5 entrepreneurs share what they think will be the Philippines’ flagship startup

As much as we try to brand the startup ecosystem in the Philippines, it will be defined – for better and for worse – by the flagship startups that arise out of it. We need to look no further than Silicon Valley to see just how true this is. Though there are thousands of innovative startups there, only a handful – think Facebook, Apple, Google, and Amazon – consistently command the attention of the media and the public.

With that in mind, I posed this question to 14 entrepreneurs: which startup do you think will come to define entrepreneurship in the Philippines? The only requirement was that they could not name their own startup – other than that, all else was fair game. They could champion the company of a complete stranger, or the company of a friend or fellow incubatee.

Senti: provides a social media listening tool that understands Filipino

 
Lyle Jover, CEO of Raket.ph: I think Senti’s concept is great. As entrepreneurs, understanding your market is important. In fact, if you fail to do this, it may spell your company’s demise. Senti can even support our local language, and that is big since most of us don’t really use English all the time in social media. Given this, their potential is great, especially in Asia where English is not the primary language.

If they can execute it well, I just don’t see any reason why companies would not subscribe to their services. For entrepreneurs, guessing or assuming your market is a big risk. So what if you could completely eliminate that and even understand your market’s sentiment for different things? It basically becomes child’s play.

VMoney: provides end-to-end financial tech solutions


Nick Galan, CEO of Satoshi Citadel Industries: We are in the payments space, and as I scan the environment for exciting companies doing extraordinary things, I see only VMoney. Offering a tight, feature-packed, and technically elegant package for merchants, governments, and most of all, consumers, I just know that this group will light things up in the Philippines.

VMoney recognizes that inclusion, rather than stratification creates value in the long term. This is a view we espouse; and we applaud them for this.

Stewarded by seasoned veterans in technology and payments, I predict a very short timeframe before their products and services are a regular part of many Filipinos’ lives.

Peekawoo: provides a more wholesome dating platform geared toward women


Francis Simisim, CEO of Social Light Inc, which makes Zion WiFi: I believe Peekawoo will redefine entrepreneurship by promoting Filipino-made solutions worldwide. While online dating seems to be a saturated industry, Peekawoo has made a name for themselves by differentiating and making online dating more wholesome and safer. This inspiring story will help motivate and give light to Filipino entrepreneurs that dream to have their product or service used globally. Their success will help propel more Filipino entrepreneurs to dream big and go global.

TimeFree Innovations: provides a queuing solution for establishments with high foot traffic


Kristoffer Vincent Loremia, co-founder of Tudlo Innovation Solutions: I would love to choose TimeFree Innovations. TimeFree, spearheaded by its leader, Chino Atillano, has the entrepreneurial spirit that is characterized by innovation and risk-taking. As students in Zamboanga – a city in the Philippines – they started with a simple idea of solving the problem of queuing, and they’re now breaking into the global space. It shows that startup founders, ideas, and companies can emerge from anywhere in the world and any place – the Philippines in particular. It is an essential part of the nation’s ability to succeed in an ever-changing and increasingly competitive global marketplace.

SmartFleet: provides a suite of services geared toward fleet management and analytics


Carl Mamawal, CEO of Nyfti Bicycles: SmartFleet’s fleet management system is something I am looking forward to. They have the potential to improve traffic conditions and fleet driver behavior. They operate with a lean mindset but are very aggressive in getting clients. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are able to get multi-million contracts by next year.

LoanSolutions.ph: allows Filipinos to view the best loan options available to them


Clayton Wood, managing partner of TrueLogic.com.ph: It’s a website that helps people choose the best loan for them based on their needs. You enter your information and they’ll present different offers from local banks. You then choose the one you want (typically that means the one with the best interest rate).

Traditionally, you would go get a loan from the bank you have your money in, and you probably have no negotiating power. LoanSolutions.ph is the first program I’ve seen that gives options to the loan applicant.

This is a big industry in the United States, and I believe it will grow here (along with the entire credit and loan industry). As the Philippines continues to stabilize its credit and banking systems, this model will grow. Giving options to people is always well-received. I believe this is a game-changer.

Tactiles: provides a learning platform for electronics education


May Montero and Kenneth Morgan Nieto, co-founders of Tambio: Tactiles has great potential to innovate in both hardware and software. This can reshape the way we do education here in the Philippines, not just in the field of engineering, but also in basic education. Not just bits, bytes, and resistors, but also alphabets and numbers.

SALt: creates sustainable light solutions


Evan Tan, regional director for Southeast Asia of Freelancer.com: I’m a firm believer in sustainable energy. As one of the team members who helped launch My Shelter Foundation’s A Liter of Light – a project which aims to spread cheap and sustainable solar light to underprivileged communities, I’ve been educated on the fact that the mere presence of light in one’s home is a telling indicator of one’s socioeconomic status.

I’m very eager to see SALt succeed and become the Philippines’ flagship startup. We Filipinos after all have been hailed as the most socially-conscious consumers in a recent Nielsen survey, and what better move than have a company that aims to have a positive social and environmental impact represent us worldwide? Ideaspace’s associate director Dustin Masancay explained to me the simple technology involved in the product – just add tap water and table salt to power for eight hours a lamp with light equivalent to a four-watt LED bulb. I was immediately excited with its potential to offer economically-accessible lighting to underprivileged homes, especially those in the countryside. It was instantly obvious why Ideaspace would choose to support this company, and I look forward to their success.

Lenddo: provides loans and other financial services


Ron Cirujano, Philippine country manager of Elance-oDesk: It is the world’s first online platform that helps the emerging middle class build their creditworthiness by using the reputation they have developed on different social networks like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Currently, if you belong to the middle class and you need money to fund a small business, pay for your education or home improvement – chances are, you will find it very difficult to get a loan from local banks. Lenddo provides their platform to partner financial institutions to enable the growing middle class get access to credit. Aside from the Philippines, Lenddo is already enabling financial access in Colombia and Mexico. Lenddo recently won an award at the World Economic Forum – they were recognized as one of the world’s most innovative startups.

BitMarket.ph: provides point-of-sale systems for merchants that allows them to accept Bitcoin

 
Ralph Santos, president & CEO VMoney: I believe that Bitmarket will open entrepreneurial opportunities in the Philippines by challenging traditional payment methods to provide better ways of transacting for both underserved businesses and consumers. The company will uplift the lives of millions of Filipinos by letting them experience the conveniences and privileges enjoyed by the banked majority. Capturing this market will allow Bitmarket to expand beyond the Philippines.

In many ways, Bitmarket reflects what I want to do for the country – provide innovative technology that will uplift the quality of life for Filipinos. And if someone shares that altruistic goal, then they’ve got my vote.

Jonha Revesencio, rebel wizard of RebelMouse: Despite being in its nascent stage, I think startups like Bitmarket, which aims to ease payment system issues in the country through digital currency, gets my vote.

Not only do they provide an alternative to existing payment systems, they’ve also managed to create awareness to other pressing problems and provide solutions especially during the typhoon Rammasun fundraising.

Kalibrr: aims to use machine learning to improve the recruitment and hiring process

 
Stephen Jagger, co-founder of PayrollHero: Paul Rivera and his team at Kalibrr are building a homegrown, market changing platform for jobs and online assessments. Paul is a returning Filipino that has a big vision and has built a great team. Their innovative way of helping businesses hire smarter is unmatched. Disclosure: I’m an investor in Kalibrr.

Francis Plaza, co-founder of Muber: Kalibrr is probably the most successful startup in the Philippines. Having known the team and even worked with them at some point during its early years, Kalibrr has grown to be a leader in its industry. The idea itself to train unprepared employees for smarter hiring for businesses through computer assisted learning is simply innovative and more importantly, appropriate to the Philippine setting.

Mario Berta, South East Asia regional managing director of Easy Taxi: I choose Kalibrr because this company will finally change and improve the Philippines’ biggest problem: selection and recruitment of talent. While the BPO industry is flourishing, it has never seen something like Kalibrr. Paul Rivera, Kalibrr’s CEO, is probably the most driven Filipino tech entrepreneur whom I have met in the four years I have been here. His tremendous drive will make Kalibrr a multi-million dollar company, paving the way for Philippines’ tech industry, which is not yet mature.
Source: site chinois