Features March 23, 2026

Championing Philippine Startups and Pioneering Ventures for Entrepreneurs

This is how Filipina leaders are elevating startups in the regional scene and pioneering ventures for early-stage entrepreneurs.

While women account for 66% of small and medium enterprises and 62% of new business registrations, the Philippine tech ecosystem still holds untapped potential for venture capital (VC) support.

The Business Manual interviewed Ysabel Chua and Georgianna Carlos on their experiences leading early-stage tech investments in Southeast Asia and founding companies that address entrepreneurs' pain points.

Showcasing Philippine Startups in the Region's Investment Conversations

A principal at Singapore-based venture capital firm Analog Ventures, Ysabel Chua leads end-to-end investments in early-stage tech companies across Southeast Asia.

Before joining the firm in 2022, she worked in the operating side of the Philippine tech ecosystem when it was in its nascent stages. Her experience gave her a front-row seat on what founders have to go through. She realized then the bigger impact she could have on the investor side of the table.

Her operating background also made her become a trustworthy sounding board for Southeast Asia-focused investor-founders.

“There weren't many Filipinos in regional VC firms when I made the shift - yet many of these firms were already actively looking at the Philippines,” she said.

Seventy-four VC firms backed around 1,100 Philippine-based companies in 2025, which is one-tenth of the country’s estimated 11,861 startups, according to JDI Group, a hybrid venture builder and accelerator.

A venture builder provides the key infrastructure (including back office functions like incorporation and talent acquisition) to create a company from the ground up alongside its founders.

An accelerator is a business bootcamp that scales existing startups that already have a product and a team.

Chua highlights an important perspective: one of the most effective ways for women-led companies to get more funding is to have more women making investment decisions.

“We naturally bring a different perspective to the table - especially when it comes to solutions in consumer, healthcare, the future of work, and other spaces where women are often the end user,” she said.

She also supports other women in the region as a co-leader of the Women in VSEA community, a place where women in the industry can learn from each other, find mentors, and build relationships.

“The broader VC market in Southeast Asia has been challenging over the past few years, but I think the Philippines continues to be a real bright spot - particularly with the rise of more independent, locally-focused funds that are set up specifically to back Filipino entrepreneurs," Chua added.