisory and research organization for governments and public-private partnerships committed to accelerating the success of their startup ecosystem – in cooperation with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN). The DTI is a member of the GSER Global Network.

Download the #GSER2020 Deep Dive on MANILA: bit.ly/ManilaDeepDive

Read the full #GSER2020 at: http://startupgenome.com/report/GSER2020

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KAHON.PH

www.kahon.ph

Established Since: 2017

Founder: Nick Padilla and Carlos Domingo

As the first tech-enabled full-service storage solution in the Philippines, Kahon.ph is elevating the concept of storage by integrating technology in the practice of decluttering. This startup, co-founded by Nick Padilla and Carlos Domingo, eliminates the logistical burden of having to bring items to a storage facility, providing customers with unlimited storage space on-demand: “Packing, pick-up, storage, and return — we’re there every step of the way to help you make space for things that really matter.” Through the combination of digital and physical realms, they have created an efficient, hassle-free self-storage experience. Currently, Kahon.ph offers storage by the box (kahon) and storage by the square-meter (kwarto) on a subscription basis.

Since the company’s inception, Kahon.ph has had over 2000 square meters stored and has managed over 6000 of its customer’s items. Starting with the Greater Manila area with hopes of expanding throughout South-East Asia, the future bodes well for founders Nick and Carlos: “We’ve had a 6-fold increase in revenue for the first quarter of 2019 compared to that of the same period last year and with an overall annual growth of 122%. We still believe word-of-mouth is the most effective way for other people to get to know us and we’re glad that our customers see us as a service worth recommending.”

Nick attributes his know-how on real estate and flair for creativity to his experience at Zalora, Rockwell, and the Powerplant mall – having worked in the digital innovation arm of these companies – and to attending trade shows growing up. For Carlos, after his stint at Ace Saatchi and Saatchi and Publicis Jimenezbasic, he left the advertising industry to manage the family business, which is one of the first third-party local logistics companies, VGL Industries Inc. Before starting Kahon.ph, he took on the significant role of Director at the family business, then later he worked as the CEO/General Manager at Excelcare Logistics Inc. Together, they aim to change the traditional storage industry by leading the shift away from the closet or bodega, and by making Kahon.ph the preferred storage solution across the Philippines.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 

GEEK MOBILE SOLUTIONS

www.mrgeekmsi.com 

Established Since: May 2016 

Founder: Rowi Bautista 

Since being founded in 2016, Mr. Geek Mobile Solutions has been catering to Micro, Small, and Medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) delivering specialized tech services ranging from customized mobile apps to software development. Alongside this, they also offer free mobile apps through another platform – MyStart-Apps (MSA).  With hopes that their services provide their clients with an equal shot at success, founder Rowi Bautista remarks: “We intend to level the playing field for micro, small and medium Enterprises by providing technological innovations to achieve market dominance that leads to high profitability.”

Mr. Geek Mobile Solutions has closed several significant projects with top companies like BDO and Toyota over its three years of operation. As well as this, the startup represented the Philippines at the 2017 Asian Entrepreneurship Award competition in Japan and won a pitching competition at a business convention held at the University of the Philippines in 2018.

As the founder and CEO of this company, Rowi is a serial entrepreneur among other things. He is the founder of Mr. Click (a digital marketing agency in the Philippines serving the needs of MSMEs), Mr. Pluffy (a leading cotton candy company with over 70 outlets nationwide), and is also a co-founder at myBOSS (a Fintech company that offers back-office support services). Rowi has even built and sold his first tech startup in 2015, which specialized in microchips. Besides currently pursuing his Master’s in Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, he plans to cultivate Mr. Geek Mobile solutions as a company further: “Our Vision is to be the number one mobile solutions provider for micro, small and medium enterprises in the Philippines in the next five years.”

MEDIA

SnippetMedia

www.snippetmedia.com

Established Since: 2016

CEO: Christopher Star

Imagine consuming quality online content while being rewarded for it at the same time. As a leading news and entertainment app based in the Philippines, SnippetMedia provides brands with a unique opportunity to share content with an audience of over 1.5 million. When individuals read, watch, or share the content, they accrue points which can then be exchanged for real items.

SnippetMedia’s CEO Christopher Star who builds and launches startups in Southeast Asia is armed with an extensive background in marketing for web/mobile startups, and a proven track record in user acquisition, business development, community management, content creation, and audience retention.  He has worked for various industries in the sector for over fourteen years including prominent brands such as Lazada, GuavaPass, DateTix, HappyFresh, Paktor, and Duriana.

“We bring together a group of skilled, driven, enthusiastic, and professional individuals who come together every morning to bring you the stories that matter,” Christopher shares. Having had over 2.5 million active users in the Philippines over the last eight months, he aims to bring about innovation when it comes to content as well as the media industry through integrating both in a seamless platform: “I want every bit of content to be rewarding for every user. We aim to reinvent content consumption and revolutionize online advertising.”

Previous article – Filipino founded startups: Stylegenie PH and GVER

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www.burket.ph

Established Since: June 2018

FounderS: Herbert Joei Bactong, Roy Benedict Julian, Jeff Clarenz Turla, Alexander Soriano, Benedicto Manreza, Juan Celso Flores

Burket.Ph is a business to business social network, marketplace, and SaaS (software-as-a-service) all rolled into a single platform called a Market Network. With ambitions of becoming the next LinkedIn or Facebook for businesses, Burket aids Filipino businesses in discovering more local opportunities through products and services matching – that integrates artificial intelligence, and an easy to use social network interface. “This gives potential buyers a way to look for, and manage new suppliers without going through or searching cluttered directories. As well as this, suppliers will be easily discoverable,” its founders attest. Burket is currently a free service but offers additional features through a fixed monthly subscription. If you are a supplier and deals with other businesses or a buyer and needs new suppliers, Burket is precisely the tool for you.

Burket’s founders – Herbert Joei Bactong, Roy Benedict Julian, Jeff Clarenz Turla, Alexander Soriano, Benedicto Manreza, Juan Celso Flores – come from various multinational companies including Bank of America, Henkel, BPI, Smart, Hyundai, DB Shenker.  The team members have experience in roles such as technology, marketing, operations, and business management, among others. CEO Herbert was previously the CTO of BPI Securities and President of an IT subsidiary of a group of companies in the Philippines. Their CTO Jeff graduated Magna Cum Laude in Computer Engineering and held many technology and digital marketing roles in Hyundai, while COO Roy held operations and human resource roles from Henkel.

Despite starting development only last July 2018, and recently launching their Alpha version mid-March 2019, Burket has shown such promising growth. From the first two months, they were able to aggregate 200+ unique companies and over 800 products and services. Coupled with this, their week over week user signups grow at about 12.5%, and an increase of 95% in their site visits is seen monthly. Furthermore, Burket was part of the KMC/Impact Hub Space for Ingenious incubation program in the Philippines and will be an Alpha exhibitor this upcoming RISE conference in Hong Kong.

Regarding their ultimate aspiration as a business, the founders share: “Our vision is to see Burket become the go-to platform if not the only platform that allows companies to connect and do business in the Philippines. We want to help MSMEs become more discoverable and have more opportunities.”

COWORKING ALL ACCESS

www.allaccess.work

Established Since: March 2019

 Founder: Brandon Joseph 

Coming on the heels of the rising co-working industry in the UAE is Coworking All Access, a membership-based platform which gives entrepreneurs and freelancers access to various co-working spaces and business centers around the UAE.  “We understand that most entrepreneurs can’t afford to explore all co-working communities and enjoy their personal life beyond work. Hence, we are giving our community access to the best spaces and personal services so they can work hard and build their network while enjoying a much healthier lifestyle,” shares founder Brandon Joseph. The startup expands beyond the idea of typical coworking space services by offering networking and lifestyle perks including access to mentors, curated events, restaurant deals, complimentary gym and yoga classes, salon and spa deals, as well as time off by the pool at 5-star hotels around the city.

Since launching the website in March, the company has already generated close to 400 signups, as well as a lot of interest from coworking space operators.  Aiming to further differentiate their offering, they are also planning to publish Cowork Magazine ME in August 2019.

Brandon, who has a robust background on the startup and coworking industry in the region brings with him technical, creative and management skills as well as his network developed through running FUNDXB a series of events popular with Dubai’s young entrepreneur set.  He shares, “We would like to see All Access as a platform that is vital for freelancers, startup entrepreneurs or mobile workers that can provide true work and life harmony.  We envision it to be present not only here in the UAE, but also around the Middle East and in major cities across the globe someday, leveraging on the strong partnerships and supporters of our humble project.”

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www.play-mebc.ae

Since: 2015

Founder: Edwin Duria

Managing over 250 high profile clients including Samsung, Pearson Education and JC Bamford Excavators Ltd, Play Middle East has maintained an excellent track record in its four years of Business Consultancy. Through founder Edwin Duria, the company has devoted its cause to assisting individuals and entire companies in their licensing ventures – providing registration, renewal, cancellation and amendment services. The company has been accredited through various government organizations in the UAE (DWC, DMCC, RAKEZ and Ajman Free Zone) and across the world – striking business partnerships within the UK, Gibraltar, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand.

DAGAZ MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY

www.dagazhr.harrisonassessments.eu

Since: 2011

Founder: Cristina Calaguian

Spearheaded by Cristina Calaguian, Dagaz Management Consultancy excels in providing Human Resources consultancy, general business management consultancy, recruitment, events management, publishing and education training services within the MENA region. Through the years, Dagaz has functioned as a gateway for talent into the career world – a devoted supporter of career development and job opportunity, having lent its helping hand to commercial and governmental organizations, along with a handful of individuals and people with determination.

PRIME GROUP UAE

www.primegroup.ae

Since: 2016

Founders: Abdul Latif Al Gargawi, Salah Ameen Al Awadi, Abdul Majeed Malek, Mary Jane Alvero-Al Mahdi

Founded in 2016 through the collaboration of various industry talents, Prime Group has evolved into a leading authority in quality and compliance solutions providing across Asia and the MENA region. Having over 400 staff members across its group of companies across the Middle East, Prime boasts a highly experienced team of multi-talented individuals capable of managing its wide range of services within the fields of testing, inspection, certification and training.

Focusing on certification, the group has had a profound impact on the halal food industry, acting as a catalyst and gateway for international halal food to the UAE. “We aim to raise the awareness of exporters on the opportunities within the Halal sector, both regionally and globally and to educate them on the halal system in the UAE.” Co-founder Mary Jane Alvero-Al Mahdi says.

Since its official launching, Prime has certified over a hundred Philippine exporting companies not only to the UAE, but also the Middle East, Africa, Europe and America – and has worked in tandem with well renown brands across the world such as the San Miguel Food Group, Unilever, Nestle, Goldilocks and even Jollibee.

Prime’s defining characteristic behind their reputation lies within their exacting service standards, further backed up by their technical expertise and knowledge of the market. The company has been recognized as one of the most outstanding certification bodies by the UAE government through the Sheikh Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development. “Our reputation is based on a consistent track record of punctual and meticulous service delivery; extremely cost-effective services; a very high level of technical expertise in giving customized solutions; and multiple awards won locally and internationally.” Mary Jane shares. “The end goal of all our businesses is to ensure alignment with the best international standard practices. In doing so, we create an environment of trust.”

Read the full edition of Illustrado Work & Play 2019 on www.issuu.com

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Filipino Businesses in the Middle East and Beyond: Illustrado – Creo, Ape Creative, Jungle Beige, Almost Impossible Agency

Filipino – Founded Startups: Denarii Cash, Acudeen and Beamandgo

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www.denarii.cash

Established Since: 2017

Founder: Jon Edward Santillan

A money transfer application based in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Denarii Cash enables overseas workers to send money home with absolutely zero fees, and the best exchange rates. Starting with the OFW community in the Gulf, Denarii will soon be providing their services to Indians, Pakistanis, and other nationalities. As an overseas worker, you can download the app and buy credits through ATMs, vouchers, or kiosks. Once the credits are in your account, one can select where to send it to from Denarii’s 10,000 cashpoint partners and major banks in the Philippines and other countries. Upon transfer, both the sender and receiver will receive an SMS once the money is ready for collection.

As a migrant worker, Jon recognizes the importance of every cent that one earns – and it was from this reality that Denarii was born: “The money we earn is the money that eventually ends up sustaining our relatives back home. Since there are limited remittance options for migrant workers, I felt there was a strong need to help overseas workers send their hard-earned money home with zero fees. Given my expertise in the tech and FinTech industry, I think my ultimate aspiration for founding Denarii Cash is to help them do just that.”

Since completing the MISK 500 program in Riyadh (a startup accelerator), in 2018, Denarii Cash remitted over 500K USD, and the company is growing by 400% on a month over month basis. Besides also being backed by prominent FinTech investors from the US, UAE, and Saudi Arabia, Denarii has gained even more distinction after taking home first place at the 4^th Dubai Smartpreneur Competition (organized by the Dubai Chamber where more than 1000+ applications were screened).  The startup was also accepted at the Muhammad Bin Rashid Initiative Fund in the UAE, organized by the Ministry of Finance in Dubai.

ACUDEEN

www.acudeen.com

Established Since: 2017

Founder: Magellan Fetalino 

For the longest time, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have been facing financial issues without many options to turn to for support. Besides being a secondary priority for many financial institutions, SMEs are often left waiting indefinitely for receivables – and this immensely hinders what they can do to move forward as a company. Dedicating all their efforts to support SMEs, Acudeen has developed technology that renders the financing of alternative assets like receivables more accessible to businesses that need it: “Through us, SMEs no longer need to wait 30-150 days for their receivables to mature before they get paid. They can liquidate these receivables within 3-5 days. What the technology brings to the table is the speed of delivery (of funds) and bridging of trust (automated backroom for risk assessment) with formal funders,” says Founder and CEO Magellan Fetalino.

Magellan took up a B.S. in Entrepreneurship at the University of Santo Tomas, and Digital Public Relations under Ateneo De Manila University’s PRSP IIDM Program.  He is a graduate founder of Founder Institute and is currently taking up his Masters at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business.  Magellan also completed a business program at the Alibaba Business School.  As a founder, he brings a lot of technical expertise to the table – evident from the projects he has been a part of. He is a partner of Original Pitch Venture Capital, a member of the Board of Trustees of Fintech Alliance Philippines, a Board Director of the Philippine Association for Digital Commerce and Decentralized Industries, a Board Director of Kyopay Technologies in Myanmar, and President of The Global Filipino Investors.

Understanding and acknowledging the financial struggles SMEs frequently encounter, Magellan ultimately aspires to help fellow business owners feel more secure concerning the future of their companies: “When it comes to access to finance, financial institutions are very liquid – there’s a lot of money to lend. But with years of bad experiences with small and medium enterprises, it became challenging for banks to trust SMEs. This is the reality that our SMEs are facing today. Fortunately, with the new laws, the new initiatives, and the innovations that we have today, one can only wish to finally give an ordinary entrepreneur or proprietor an alternative and more accessible financing to look forward to in the years to come.”

Acudeen has been providing services since 2017. In their first year of operation, the business closed 100M PHP worth of invoices, and then 500M PHP the following year in 2018. Of this, Magellan attests: “This year, we believe that our ambition of Project 5B PHP of SME invoices can be achieved.  Today, the market has been primed on how receivable discounting works, and easily understands how to utilize us for their businesses. From a push strategy in 2017, we are now reaping the pull effects.” To date, Acudeen is serving more than 1400 SMEs that have registered to sell receivables.

BEAMANDGO

www.beamandgo.com

Established Since: 2015

Founders: Mariliese Tan, Jonathan E. Chua, and Albert Christian Go

BeamAndGo is a payment and digital marketplace that provides OFWs with an alternative form of remittance that is convenient, transparent, and sustainable. Usually, money sent back home is used to fund the costs for food, bills, education, or medicine. However, an unfortunate reality is that the OFW’s beneficiaries can sometimes misuse it. For instance, since remittances mainly come in the form of cash, people can take advantage of this by not spending it wisely. With BeamAndGo, all of this is prevented.  An OFW, for example, can purchase a digital supermarket gift certificate that will then be sent to loved ones back home. These digital gift certificates can then be availed of immediately at participating stores. One can even pay for insurance, healthcare, airtime load, and other utilities and useful services via the platform.

The startup was co-founded by CEO Jonathan E. Chua, Senior VP Albert Christian GO, and Mariliese Tan. Back in 2013, acquainted with the issues OFWs collectively face with remittances, Mariliese came up with the idea for BeamAndGo. Coming from the corporate world, she partnered with Jonathan and Albert to help solve this issue that plagues many households across the Philippines. Jonathan has over twenty-five years of experience as a business leader, technologist, and investor and has been involved in the architecting of next-generation software solutions for a diverse range of companies. Albert brings 12 years of experience in the line of financial technology, corporate communications, and consumer marketing to the table. Together, they have built a successful business that has gained recognition from the likes of Forbes Asia, Bloomberg Asia TV, The Straits Times, CNN Philippines, and Bloomberg Philippines.

As of today, BeamAndGo has over 180,000 registered users internationally – primarily in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and the Middle East – and partners with numerous brands in the Philippines that all implement their services – 800 supermarket branches, 800 pharmacy branches, 2000 petrol stations, and 2500 convenience stores. The platform even offers door-to-door packages, Jollibee packages, home appliances, and mobile load, and has affiliations with digital wallets, cash pickups, and payment kiosks around the world.

BeamAndGo’s ultimate aspiration lies in helping OFWs support their families wherever they may be in the world. They too aim to reduce the number of years a migrant worker needs to be away from their home. “This can be achieved by providing migrant workers with the tools to control their remittances, access to ethical loans, and a way to save money and earn interest. Basically, move them from being unbanked to being banked,” the founders share.

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exoplanetappuae.com

Exoplanet app allows people to enjoy the pleasures of good food combined with good company. For individuals who like connecting over a good meal, the app allows you to find and meet up people nearby. Founder Rafael Galing shares: “We want to foster an amiable community built on positivity, because a sense of camaraderie is something everyone should experience.” Exoplanet has recently been made available at Apple for IOS and Play Store for Android version.

Shoenvious – UAE

shoenvious.com

Shoenvious is an online platform where ladies can design handmade, bespoke and luxury footwear. Developed in the UAE by Co-founder Sau Noddings, Shoenvious uses cutting-edge 3D technology to bring your shoe designs to life with an extensive range of customizations.  “As a shoe lover, it’s important to wear shoes that are aligned with my style as well as suit the occasion. We want to change the way women shop for shoes by giving them the opportunity to put their best foot forward every day in a bespoke pair that represents the best version of herself.”

It’s the HY – Australia

itsthehy.com.au

It’s The HY is an up and coming Australian fashion and textiles company based in Melbourne that create fashion art kits so people can learn how to make their own clothes. Set to launch next month, founders – Filipino Yavi Bermejo and Australian Hugh Reed aspire to change the collective perception on clothing as a whole: “We want people to approach fashion in their own way. We want a future where we have a better relationship with fashion and the way that people purchase clothing.”

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Filipino – founded startups that are making a difference: hospitality

Filipino – founded startups that are making a difference: fashion and beauty

Read more on www.illustradolife.com

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Creating a definitive niche for eco-sustainability in the Philippines’ hospitality industry.

thebirdhouseelnido.com

Philippines

Since September 2016
Sector: Hotel/Hospitality Industry
Founder: Camille and Mark-Anthony Villaflor

The Birdhouse is an island exclusive boutique glamping site on the Maremegmeg beach in El Nido.

“Nestled in the side of a ridge, this off-the-beaten-path gives activities true to the nature of experiential tourism and slow travel. Whether that’s the hike up the 200 bamboo steps, a long coffee session at The Nesting Table (in-house restaurant), or a yoga session up in the mother nest, this is a place to recharge.”

The label was founded by former international school teacher Mark Anthony Villaflor and interior designer Camille. Since their opening almost two years ago, in September 2016, The Birdhouse has had a high occupancy rate of 97% and has received Trip Advisor’s #1 Specialty Lodging in El Nido. Their success has resulted into receiving a grant in moving towards sustainable solar energy from the United Nations, expansion from three to five luxury glamping units (seven very soon), and the building of a network to connect like-minded business partners and entrepreneurs.

Birdhouse’s vision for the future revolves around making eco–sustainable glamping a stand-out niche among Filipino hotel and hospitality brands. “We want to show that low-impact eco-friendly hotels have a huge place in the hotel game in the Philippines. We seek to prove that eco should be both ecological and economical. We believe that balancing aesthetic through great design and nature are essential in our hospitality approach. The lifestyle we seek is the lifestyle we will present.”

Related articles:

Filipino Founded Startups that are making a difference – Impact

Filipino Founded Startups that are making a difference – Community

Read more on entrepreneurship and startups on Illustrado Life.

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Bringing style confidence to men and women one box at a time

stylegenie.ph

Philippines

Since August 2016

Sector: E-Commerce / Retail Services

Founder: Abbie Victorino

StyleGenie is a fashiontech company with a mission to empower men and women with confidence through data-driven style services, one box at a time. Their simple subscription methods and customer packages have served many women of all shapes, sizes and ages across the world. As a startup brand entrepreneur, Abbie Victorino has been bootstrapping and using organic marketing for the last 21 months. Within 6 months of field operation, they won their first startup competition, and they now cater to over 2,000 active subscribers and a growing social media presence online.

Abbie Victorino’s entrepreneurial skills can be traced from her background in e-commerce. She has had 6 years of experience in international fashion buying and e-commerce consultancy and has worked with companies like PLDT-SMART Voyager Innovations, Zalora Philippines and CashCashPinoy. She was also the first Filipina representative at the recent Alibaba eFounders Fellowship Program- Asia Class 1.

Her dream for StyleGenie is to be the number one fashion tech company in Southeast Asia. “I believe that with the right culture within the team, plus the data that we gather from our loyal subscribers will help drive the success of the company in delivering StyleBoxes across different countries and various categories.”

Pustura

Representing Filipino-style in Canada

lovepustura.com

Canada

Since July 2016

Sector: Clothing line

Founder: Jenefer Ayunan Padilla and Hanes Marasigan-Anotado

Named after the Filipino words meaning ‘well dressed’, Pustura is a startup brand that combines uncompromising elegance, comfort and quality. The company which celebrates Filipino style inspirations and craftsmanship was created by Filipino Canadians Jenefer Ayunan Padilla and Hanes Marasigan-Anotado. Pustura currently has five sub categories under its brand, catering to different occasions and audiences from their global online clientele: Royals by Pustura (quality cotton shirts), Pustura Premium (luxe clothing sourced from fine silk), Squad by Pustura (garments catered towards medical professionals), Pustura Design (customized outfits for various black tie occasions), and Street by Pustura (trendy, high quality affordable street wear).  Established in 2016, Pustura is well on its way to making US$3 million in sales by the end of 2018.

As one of the founders, Jenefer dreams of Pustura fully evolving beyond a series of clothing lines and into that of a fashion school in the future. She currently works towards its creation in Ozamis, Mindanao in the hopes of creating an institution that can offer free fashion education to kids, stay at home moms and more.
Hanes on the other hand travels back and forth from Canada to the Philippines and works towards elevating Pustura to new heights, utilizing the brand’s potential towards becoming a well-known global brand that all Filipinos would be proud of. She envisions Pustura to be a breeding ground for all the best and most talented creative Filipino minds out there.

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Filipino – founded startups that are making a difference: Community

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Read more on Filipino startups on Illustrado life.

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As of 2017, The Trade and Industry Department estimates that there were over 300 of these innovative and potentially scalable businesses established in the country.  Interest in entrepreneurship, however, has been growing in recent years with more and more millennials opting to create their own ventures, and while the numbers of investors and incubators are seeing a promising increase.  Interestingly enough, the Philippines’ also hit an important milestone in 2017 with its first ‘unicorn’ – Revolution Precrafted, developers of prefabricated designer homes founded by Robbie Antonio, raising its series B funding valued at over US$1B.

With all indicators pointing to a promising future, and Filipino entrepreneurs rolling up their sleeves to push out the next big thing, here are 10 Filipino-founded startups from the homeland and elsewhere, which are making a difference in their fields.

Reefood

Canada

Since 2015

Founder: Dansion Buan

Sector: Food Waste Reduction

refood.ca

In 2015, entrepreneur Dansion Buan Reefood – a provider that helps food vendors redirect surplus food that would have been thrown out to charitable associations in need. Operating from Vancouver, Canada, in the mere span of three years since its launch, Reefood has been able to supply 10,000 meals per day, preventing over 3,000,000 kgs of food from directly entering the waste stream.

With a track record of participation in several non-profit organizations, Dansion has too worked within numerous business sectors including food, micro finance, tourism, and alternative medicine. Eventually, his business acumen and passion for helping those less fortunate led him to where he stands today.  

Functioning within a double-sided market, Reefood has been able to benefit both food vendors and charitable organizations in a myriad of ways. However, more than just helping others benefit through their endeavors, Dansion ultimately hopes that the company’s actions will inspire others to carry out goodwill.

Every single year, roughly one third of food produced globally is either lost or wasted – a fair majority of which is still consumable. It’s been Dansion’s core advocacy to reduce this daunting number to the utmost of his abilities, as well as nourish the lives of those in need.

Virtualahan

virtualahan.com

Philippines

Since 2015

Sector: Technology Social Enterprise focused on People with Disabilities 

Founder: Ryan Gersava 

Virtualahan is a tech social enterprise that empowers disadvantaged individuals, starting with people with disabilities, indigenous people, and former drug addicts by training them, so that they are equipped with the knowledge to carry out digital work. “We help businesses grow with both our specialization in technology and the human touch,” says founder Ryan Gersava. He further attests: “We provide highly skilled human workforce who can deliver quality output despite their limitations.”

So far, Virtualahan has successfully trained 161 people, who have had a 74% employment rate in 53 cities nationwide – not to mention positively impacted many others through their community building programs. Amidst their numerous achievements, the most significant testament to their success and commendable endeavors was when they were chosen as the 2017 winner of the Google Business Group Stories contest – bagging a momentous first for the Philippines.

At only 25 years old, what Ryan has been able to achieve is nothing short of amazing.  As a medical laboratory scientist with extensive training in business, He has prior represented The Philippines at the 20th Youth Assembly at the United Nations in New York as well as the Social Enterprise World Forum in Hong Kong. Ryan is set to attend future global forums regarding pressing international matters relevant to what he stands for.

Having accomplished so much already, the goal remains unfettered for Ryan: “The dream is to create an ecosystem for disadvantaged people to thrive and become leaders of our society in our effort to contribute to building the future of work where no one is left behind. We believe that we can be a force for positive change, capable of moving both our clients’ business and our social mission to create tangible impact.”

GVER – your friendly marketplace for sharing

gver.net

United Arab Emirates

Since September 2017

Founders:  Lalaine Chu-Benitez & Mon Benitez

Sector:  E-Commerce

“Life has become so hard these days. With the global rise of the cost of living, people find it hard to afford their needs, let alone their wants.  We want to give people the alternative of shopping for free, just pay for delivery, utilizing unwanted reusable goods which often end up in landfills, while removing the pains of dealing in second hand markets,” shares Founder Lalaine Chu-Benitez of their early stage startup Gver – Your Friendly Marketplace for sharing.

She adds, “Our aim is to give the world an alternative to consumption that’s not only good for the wallet and the heart, but also the planet, by building a thriving global business based on sharing which will serve both individuals and companies; offer not only products, but also services; and that will also allow people to give and take from beyond their local communities.”

Gver, a peer-to-peer platform is a marketplace where people can give-away items which they don’t need to those who want it.   Members can also receive items for free. All they have to do is make a request and once it is approved, pay for a nominal delivery charge.  “Most of us have some stuff just gathering dust in our closets. And not all of us want to sell in the second hand markets or meet-up with strangers.  Gver solves that issue as it makes getting rid of stuff and acquiring new stuff cheap and easy. We just simplified the equation. Why give? Because giving is good, and when you give, you will also receive,” says Lalaine.

Since its soft launch in September 2017, the platform has already 2,500 members and has facilitated the giving-away of hundreds of items ranging from designer bags and clothes, to household goods, baby items, furniture, as well as books, CDs and sporting equipment. Currently serving the UAE, the platform is also set to cover the Philippines shortly.  Soon, members will also be able to give and receive free services. In July, Gver is also set to exhibit at Rise Hong Kong, Asia’s biggest tech conference which will showcase some of the world’s most promising startups.

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As of 2017, The Trade and Industry Department estimates that there were over 300 of these innovative and potentially scalable businesses established in the country.  Interest in entrepreneurship, however, has been growing in recent years with more and more millennials opting to create their own ventures, and while the numbers of investors and incubators are seeing a promising increase.  Interestingly enough, the Philippines’ also hit an important milestone in 2017 with its first ‘unicorn’ – Revolution Precrafted, developers of prefabricated designer homes founded by Robbie Antonio, raising its series B funding valued at over US$1B.

With all indicators pointing to a promising future, and Filipino entrepreneurs rolling up their sleeves to push out the next big thing, here are 10 Filipino-founded startups from the homeland and elsewhere, which are making a difference in their fields.

Software: Ingenuity

Philippines

Since 2010

Founder: John Naranjo
Sector: Software/Outsourcing/BPO
ingenuity.ph

“I named the company ‘Ingenuity’ because if there’s one positive word most associated with us worldwide it is that, ‘the Filipino’s ingenuity’”, says John Naranjo, Founder and CEO.

According to him, “By leveraging the use of technology, Ingenuity aspires to make a difference – for ourselves, for our customers, and for the world. We make this happen in several ways — by building software that makes an impact in the community, and doing stuff that will put the Philippines in the global tech scene; by empowering businesses to leverage technology to deliver a competitive edge; and by encouraging and training kids to take up programming or computer science and equipping them with skills that will make them more successful and relevant in the digital age.”

Ingenuity is an award-winning homegrown software company engaged in providing software outsourcing services, technology consulting, and enterprise solutions to clients worldwide. The company partners with startups, creative agencies, and established businesses to create defining solutions that transform brands, grow businesses, and make people’s lives better.  John shares, “Our mission is to create great software that makes a difference – for ourselves, for our customers, and for the world.”

Since the company’s founding in 2010, they have already successfully delivered over 100 projects mainly for the international market. For the Philippines, they have developed an enterprise-ready cloud-based solution we named ‘Flyt’ to empower local SMEs to leverage technology to make their businesses more competitive. Since its launch in 2018, Ingenuity has already helped over 10 businesses with multiple stores and franchisees “go digital”.

John, who was exposed to programming by his dad at the age of 13, and then later on became an electronics engineer passionate about how technology can improve lives, says that his education has always inculcated within him the values of hardwork and using one’s talents to give back to the community.  Hence, he founded Ingenuity with the mission to build software that makes a difference and that will put the Philippines in the global tech scene.

Read on at www.illustradolife.com

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