Four promising tech startups took center stage as they pitched their businesses to investors at the recently concluded Q3 Pitch Night organized by the Manila Angel Investors Network (MAIN) in Makati City.
The Q3 Pitch Night, sponsored by early-stage investor Investible, provided startup founders with the opportunity to present their business models, ideas, and plans to some of the Philippines’ most prominent angel investors.
The four startups featured in the event were AI system Relyon, waste disposal tech firm Rezbin, modern family matchmaking Auntie, and fintech firm Seeds.
Relyon is an AI system that makes personal safety accessible to everyone and provides a unique solution for security centers. Auntie, meanwhile, is a matchmaking application, like a dating app, where parents, aunts, uncles, and friends make profiles to matchmake for their loved ones.
Seeds is a financial gamification startup while Rezbin uses technology to develop proper waste disposal habits and build the largest network of drop-off points for recyclable waste in developing countries.
Rezbin, based in Iloilo City, was founded in 2023 by siblings Mari and Mica Martirez. Its mission is to make waste disposal fun and easy for Filipinos. In April, the startup was awarded the Impact Startup category at the ASEAN Startup Award 2024, winning a $10,000 research fund to support its expansion plans.
It also received grants from a number of environmentally conscious organizations, including Coca-Cola Philippines and Save Philippine Seas.
Pitch Night is a quarterly event conducted by MAIN, a non-stock, non-profit corporation registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Corporation Code of the Philippines.
MAIN is the largest committed private investors network in the Philippines formed to support the country’s startup ecosystem by connecting investors with promising early-stage companies.
Pitch Night is not a competition but an avenue to expose budding startups to MAIN’s investors’ network through five-minute presentations.
“MAIN aims to positively impact the Philippines by facilitating startup investments and advocating a startup-friendly business environment. This will enable MAIN to grow its membership of angel investors by identifying areas of opportunities that will make a difference in the Philippine ecosystem,” said MAIN executive director Quenby Go.
As an investor, MAIN invests in pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A rounds in the areas of financial inclusion, employment, and education. Apart from providing capital funding, it also mentors entrepreneurs, provides expert support, and opens networking opportunities.
MAIN comprises over 120 angel investors. Its notable funded startups include live streaming firm Kumu, e-commerce startup FlowerStore.ph, and food discovery and deals platform Booky.
Go said they make extra effort to reach out to women founders and women investors to bridge the investment gaps and address biases. Aside from the events that it organizes, MAIN is also invited as resource speaker or panelist in events.
“Looking for and helping startups succeed is what I believe will get MAIN to the next level – but that’s the hard part. Collaborating with organizations and players in the space allows us to reach more startups and meet potential investors,” Go stressed.