Illustrado Magazine – Filipino Abroad

Tag: Filipino Startups

Filipino – Founded Startups: Kahon, Mr Geek Mobile Solutions & Snippet Media

LOGISTICS

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.”

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October 29, 2019
Filipino – Founded Startups: Style Genie PH & GVER

STYLEGENIE

www.stylegenie.ph

Established Since: 2016

Founders: Abbie Victorino, Minrie Macapugay and Rione Palacios

Due to its unrivaled practicality, online shopping is quickly surpassing the need for its traditional counterpart. When it comes to buying fashion, e-commerce is one thing. However, platforms that provide you with specialized styling from the comfort of your own home is a whole other ballgame.

With FashionTech company StyleGenie, customers are sent an expertly curated collection of clothes that caters to their style preferences. From this, people can try before they buy. The StyleGenie team expresses: “Our mission is to grant style wishes and boost our customer’s confidence through smart and sustainable fashion choices.” How it all works: after signing up on their website and creating a Style Profile, you get to choose a Style Box that has been curated just for you. StyleGenie then delivers the clothes to your doorstep – from the collection, you get to keep and buy what you like, and they’ll pick up the rest.

StyleGenie was co-founded by CEO Abbie Victorino, Minrie Macapugay (Chief Tech Officer), and Rione Palacios (Chief Curation Officer). Branding expert Rione is a skilled retail executive with strengths in brand management, marketing communications, and fashion styling, while all-round tech expert Minrie is an IT consultant, front end JavaScript developer, and product development head. Together with Abbie, an experienced leader with a proven track record in international fashion buying and e-commerce solutions, the StyleGenie team endeavors to innovate the online shopping experience: “Through Style Genie and its services, we do not only sell clothes, but instead offer styling solutions so people can discover their true personal style, become conscious shoppers, and actively support the sustainable fashion movement. On the other hand, our platform offers our partner brands, especially the local ones, a way to sell their products with the use of data-driven technologies and personalized style-matching.”

Established in 2016, StyleGenie now has an active client-base of over 30,000 users and 2500 paying customers. Initially starting in the Philippines, the business seeks to expand to Singapore, Jakarta, and Kuala Lumpur later this year. As a company, they have even bagged a couple of awards along the way – StyleGenie received the title of best e-commerce startup from the Philippines at the 2018 ASEAN RiceBowl Startup Awards and was chosen as one of the top 32 Asian startups at the 2019 Jumpstarter startup competition in Hong Kong.

Seizing every opportunity for growth, this business has been a part of many startup programs. StyleGenie was incubated by the Ideaspace Foundation in 2017, and then the Asian Institute of Management in 2018. It was also accelerated by the 2018 UNCTAD (United Nations Conference of Trade and Development) x Alibaba E-Founder Fellowship Program, as well as the 2019 Simona Accelerator for APAC Women Founders (a collaboration between Digitaraya – a startup accelerator in Jakarta – and Google for startups in Indonesia). Through all these endeavors, Abbie has huge aspirations for StyleGenie: “My vision is to become the first female-founded style tech unicorn from the Philippines.”

GVER

www.gver.net

Established Since: 2017

Founders: Lalaine & Mon Benitez

As climate change and the world’s waste problems come to the fore, businesses that provide sustainable solutions lessening people’s environmental impact become more and more important. Enter Gver – Your Friendly Marketplace for Sharing. Founded in 2017 Gver presents a novel mode of consumption built on top of sharing. With the brand pitch – “get stuff for free, just pay for delivery and give away what you don’t need,” the startup differentiates itself from other marketplaces in that the business model is give and take, not buy, sell or trade.

Founder Lalaine Chu-Benitez shares, “Billions worth of useful goods end up in landfills around the world, while billions more are lying in our closets at home. But while so many of us have too much stuff, more and more are finding it harder to afford things. By facilitating sharing and removing the pains of the secondhand markets – no selling/negotiating, no meetups and no having to arrange for transport, we give people amazingly cheap, easy and safe access to goods.”

The platform has currently over 4,000 members and has facilitated the give-away of thousands of items ranging from clothes to books, household items, even entire furniture sets. 2018 marks a new milestone as the brand started collaborating on CSR initiatives with companies to give away old furniture, equipment, and materials. Recent corporate partnership projects include the redistribution of over 150 pcs of second-hand hotel furniture worth an estimated AED25,000 from Jebel Ali Resorts and Hotels to the community, and the release of thousands of ceramicware to benefit restaurants across the city. Such exercises prove that sharing is a win-win situation for both the companies where storage and disposal of old materials are both time-consuming and costly and for the receiving parties that are able to acquire useful goods conveniently delivered to their doorstep at the most minimal costs.

Lalaine adds, “In the future, we see Gver side by side the world’s largest marketplaces, not only because it is a great idea whose time has come, but because the world needs this. We as humans need this type of business to succeed.”

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October 17, 2019
Filipino Businesses in the Middle East and Beyond: Food & Beverage

LA CARNE

www.lacarne.ae

Since: 2014

Founder: Jovy Tuano

As one of the only premium multi-brand meat retailers in the country, La Carne has risen to become one of the benchmark brands of its kind in the country. Working as a premium meat retailer in the UAE, the company has supplied award-winning beef and lamb from Australia, the USA, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa to its discerning patrons. La Carne has provided its customers with a wide variety of options as well as custom orders available upon request (such as 12-hour smoked brisket and halal sausages).

La Carne aims to become a value-adding educational hub for premium meat in the nation’s capital while innovating the way steakhouse level cuts are made available to UAE residents. Through their online store and loyalty program, they have shared educational content with their patrons and improved transparency between client and seller. With an ever-evolving ‘kaizen’ mindset and a focus on community engagement, La Carne has become a competent and trustworthy customer-orientated authority within the region.

CO CHOCOLAT

www.cochocolat.com

Since: 2016

Founder: Luchie and Iman Suguitan

Founded by sisters and ‘Cacao Doctors’ Luchie and Iman Suguitan, Co Chocolat has introduced a new concept within Dubai’s diverse field of gourmet offerings. Through their brand ‘Co Chocolat’, they have intrigued the Dubai foodies by introducing healthy chocolates with a wide variety of tastes.

Their products are developed with health as the number one priority. With minimal use of refined sugar, Co Chocolat develops its products with natural cacao and natural sweeteners (coconut, dates and other fruits), as well as superfoods that promote healing.

“We are committed to ensuring that each bite may either relieve stress, enhance mood, serve as anti-oxidant, boost energy, improve the immune system, be anti-inflammatory, mildly relieve pain, enhance vitality, improve gut flora, or promote heart health.”

Co Chocolat has also maintained a strong relationship with local farmers in the Philippines. By collaborating with small businesses run by cacao farmers in Mindanao through their parent company (OFW para sa Magsasaka), they have made community traceability the core of their work. Through this, they have also increased overall productivity and stability within the cacao farming sector. Through its accomplishments in bringing locally sourced Philippine products to the UAE, Co Chocolat has become a shining example of a business model formed through mutual cooperation and sustainability.

ADOBO RESTO 24/7

www.facebook.com/adoboafc

Since: 2014

Founder: Dowel Deligos

Adobo Resto 24/7 serves authentic Filipino cuisine to the Filipino community in Muscat, Oman while introducing it to the many locals and foreigners in the country. With a culinary focus on dishes from the southern regions of the Philippines, Adobo offers a different take on Filipino food in contrast to its counterparts in the country – while presenting dishes at a high standard with homecooked execution and family-style serving.

OUNCE

www.facebook.com/ouncedxb

@ouncedxb

Since: 2013

Founder: Alberto Opena

Ounce has steadily made a name for itself within the UAE through its expertise within event and facilities management, consultancy and catering for numerous events. Famed for its specialization within beverage mixology, the company has worked closely with MMI and has become the brand ambassador for many well-known labels such as Jack Daniels, Macallan and San Pellegrino. The brand has also introduced a unique flavor into the field by way of “Tagai” craft cocktails, which are inspired by Filipino culture.

ESKINITA

www.facebook.com/ESKINITADXB/

Since: 2017

Founder: Aldo Aguilar

Situated in Deira, the heart of Dubai, Eskinita Restaurant serves Filipino and international street food with favorites including grills, sizzlers and fusion drinks, to the growing Filipino community. It has established itself as a casual hangout and events place for many Pinoys, even hosting open mic sessions where individuals and groups could showcase their musical talent.

OFF THE HOOK

www.othrestaurant.com

Since: 2016

Founder: Rolly Brucales

Three years running strong since its opening in Abu Dhabi, Off the Hook has constantly provided simple and delicious fun to a growing loyal customer base across the UAE. The brand has become famous for serving healthy Louisiana-style seafood coupled with a family oriented ‘kamayan’ style dining experience, and laid back and cozy atmosphere.

Off the hook has four branches spread across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain with a fifth one opening very soon. Through their services, Off the Hook has been nominated for 2017 Best Seafood Restaurant by Timeout Abu Dhabi. Over the years, they have also collaborated with influencers across the region. In a highly saturated industry like the Food and Beverage sector, one can easily become lost and generic. Off the Hook has stayed true to its concept since day one, vigilantly analyzing and identifying market trends and refining its family style dining concept.

Founder Rolly Brucales has known work from a very young age, first beginning as a helping hand in Bicol in his family’s meat business and gaining experience in the public market. After moving to the UAE in 2004, he gained over eight years of accounts experience and expanded his horizons through networking. He also gained an insight into the market by becoming a sales associate along the way. After finding the right partners, he opened Off the Hook in 2016. His unyielding spirit has also led him to open a number of diverse business ventures including a tailoring shop, Global Connect Travels and Tours and Rock Built Contracting and General Maintenance LLC.

As the father of the OTH family, Rolly believes that everyone must go home with something substantial, “lahat tayo dapat umuwi ng meron”. He encourages financial stability and pushes his employees towards professional growth in their endeavors. Through this, he aspires to grow Off the Hook into a worldwide brand, believing that Filipinos can be successful entrepreneurs who not only provide jobs, but also contribute to the building of a strong Filipino community.

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October 1, 2019
Filipino – Founded Startups: Big Data Analytics & Travel

TANGERE APP

www.tangereapp.com

Established Since: January 1, 2018

Founder: Martin Xavier Peñaflor

While market data is instrumental to the research and development facet of companies, it is not the most obtainable considering the high price traditional market research companies often charge for it. Undermining this reality is Tangere App. Empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s), Tangere App provides affordable and real-time market research. For companies that can’t afford the typical PhP1-2 million price, one can have access to the results of nationwide studies that include over 1,800 respondents for as low as PhP70,000. They have also invested in the ‘Rolls-Royce’ of Business Intelligence, Tableau Analytics, to deliver interactive data analytics to their customers based on the results of the market research. Founded by Martin Penaflor, Tangere facilitates the collection of data via mobile application. Based on incentives, respondents can earn points by voting for different survey items available in the app, which in turn can be used to win in raffle draws and for points redemption.

As the chief architect of Tangere App, Martin was an internationally certified business process consultant for SME’s and Large Enterprises from multiple industries before starting the company together with friends from the Market Research and Data Analytics industries. “Our main goal as a company is to provide the same competitive advantage, formerly enjoyed by large enterprises to SME’s. For our Tangere community, providing an alternative platform for them to express their opinions on key issues in the Philippines and at the same time giving them the chance to win items and redeem points is our main priority,” Martin expresses.

Officially launched via Google Play Store in May of 2018, Tangere App has grown immensely. The company currently has 70,000 subscribers purely by word of mouth and has graced the number one spot multiple times on the Google Play trending list. Moreover, they have closed deals with various SME’s in the food and manufacturing industries in the Philippines – namely Gerry’s Grill and Pampanga’s Best – and their survey results have been presented all over mainstream media including CNN, Philippines Star, and ABS-CBN news.

TRIPZEEKER

www.tripzeeker.com

Established Since: 2017

Founder: Kim Co Lim

These days, finding smart ways to save money has never been easier, thanks to platforms like TripZeeker. This online meta-search engine allows travelers to compare the prices of numerous tours, activities, and attraction passes for where they’re going. When using TripZeeker, all you have to do is search for tours on the website. You’ll then be given a list of all the available tours with prices from the partner websites based on the keyword typed – it’s that simple. Currently, TripZeeker has aggregated over 85,000+ tours from across the globe. The startup was also featured on regional and local media platforms like CNN Philippines, INC. Southeast Asia, Vietnam Finance, TechShake Asia, Today Singapore, and Entrepreneur Asia Pacific.

Founder of TripZeeker, Kim Co Lim was a former stockbroker at Maybank ATR Kim Eng Securities, and RCBC Securities, Inc. She holds a BS in Management Accounting and has a diploma from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business – having completed a Certified Securities Specialist Course. She is also an Ambassador for the Philippines in the Asia Pacific MSME Trade Coalition (AMTC), and in an NGO based in Singapore. Aside from Kim’s comprehensive background in business, she is a travel aficionado at heart – and with this passion, aims to make TripZeeker the leading travel website in the Philippines and the most significant international tour comparison platform.

Elaborating on her aspirations as a founder, Kim shares: “I aspire to create a travel-based marketplace that enables travelers to browse, compare and book from millions of travel options related to tours, activities, and packages. And to have the opportunity to reshape harmony in the global travel ecosystem by helping travelers to discover the best travel deals and help local tour operators to have more reach online. Being one of the best travel destinations in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is truly world-class, and we should have our own leading travel website. With the help of people who believe in our vision, it’s not far-fetched.”

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September 9, 2019
Filipino – Founded Startups: Burket.ph & All Access Work

BURKET.PH

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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September 1, 2019
Filipino Businesses in the Middle East and Beyond: Education & Training

PHILIPPINE BUSINESS SCHOOL

www.phbusinessschool.com

Since: 2017

Founder: Lyndon Magsino

“Shaping the global business leaders of tomorrow,” the Philippine Business School positions itself among the most innovative business schools and training facilities in the UAE. Composed of Filipino professionals and businessmen, they offer an international standard of executive education in partnership with a prestigious university in the Philippines. Aiming high, Lyndon Magsino pushes for the Philippine Business School to be among the premiere of its kind, being the first purely Filipino–owned educational institute with national and internationally recognized education leaders.

FILBRIT TRAINING CENTER

www.filbrittrainingcentre.ae

Since: 2016

Co-Founder: Mayet Galang Evans

Filbrit provides over 300 training courses that cover a wide scope of talents, skills, and certifications. Despite amassing quite the following and a growing number of students, learner and tutor priority has been at the core of the institution’s practice, in compliance with UAE law and forged through their close relationship with the KHDA. “We want our clients to be safe and secure when attending our training, which is the best way to ensure that they benefit from our high-quality teaching.” Co-founder Mayet Galang Evans says.

Fueled by their success in the sector, Filbrit now has now expanded with branches in Dubai, and two in Ras Al Khaimah and learners in the UK and Romania. Their business activity has increased by 100% since opening, and the number of courses has also multiplied exponentially. The founders are now are exploring options for franchising. “Being an entrepreneur is tough, but I never give up,” Mayet says. “I believe in following my dreams with enthusiasm and strength.” On staying competitive and keeping ahead of the game, planning is essential to her workflow. “Having many options is the secret to being successful. Finding the balance between planning carefully and being flexible is what will keep you competitive and will turn your business into a triumph.”

THE FILIPINO INSTITUTE

www.filipino-institute.com

Since: 2015

Founder: Gabriel John Rimando

For almost five years now, the Filipino Institute has given the first step towards life-changing opportunities to Pinoys in the Middle East by providing quality training. The institute specializes in giving short courses that are designed to fit a number of industry fields and skillsets. From language classes to industry skills and practical talents, the Filipino institute offers over 70 courses and has effectively equipped over 80,000 Filipinos with invaluable industry knowledge. Initially operating from Dubai, the overwhelming support of the Filipino community has bolstered the company’s expansion across the region. Now, there are 15 branches spread across the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain.

With the goal of contributing to the Filipino community’s welfare in the region, founder Gabriel John Rimando has made education cheap and accessible through his platform. As a certified International Management Accountant, Public Accountant, and Personal Trainer, he has always had a mindset for sharing skills and helping the community. Through guiding many Filipinos to excellence, he aims to inspire more people to awaken their innate talents and capabilities.

To gain success, Rimando believes in rising above the competition by continually improving one’s services and skills to maintain a competitive edge. Risk-taking is equally essential. He believes that, despite the occasional loss, risks can become catalysts for trying harder. Lastly, he encourages his peers to follow the rules, sharing that “Rules don’t limit you. They give you the opportunity.”

Through social entrepreneurship, Gabriel John Rimando has created a friendly and accessible environment where learning is considered as the primary tool for advancement. Combining accessibility and affordability, the Filipino institute has become a vehicle for success for many of its students, equipping them towards their career evolution.

HAYAT INSTITUTE

www.hayatinstitute.ae

Since: 2018

Co-Founder: Lorraine Alfonso

Hayat Institute is a subsidiary of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development. Accredited by various government organizations (both local and international), the institute provides Occupational Safety Training, Advanced Medical training, Professional Management, and Development Training and Technical and Occupational Skills training. “Empowering the community is the main focus, where training is the equipment that the people need in turning them into lifesavers for a happier, healthier, and safer UAE.” Co-Founder Lorraine Alfonso says.

DE LA SALLE MONTESSORI INTERNATIONAL

www.delasallemontessorinursery.com

Since: 1999

Founder: Remedios Chu

Since 1999, De La Salle Montessori (DLSM) Nursery – Dubai has been providing high-quality early childhood education and care. It has nurtured thousands of children and their families with a safe, protected, and enriched environment for learning that has encouraged physical, mental, social, and creative development. Headmistress Ian Chu Guerrero shares “With our proven “whole child” approach, we are proud to have helped shape students who have entered the primary school system and excelled in academics, sports, leadership, and extracurricular activities.”

PHASES FZE

@phasesbasketballacademy

Since: 2016

Founder: Alex Callueng

USA Basketball Coach Gold Licensee and former high school and college basketball coach in the Philippines, Alex Callueng who is mostly known for his fashion photography work, established Phases Basketball Academy in 2016 to encourage the youth to be better individuals through basketball training. The company runs a Basketball Clinic for kids ages 4 to 16, developing athletic-oriented youth through strength training, conditioning, and team-building exercises. They also organize basketball leagues under the supervision of partner schools so the students can also show their skills gained from the workouts as well as engage in healthy competition. Lead by qualified coaches who are also fathers who appreciate the uniqueness of each kid; Phases aims to make a difference in the lives of their students on and off the court with practical life training that promotes discipline, motivation, and resilience.

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September 1, 2019
Filipino – Founded Startups: Agriculture Technology

AGRABAH MARKETPLACE

www.agrabah.ph

Established Since: 2018

Founders: JoJo Gumino-Ocol & Jun Ocol

The reality is this: while the Philippines relies quite heavily on its agricultural sector, the ones fueling the industry suffer immense financial disadvantages – Philippine farmers and fisherfolk constitute 68% of the people living under the poverty line due to low earnings and increasing market costs. On a mission to solve such an issue is the Agrabah marketplace. This social enterprise startup empowers our farmers and fisherfolk by helping them find potential partners and foster reliable connections that facilitate transactions at a fair value.

Armed with over twenty years of experience from complementary backgrounds Jojo-Gumino Ocol and Jun Ocol co-founded Agrabah Marketplace. Jojo has over ten years of experience in human resources, business development, and corporate partnerships, while Jun also has a decade’s worth of experience in the agricultural value chain as a distributor. With such insider insight, they don’t only plan to help farmers and fisherfolk sustain a fruitful living; they too envision a future where they can yield predictive analytics that allows suppliers to know what to grow and when to grow based on market needs. Jojo and Jun share: “We’re energized by the innovation we’re leading, and every individual has an impact on that success. We love that we can make a difference to the community, to our team, to our customers, and to an entire industry. Agrabah is on a mission to make agriculture great again.”

Expediting product transactions since March, Agrabah Marketplace has helped supply over 78 metric tons of agricultural produce to their institutional clients via their B2B marketplace. In the process, they’ve benefitted the lives of over a thousand coastal farmers across the Bicol region. With the future bright, they plan to expand nationwide as well as launch their B2C marketplace in the upcoming months so consumers can enjoy fresh produce sourced directly from local farmers.

For Jun and Jojo, there is no time better than the present to invest in Filipino startups – they attest: “The Philippine startup ecosystem is slowly, but steadily growing. New businesses need more support both public and private not only in terms of funding, but also mentorship, training, and resources.”

FARMWATCH SOLUTIONS

www.farmwatch.ph

Established Since: 2016

Founders: Jayn Sy, Rupert Calvin Sievert, and Athena Lavega

As a company in the agritech and cleantech industries, Farmwatch Solutions conducts remote environmental and energy monitoring for agricultural and industrial buildings. Founded by Jayn Sy, Rupert Calvin Sievert, and Athena Lavega, the business examines the different environmental parameters affecting livestock farms and provides data coupled with an expert-based recommendation system to help their clients effectively manage their buildings. They also do energy monitoring and management for biogas generators and green buildings. “Farmwatch’s goal is to ensure that animals and humans alike get access to better living conditions through efficient and expert environmental monitoring,” the founders share.

CEO Engr. Athena Lavega has a master’s degree in electrical engineering and is a professor at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, while CTO Engr. Rupert Calvin Sievert is an electronics and communications engineer as well as a professional full-stack software and hardware developer. Handling operations and finance is Jane Sy, who has a degree in pharmacy, and a master’s in both marketing management and science in entrepreneurship. Together with their diverse skill sets, they seek to champion sustainability by reducing ecological impact utilizing technology. When it comes to their ultimate aspiration as founders, Jane expresses: “Speaking on behalf of the Farmwatch team, our ultimate aspiration is to really marry technology with environmental science. We want to be able to provide solutions that would greatly benefit the world and help ease the staggering damages in our environment. It might sound too idealistic or ‘millennial-like,’ but we fully embrace such notions because we think that intellect and skills should be used beyond the corporate and capitalistic sense and should be used to support sustainable goals.”

Growing in their operations, Farmtech Solutions received a government grant from the Department of Science and Technology to further develop their product and gather more data through pilot deployments. “We have deployed mostly in poultry farms in Mindanao and do biogas energy monitoring in Luzon. We have partnered with several IoT (Internet of Things) private companies to increase the value of our services and scale our operations.”

“I can honestly say that we are eons away from the rest of the world,” attests Jane regarding the Philippine startup scene. “The thing with “catching up” is that while we try to do so, the advanced countries are also moving forward, so I don’t think we can truly catch up in that sense. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the lack of skills or great minds, it’s the traditional and unfriendly ecosystem we live in that hinders most of the startups. We first need to disrupt the ecosystem, be more open to discussions, veer away from power-tripping government agencies, and just honestly support startups without the red tape.”

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August 26, 2019
Filipino – Founded Startups: Denarii Cash, Acudeen and Beamandgo

DENARII CASH

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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August 18, 2019
Filipino – founded startups that are making a difference: brands to look out for

Exoplanet App – UAE

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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July 23, 2018
Filipino – founded startups that are making a difference: Fashion and Beauty

Style Genie PH

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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July 16, 2018