49 Fast-Growing Tech Startups in the Philippines

Last Updated – Sep 4, 2023 @ 10:08 am

There’s no doubt that launching a startup is one of the best ways to build wealth. According to our study, 27% of Filipinos view starting a business as their top alternative for investments.

However, it’s important to note that 90% of startups don’t make it past their initial stages. This statistic heavily emphasizes the inherent challenges and risks involved. 

Business success requires not just a novel idea, but also meticulous planning, a deep understanding of the market, relentless perseverance, and adaptability in the face of adversity.

What is a Tech Startup?

A tech startup is a company founded on the basis of leveraging technology to bring a new or innovative product or service to the market. 

These businesses often operate in the fields of software development, hardware innovation, data analytics, artificial intelligence, internet of things (IoT), and more. 

The primary objective of tech startups is to identify a gap or inefficiency in the market and address it using technology.

Typically, tech startups begin as small, entrepreneurial ventures with the potential to scale up rapidly. 

This scalability is often due to the inherent nature of technology, which can serve vast numbers of users with relatively incremental increases in costs. 

Tech startups can be found in various sectors, from healthcare and education to finance and entertainment.

A startup’s lifecycle often involves several stages:

• Idea/Conception: Identifying a problem or need in the market and conceptualizing a tech-based solution.
• Prototype/Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Developing an initial version of the product to test its feasibility and market response.
• Seed Stage: Securing initial investment, often from angel investors or early-stage venture capitalists, to refine the product and gain initial traction.
• Growth/Scale: As the startup gains traction, further investments may be secured to scale the product, reach more users, or expand into new markets.
• Maturity/Exit: The startup becomes an established company. At this point, founders might pursue an exit strategy, such as selling the company or going public through an IPO.

Learn More: How to Launch a Startup in the Philippines

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Types of Tech Startups in the Philippines

Tech startups can be classified into a variety of categories based on the industry they primarily serve or the technology they majorly leverage. Here are some of the most common types:

Fintech

Short for Financial Technology, these startups focus on improving and automating the delivery and use of financial services. 

Examples: 

• digital banking
• peer-to-peer lending platforms
• Cryptocurrency
• robo-advising

Edtech

Short for Educational Technology, these companies are focused on improving educational processes and experiences through innovative technology. 

Examples

• online learning platforms
• digital whiteboards
• student performance tracking software

Healthtech

These startups focus on improving healthcare services through technology. 

Examples: 

• telemedicine 
• wearable health monitors
• AI in diagnostics

Agtech or Agritech

These companies aim to improve agricultural processes and yields through technology. 

Examples

• automated farming equipment
• precision agriculture
• farm management software

Adtech

Also known as Advertising Technology, these companies aim to streamline and optimize the delivery of advertisements across various digital platforms. 

Examples: 

• programmatic advertising platforms
• ad servers
• customer targeting algorithms
• digital media publications

Insurtech

These companies aim to streamline and enhance the insurance industry using technology. 

Examples: 

• online insurance platforms
• AI-based risk assessment tools

E-commerce

These are companies that facilitate buying and selling of goods or services via the Internet, and can also include companies solving pain points in logistics and fulfillment.

Cybersecurity

These startups focus on protecting internet-connected systems, including hardware, software, and data, from digital attacks.

Cleantech

These companies focus on products, services, or processes that use technology to help the environment and tackle climate change.

Martech

Short for Marketing Technology, these companies provide software or online services that help marketers manage their operations.

PropTech or Real Estate Tech

These startups apply information technology and platform economics to real estate markets.

Mobility Tech

These companies aim to improve transportation infrastructure and services. This includes everything from ride-sharing platforms to electric vehicle technology and autonomous driving systems.

AI Tech

Short for Artificial Intelligence Technology, these startups focus on developing and implementing artificial intelligence technology in various industries. This can range from machine learning algorithms, natural language processing to advanced robotics.

Web3 Tech

These companies focus on the development and implementation of decentralized internet infrastructure, known as “Web 3.0”. This could include blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, decentralized finance (DeFi), and decentralized applications (dApps).

Social Startups

These companies are focused on addressing social issues and promoting societal change. They aim to leverage technology to solve critical challenges facing society today, such as poverty, education, health, and the environment.

Get Inspired: 100+ Business Ideas in the Philippines

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Top Tech Startups in the Philippines

We’ve curated a list of some of the rapidly emerging startups in the Philippines that are making significant waves in their respective industries.

GCash

GCash is one of the leading mobile wallets in the Philippines, offering a range of digital financial services. Operated by Mynt, which is a partnership between Globe Telecom, the Ayala Corporation, and Ant Financial, GCash provides its users with a convenient way to save, send, borrow, and spend money using just their mobile phones.

Search Growth (5 years): +1,383%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2004
Valuation: $2 billion

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Maya

Maya is a leading digital payment platform and digital bank in the Philippines, offering high-interest savings accounts as well as a mobile wallet app that allows users to make online payments, send money, shop, book flights, and pay bills without the need for a traditional bank account or credit card.

Search Growth (5 years): +5,800%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2008
Valuation: $1.4 billion

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Billease

BillEase is a fintech company in the Philippines that provides an online credit platform for consumers.

Its main offering is to give qualified users the ability to shop now and pay later through installment plans, even without a credit card.

Search Growth (5 years): +691%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2015
Funding: $51 million

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Angkas

Angkas is a motorcycle ride-hailing and delivery service based in the Philippines.

Launched in 2017, it offers an alternative mode of transportation for Filipinos, especially in metropolitan areas like Metro Manila, Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro where traffic congestion is a major concern.

Search Growth (5 years): +241%
Category: Mobility Tech
Founded: 2016
Funding: Unavailable

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Edamama

Edamama is an e-commerce platform in the Philippines that caters specifically to mothers and their families.

The platform focuses on offering a curated selection of products and services tailored to the needs of moms, babies, and children.

Search Growth (5 years): +871%
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2020
Funding: $20 million (Series A)

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SeriousMD

SeriousMD is a medical practice management software tailored for healthcare professionals in the Philippines.

It provides doctors, clinics, and medical practitioners with an integrated platform to streamline various aspects of their practice.

Search Growth (5 years): +1,400%
Category: Healthtech
Founded: 2016
Funding: Unavailable

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GoTyme

GoTyme is a digital bank that represents a strategic partnership between Tyme, a global digital banking powerhouse, and prominent members of the Gokongwei Group: Robinsons Bank, Robinsons Land Corporation, and Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc.

Search Growth (5 years): +99x
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2022
Funding: $77.8 million (Pre-Series C)

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Autodeal

AutoDeal is a leading online automotive marketplace in the Philippines. It provides a platform where car buyers and sellers can connect and transact. AutoDeal offers various services and features designed to make the car buying process more convenient, transparent, and efficient.

Search Growth (5 years): -7%
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2014
Funding: $2.9 million

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Entrego

Entrego is a technology-driven express logistics and fulfillment company in the Philippines. It aims to address the logistical needs of businesses, particularly in the e-commerce sector, by providing an end-to-end fulfillment solution.

The platform has become especially important given the growing e-commerce landscape in the Philippines and the need for reliable logistics solutions.

Search Growth (5 years): +39%
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2013
Funding: $26 million

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InstaPay

InstaPay is an electronic funds transfer (EFT) service governed by Philippine Payment Management Inc. The service was launched by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in 2018.

It is part of the BSP’s National Retail Payment System (NRPS) initiative, aiming to promote and establish a safe, efficient, and reliable electronic retail payment system in the country.

Search Growth (5 years): +482%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2018
Funding: Unavailable

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Kumu

Kumu is a Filipino-made live-streaming app and social media platform. Since its inception, it has grown in popularity among Filipinos both in the Philippines and the global diaspora.

Kumu provides a platform for users to broadcast live videos, interact with their audience in real-time, play interactive games, and participate in various activities that can help them earn money.

Search Growth (5 years): +482%
Category: Adtech
Founded: 2018
Funding: $100 million (Series C)

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MoneyMax

Moneymax is an online comparison platform operating in Southeast Asia, with one of its prominent markets being the Philippines.

It enables users to compare various financial products such as credit cards, loans, insurance, and more.

Search Growth (5 years): +383%
Category: Adtech
Founded: 2013
Funding: $50 million

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NextPay

NextPay is a financial technology company in the Philippines that aims to provide digital banking solutions, particularly to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

These solutions are designed to make financial processes more streamlined and accessible, especially for businesses that may not have easy access to traditional banking services.

Search Growth (5 years): +800%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2019
Funding: $1.72 million (Seed Round)

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PayMongo

PayMongo is a financial technology company based in the Philippines. Founded in 2019, it offers a suite of online payment solutions designed to make the process of accepting payments online easier for businesses in the country.

Search Growth (5 years): +2,600%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2019
Funding: $46 million

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Beep

Beep card is a contactless payment system used primarily for the public transportation network in Metro Manila, Philippines.

Launched in 2015, it was introduced to modernize and streamline the payment system, especially in the city’s train systems and some bus routes.

Search Growth (5 years): +74%
Category: Mobility tech
Founded: 2015
Funding: Unavailable

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Tier One Entertainment

Tier One Entertainment is a talent agency and esports organization based in the Philippines.

Founded by esports veteran Tryke Gutierrez and cosplay and gaming icon Alodia Gosiengfiao, the company was established with the vision of elevating the esports industry in Southeast Asia to world-class standards.

Search Growth (5 years): +114%
Category: Entertainment, Web3
Founded: 2017
Funding: Unavailable

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Mediclick

Mediclick is a modern online pharmacy that provides high-quality healthcare products and solutions with a focus on accessibility and convenience, offering personal pharmacist care, expert healthcare advice, same-day delivery, and subscription plans that ensure users receive products on time.

Search Growth (5 years): +250%
Category: Healthtech
Founded: 2020
Funding: $300,000

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Tonik Bank

Tonik is a neobank operating exclusively online, primarily targeting the Philippine market.

Recognized as Southeast Asia’s first fully digital bank, Tonik offers a range of digital banking solutions, from high-yield savings accounts to easily accessible cash loans and personal loans.

Search Growth (5 years): +1,367%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2018
Funding: $175 million

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SariSuki

SariSuki is an e-commerce platform that provides a diverse range of grocery supplies spanning multiple categories. Serving local communities, SariSuki offers fresh groceries via the Ka-Sari community, encompassing fruits & vegetables, sweets & snacks, dairy items, meat & seafood, among others.

Through the SariSuki app, Ka-Sari community leaders can establish and oversee their personal stores, showcasing SariSuki products for purchase.

Search Growth (5 years): +9,141%
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2020
Funding: $24.8 million

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Konsulta MD

KonsultaMD is a telehealth membership service based in the Philippines. It provides 24/7 access to licensed doctors via voice or video call, allowing users to seek medical advice, prescriptions, and laboratory requests without needing to visit a clinic or hospital in person.

Search Growth (5 years): +950%
Category: Healthtech
Founded: 2015
Funding: $2.7 million

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GrowSari

GrowSari is a Philippines-based startup that focuses on revolutionizing the traditional retail industry, particularly targeting the sari-sari stores, which are small, neighborhood retail outlets.

These stores play a significant role in the daily lives of Filipinos, often acting as their primary source of daily necessities.

Search Growth (5 years): +9,218%
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2015
Funding: $110 million

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Mayani

Mayani is a farm-to-table platform, connecting over 72,000+ farmers and fisherfolk with both individual and commercial buyers, including the country’s largest supermarket chains, food brands, international hotels, and food processors, boosting rural incomes while strengthening access to affordable fresh produce.

Search Growth (5 years): +12%
Category: Agritech
Founded: 2019
Funding: $1.7 million

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Sprout Solutions

Sprout Solutions is a Philippine-based software company that offers a suite of business solutions designed to streamline HR, recruitment, onboarding, training, performance tracking, and payroll processes.

Search Growth (5 years): +322%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2015
Funding: $18.5 million

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Presello

Presello is a real estate platform based in the Philippines.

The platform focuses on providing carefully curated property listings, often with detailed video tours and comprehensive descriptions to give prospective buyers an in-depth view of the property without having to visit in person.

Search Growth (5 years): +63%
Category: Proptech
Founded: 2016
Funding: Unavailable

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Payo Asia

Payo is a logistics technology solutions provider for online businesses in the Philippines. It provides services such as cash-on-delivery solutions, warehousing and fulfillment, inventory management, outsourced customer support, pickup service, product tracking, and more.

Search Growth (5 years): +7,233%
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2016
Funding: Unavailable

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Bukas PH

Bukas.ph is a Philippine-based fintech startup that provides affordable tuition installment plans for students in higher education.

The platform seeks to address the challenge of education financing in the Philippines by making tertiary education more accessible and manageable in terms of payment.

Search Growth (5 years): +1,400%
Category: Fintech / Edtech
Founded: 2017
Funding: $5 million

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PDAX

PDAX, which stands for Philippine Digital Asset Exchange, is a cryptocurrency exchange platform based in the Philippines. Established to cater to the growing demand for cryptocurrency trading in the country, PDAX provides a platform for Filipinos to buy, sell, and hold digital assets.

Search Growth (5 years): +2,700%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2018
Funding: $63.6 million

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Peddlr

PEDDLR provides a free-to-use mobile POS app to millions of store owners in the Philippines. In addition to this, they offer an array of smart tools that enable small business owners to monitor sales, expenses, and inventory, facilitating enhanced earnings and more efficient operational management.

Search Growth (5 years): +233%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2020
Funding: $4.8 million

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AcadArena

AcadArena is an esports platform in the Philippines that focuses on the academic and student community. It seeks to elevate esports in the educational space by providing students with opportunities to engage in competitive gaming while also emphasizing the importance of academics.

Search Growth (5 years): +4,003%
Category: Edtech
Founded: 2019
Funding: $12.2 million

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Blend PH

Blend.ph is a fintech platform in the Philippines that operates as a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending marketplace. It connects borrowers with potential lenders or investors, offering an alternative financial solution beyond traditional banking systems.

Search Growth (5 years): +267%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2018
Funding: Unavailable

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First Circle

First Circle is a fintech company based in the Philippines that offers short-term financing solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Recognizing the challenge many SMEs face in accessing traditional banking and financial services, First Circle utilizes technology and data-driven assessments to provide businesses with timely financial support.

Search Growth (5 years): +32%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2016
Funding: $28.5 million

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Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX)

The Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX) is the world’s first global non-profit platform dedicated to advising companies on comprehensive solutions for plastic pollution reduction, and was the pioneer in establishing a Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard.

Together with its commercial partner, PCX Markets, it serves a global ecosystem of carefully vetted partners that recover, process, and recycle plastic waste, thereby improving livelihoods, scaling up social impact, and reducing the flow of plastic pollution into nature.

Search Growth (5 years): +3,471%
Category: Cleantech
Founded: 2019
Funding: Unavailable

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Boozy PH

Boozy.ph is an online liquor delivery service based in the Philippines. The platform offers a wide range of alcoholic beverages, including wines, beers, spirits, and liquors, and delivers them straight to customers’ doorsteps.

Search Growth (5 years): +167%
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2017
Funding: Unavailable

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Taxumo

Taxumo is a tech startup based in the Philippines that simplifies the process of tax preparation, filing, and payment for freelancers, professionals, and small to medium-sized businesses.

Search Growth (5 years): +114%
Category: Fintech
Founded: 2016
Funding: $214,000

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AQWIRE

AQWIRE primarily focuses on providing global billing and payment solutions for real estate developers and property management companies. The platform is designed to facilitate cross-border transactions through smart contract technology, allowing developers and property managers to reach international clients more easily.

Search Growth (5 years): +33%
Category: Proptech
Founded: 2018
Funding: $2.1 million (Series A)

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Meat Depot

Meat Depot is an online retail and wholesale website in the Philippines known for offering a wide range of premium meats, both local and imported. They pride themselves on providing fresh and high-quality meat products to their customers.

Search Growth (5 years): +20%
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2015
Funding: Unavailable

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Outsource Accelerator

Outsource Accelerator is a platform that serves as a centralized hub for outsourcing information and services. Primarily focused on the Philippines, which is one of the world’s leading outsourcing destinations, Outsource Accelerator provides tools, resources, and information for businesses seeking to outsource various functions, ranging from customer service to back-office operations.

Search Growth (5 years): +500%
Category: Content & Publishing
Founded: 2003
Funding: $1.5 million

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Twala

Twala is a next-generation e-signature platform powered by blockchain smart contracts, which enables users to sign legally binding documents online and issue tamper-proof digital credentials using any device.

Supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and recently collaborating with the Philippine Supreme Court to allow electronic notarization, Twala is revolutionizing the way we handle documents and credentials in the digital age.

Search Growth (5 years): +67%
Category: Web3
Founded: 2019
Funding: $82,300 (Grant from DOST)

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Expedock

Expedock is an AI-powered automation service dedicated to transforming the global supply chain that eliminates inefficiencies by automating manual processes and consolidating all physical and digital data sources into one platform.

Search Growth (5 years): +2,900%
Category: E-commerce & Logistics
Founded: 2019
Funding: $21.7 million

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Packworks

Packworks is a technology company dedicated to empowering small business owners in the Philippines by providing scalable and accessible digital solutions for inventory management and supply chain, thereby fostering progress, inclusivity, and economic growth.

Starting with a few sari-sari stores, it has grown to serve almost 200,000 stores nationwide, leveraging its app and Sari IQ Dashboard to provide digital opportunities and data analytics, previously only accessible to large companies, to the heart of Filipino communities.

Search Growth (5 years): +99x
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2018
Funding: $2 million

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Eskwelabs

Eskwelabs is an online upskilling school that provides affordable and high-quality data skills education, combining live sessions, projects, and mentorship to help students increase their salaries and acquire the latest skills employers need without the time and money investment of a degree.

Through its online cohort-based courses, Eskwelabs is committed to empowering a community of students to achieve their goals and prepare for digital jobs.

Search Growth (5 years): +3,233%
Category: Edtech
Founded: 2019
Funding: $100,000

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Prosperna

Prosperna is a user-friendly multi-channel online store builder specifically designed for Philippine MSMEs. They aim to provide millions of Filipino small business owners with cost-effective e-commerce solutions.

Search Growth (5 years): +3,900%
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2020
Funding: $600,000

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Etaily

Etaily is an end-to-end eCommerce enabler that provides D2C, marketplace, and social commerce retailers with the technology, operations, brand, data capabilities, and eCommerce solutions necessary to digitally transform their business.

Their comprehensive services include brand, creative, and eProduction, customer relationship management, influencer marketing, data strategy and reporting, market and customer profiling, conversion optimization, marketplace development, content management, and order management systems.

Search Growth (5 years): +3,082%
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2020
Funding: $5.9 million (over 2 rounds of seed funding)

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Edukasyon PH

Edukasyon.ph is a leading education technology platform in the Philippines that aims to empower Filipino students to make informed choices about their education and career paths. The platform provides resources, tools, and opportunities to connect students with schools, scholarships, online courses, college courses, and more.

Search Growth (5 years): +50%
Category: Edtech
Founded: 2015
Funding: $3.37 million (Series A)

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Colourette Cosmetics

Colourette Cosmetics provides multi-use, cruelty-free makeup at affordable prices, advocating for #BeautyInAllWays by encouraging self-expression irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, age, occupation, or ethnicity.

Search Growth (5 years): +100%
Category: E-commerce
Founded: 2015
Funding: Undisclosed

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Humble Sustainability

Humble Sustainability is a service that assists both SMEs and enterprises in staying profitable by liquidating their aging stocks, converting unused assets into earnings, and finding new revenue streams, all while maintaining a commitment to environmental protection.

Search Growth (5 years): +100%
Category: Social Startup
Founded: 2020
Funding: $750,000

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Experience Philippines

Experience Philippines is a travel company and community-based in the Philippines, known for organizing unique and themed road trips.

What sets Experience Philippines apart from traditional travel agencies is its concept of “Random Road Trips,” where the destination and activities are kept a surprise until the day of the trip.

The idea is to allow travelers to experience the journey and adventure without being anchored to a set itinerary.

Search Growth (5 years): +48%
Category: Travel
Founded: 2016
Funding: $20,000

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Kwik.Insure

Kwik.insure is a leading online insurance marketplace dedicated to providing easy and dependable insurance solutions.

With Kwik.insure, users can effortlessly select, compare, and purchase a variety of insurance products from the Philippines’ top insurance companies.

Search Growth (5 years): +7,400%
Category: Insuretech
Founded: 2020
Funding: Unavailable

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Yield Guild Games

Yield Guild Games (YGG) is a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) for investing in virtual assets within play-to-earn (P2E) games.

YGG has garnered significant attention as play-to-earn games have grown in popularity, demonstrating the potential of blockchain-based games to offer genuine economic opportunities to players worldwide.

Search Growth (5 years): +300%
Category: Web3
Founded: 2020
Funding: $36.2 million

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