Growing community of Filipino startups

The local startup community is showing signs of robust growth, thanks largely to Filipinos’ healthy aptitude for designing software and recognizing that technology plays a significant part in modern life as well as small business enterprises’ growth.

In the recent Manila Dev Challenge, for example, more than a thousand participants gathered in an event that gave recognition to the Philippines’ top software developers, and in the process, raise the standards of Filipino IT talent.

Congratulations to Bryan Zarzuela who was won this first ever geek challenge in the country this year. Zarzuela was among the forty finalists from among the thousands who undertook a six-hour grueling nonstop coding challenge to prove their outstanding IT skills.

The Manila Dev Challenge, as well as numerous other initiatives that have sprung up in the recent years, are the result of what the industry calls as accelerators and incubators that provide a combination of services for startups, including mentorship, funding, connections, training and/or office space.

These interventions often short term, held for a few months, and are able to survive by exchanging equity from startups in exchange for providing services.

Perhaps because of Filipinos’ high propensity for understanding IT and an avid interest in technology and gadgets, including smartphones, the Philippines is a hotspot in terms of developing startup initiatives.

Global support

And this has attracted many of the interested global accelerators and incubators to provide the necessary funding for our Filipino talent. Many have partnered with reputable companies in the Philippines like Globe Telecom and PLDT to touch base and strengthen the community of interested local entrepreneurs and program developers.

Kickstart, owned by Globe, is doing its fair share by making funds accessible to interested startups, and providing for mentorship and education to those deserving organizations or individuals that do not have the initial funds to bring their ideas to reality.

Typical assistance includes extensive training programs to help them run their startup business. This can even involve one-on-one mentoring from successful technopreneurs, usually like-minded IT persons who have successfully made a name for themselves.

Chosen startups are given an initial capitalization, usually P500,000, plus use of resources such as office space, hardware, linkages and other necessary support that most startups need to nurture and grow.

Government initiative

It’s heartwarming that the government also is actively involved in encouraging Filipino startups. The UP Enterprise Center for Technopreneurship runs an Enterprise Business Incubator Program that helps startups achieve their goals in six months.

Any worthwhile ideas involving IT include health, education, energy conservation, agriculture, gaming, industry, traffic, even social media applications. And knowing how much IT is woven in modern life, the possibilities are endless.

The DOST-PEZA Open Technology Business Incubator is also another venue for startups, and in fact has an upcoming event, Geeks On A Beach (GOAB), on Sept. 26-27 in Boracay in a sort of summit where important personalities including Bowei Gai will attend.

Gai is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and noted fire starter behind the World Startup Report mission that aims to spread support for startups all over the world.

Like China and India, which are both recognized for their rich source of startups that have helped change the way human beings live today, the Philippines too is a cradle of hope. If not for this global kindred spirit, we may never realize this potential, and ultimately contribute to a better tomorrow.

Collegiate basketball ongoings

In the UAAP, National University Bulldogs, De La Salle U Green Archers, FEU Tamaraws and UST Growling Tigers are automatically in the Sweet 16 step-ladder phase with the eventual UAAP champion getting the first slot in the Round of Four series of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) 2013 National Collegiate Championship.

UST will defend their 2012 National Collegiate title while for NU, it will their best chance to grab the UAAP title and the first trip to the Round of Four of the National Collegiate Championship.

In the NCAA, San Beda College Red Lions, Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights, University of Perpetual Help Altas and San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags are leading in the race for the top four places and an automatic entry into Sweet 16. The NCAA champion also gets a slot in the Round of Four series of the 2013 National Collegiate Championship.

At CESAFI-Cebu, Southwestern University Cobras have clinched a seat in the Sweet 16 round while University of Visayas Green Lancers, University of San Carlos Warriors and University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars are fighting it out for the remaining two seats allotted to CESAFI-Cebu.

At North-Central Luzon, University of Northern Philippines Sharks have qualified to the Regional Conference games scheduled at Vigan City. Meanwhile, University of Batangas Bhramans recently qualified to the South Luzon-Bicol Regional Conference games and are waiting for the champions of Quezon, Naga, Sorsogon, Tabaco and NCAA-South that will join the regional games scheduled at Sorsogon.

The champions of the regional conference at Vigan, Sorsogon, Ormoc (for Visayas islands leagues outside Cebu) and Davao will join the elit group of Sweet 16 finalists of the 2013 National Collegiate Championship.

Visit www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net and join for free ongoing contests and surveys and receive surprise gifts from PCCL sponsors.

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Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 25th Floor, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]. For a compilation of previous articles, visit www.BizlinksPhilippines.net.