Venture capital investor Nila Capital has officially launched in the Philippines with the goal of funding Gen Z startup founders in the country.
Founded by tech entrepreneurs Jason Ho and Ryan Chua, Nila Capital Partners will not only offer startups access to vital capital but also connect them with a wide network of industry professionals.
The firm’s fund, touted as the first and only student venture fund in the country, aims to provide up to $10,000 in funding, in addition to networking and mentorship to startups from all backgrounds.
“After working together at startups and starting a startup of our own together, Ryan and I wanted to bridge the funding gap for Gen Z founders and provide them with the necessary resources to turn their groundbreaking ideas into reality,” Ho said in a LinkedIn post.
Ho started his career across business roles in early-stage startups like healthtech firm Dashlabs, and Singapore edtech startup Kinobi. He also started his own startups and was the CEO and co-founder of Sansan Tech, a B2B social commerce platform for construction materials.
Chua, meanwhile, worked as an investment banker at Singapore boutique investment bank Bayfront Capital Advisors. He has played product and operator roles in regional startups like Kumu, 1Export, and Kinobi, and was also the COO and Co-founder of Sansan Tech.
Drawing from the co-founders’ personal experiences, they started the fund to not only identify but also bolster young founders with the potential to birth the region’s next unicorn.
Their objective is to work with fellow young trailblazers, shepherding their startups into success. Aside from being members of the generation themselves, the team at Nila Capital believes that there’s no shortage of smart young people in the Philippines.
“What’s stopping them (young founders) from materializing their ideas into a full fledged business is often the lack of capital and proper connections to institutions,” said Ho.
“These resources are usually built as you make your own career and gain more experience, but if there’s a way to have access to this while you’re young, then the possibilities are endless,” he added.
“Nila Capital Partners is at the forefront of empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs in the Philippines. Our mission is to bridge the funding gap and provide young founders with the necessary resources to turn their groundbreaking ideas into reality,” the firm said.