Philippine Startup Week, taking place from November 20 to 24, kicks off the 2023 edition of the event with a special focus on homegrown startup heroes and a strategic focus on cutting-edge topics shaping the budding Filipino startup landscape.
Under the official theme of “Investing in Filipino Homegrown Heroes as Global Game Changers”, Philippine Startup Week 2023 (PHSW23) will feature several discussions exploring how startups can best utilize AI, take advantage of evolving data science and cloud technology, and even how to navigate the current investment climate. The event will host several programs covering different aspects of the aforementioned topics, from “From Agency to Autonomy: Mastering AI-Driven Marketing Strategies” facilitated by startup incubator Brainsparks to “Navigating the Investment Landscape: A Guide to Fundraising from Angel and Early Stage Investors” with Manila Angel Investors Network.
According to Katrina Rausa Chan, Executive Director of QBO Innovation Hub, PHSW23 aims to give attendees actionable insights they can use amidst the constantly-transforming challenges startups face.
“This year’s Philippine Startup Week aims to highlight and strategically position the Philippines as an emerging investment hub for startups in Southeast Asia while facilitating actionable insights and nurturing collaborative efforts and learning among the local startup community. While the tech startup community is facing headwinds in the global “funding winter,” the conference acts as a nexus for innovation and growth, providing a platform for thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors to collectively navigate and shape the future trajectory of the local startup ecosystem,” Chan said.
PHSW23’s opening ceremony featured various government representatives supporting startups, including DICT Undersecretary Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, DTI Undersecretary Rafaelita M. Aldaba, DOST Undersecretary Leah Buendia, DICT Undersecretary David Almirol, DOST Secretary Renato Solidum, DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual, and DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy.
“Our goal goes beyond economic metrics and growing more unicorns,” said Usec. Aldaba in her opening speech. “But it is about cultivating a culture of innovation where creative ideas are encouraged, risks are taken, and new solutions to old and emerging challenges are actively sought.”
The event, which first took place in 2019, is the country’s biggest startup conference and has showcased 100+ different Filipino startups, hosted community events nationwide with over 50 partners, and drawn over 10,000+ registrants from around the world.
PHSW23 showcases a distinguished roster of leaders in the startup community, hailing from both local and international spheres. Among the esteemed founders at the forefront are Ron Baetiong from Podcast Network Asia, Dean Bernales from Uniquecorn Strategies, Kimberly Yao from CloudEats, Dennis Ng from Mober, Kimberly Chen from Bossjob, Nichel Gaba from PDAX, Anna Melissa Nava from 1Export, King Alandy Dy from Expedock, and Josef Werker from Humble Sustainability.
Complementing this lineup are notable investors and ecosystem facilitators, including Franco Varona of Foxmont Capital Partners, Melvin Jeffrey Chan of PLDT Enterprise, Uriah Idriz Velunta of Multisys, Puiyan Leung of Vertex Ventures, Dylan Keota of A2D Ventures, Paulo Campos of Kaya Founders, Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng of Summit Media, Niña Terol of Imaginable Impact, Tina Di Cicco of Manila Angel Investors Network, Jojo Malolos of PayMongo, Rene Cuartero of AHG Lab, Mike Maté of Kickstart Ventures, Natasha Dawn Bautista of 917Ventures, Carlo Chen-Delantar of Gobi-Core Philippines, and Rene “Butch” Meily and Katrina Rausa Chan of QBO Innovation Hub and IdeaSpace Investments.
Aside from a distinguished lineup of speakers and facilitators, PHSW23 will host a variety of programs giving attendees the chance to learn, interact, network, and collaborate with one another. These include the first-ever “Sinigang Valley Conference” organized by QBO, alongside AHG Lab, Foxmont Capital Partners, and Kaya Founders on Nov. 21; government-led summits such as Slingshot Conference x Venture Pilipinas” by Department of Trade and Industry in Metro Manila on November 20, the “Technology Business Incubator (TBI) Summit” by the Department of Science and Technology in Iloilo on November 21, and “Geeks On A Beach” by the Department of Information and Communications Technology and Geeks PH in Bohol from November 22-24; and over 50 community events spearheaded by various partners throughout the country.
Community event partners include Gobi Partners, Amazon Web Services (AWS), 917Ventures, Manila Angel Investors Network, Google Cloud, Maya Philippines, Investree Philippines, FEU Tech Innovation Center, MindanowJuana, Greyhound Innovations, Bukidnon ICT & Innovation Council, Cebu City Cybersecurity Center, FHMoms, The Final Pitch, and Brainsparks.
This year’s edition is hosted by the DOST, DTI, and the DICT, with backing from QBO Innovation Hub—a collaborative venture between the public and private sectors—and other stakeholders in the startup ecosystem like Bossjob and Uniquecorn Strategies. The event is further bolstered by the backing of Sinigang Valley Association and conference partners, including Bossjob, Multisys, PLDT Enterprise, ePLDT, 917Ventures, A2D Ventures, AWS, PwC Philippines, Shell LiveWIRE, and Uniquecorn Strategies.
Be part of PHSW23, empowering local startup heroes to emerge as the next-generation leaders in global innovation. Secure free tickets at www.phstartupweek.com.