Events May 26, 2025

GrowthCon 2025 Shines the Spotlight on AI-Driven Startups This June

By Bella Javier Liamzon

The Business Manual’s GrowthCon returns this year with the Student Edition of the Startup Pitching Competition and the inaugural Startup Awards.

The Business Manual is set to host its exclusive business and networking event, GrowthCon 2025, on June 10, 2025, at Samsung Hall, SM Aura Premier, Taguig. Held in partnership with SM Supermalls and its SM for MSMEs initiative as part of its MSME month celebration, the summit is dedicated to promoting the development and success of startups and MSMEs across the country.

With the theme “Powering Up the Startup Ecosystem Through AI,” this year’s summit shines the spotlight on the transformative role of artificial intelligence in fueling startup growth. Entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and industry leaders will gather for an afternoon of insightful discussions, strategic networking opportunities, and a showcase of some of the most promising startups in the country.

“As Editor-in-Chief of The Business Manual, I’m excited to share that GrowthCon 2025 is back—bigger, bolder, and more innovative than ever,” says The Business Manual Editor-in-Chief RJ Ledesma. “With the theme ‘Powering Up the Startup Ecosystem Through AI,’ GrowthCon will be the ultimate hub for entrepreneurs to discover how AI is being strategically used to scale businesses.”

In addition, GrowthCon 2025 will feature the first-ever Startup Awards, which will honor the most innovative startups that are reshaping industries with groundbreaking solutions and transformative leadership.

The Startup Pitching Competition returns this year with a twist as GrowthCon 2025 will stage the Student Edition of the competition.

“This year, we’re not only continuing our Startup Pitch Competition, but also launching our first-ever GrowthCon Startup Awards to spotlight the country’s most promising ventures,” Ledesma added. “If you’re a founder or aspiring startup leader, this is where the future of entrepreneurship unfolds.”

Developing a deeper understanding of AI

This year’s GrowthCon will feature two panel discussions that seek to deepen the participants’ understanding of AI. The first panel discussion, “AI Tools to Power Up Your Business,” will explore the latest AI tools helping startups automate tasks, enhance customer engagement, and scale faster.

The second panel discussion, “AI in Action: Best Practices and Real-World Experience,” will provide an in-depth look at real-world case studies of AI in action.

Startups to take center stage

Aside from hosting panel discussions, GrowthCon is shining the spotlight on the country’s promising startups. First, there will be the Student Edition of the Startup Pitch Competition, which seeks to empower student founders to pitch their AI-driven ideas, gain professional feedback, and compete for national recognition.

Last year, outsourcing company Remotify emerged as the winner of the pitching competition after beating eight other finalists, including the likes of Dehusk, KaHero, and Nexhire.

GrowthCon 2025 will likewise recognize the contributions and celebrate the success of five of the Philippines’ best startups in the inaugural Startup Awards.

Stay tuned to The Business Manual, as the submission guidelines for the Student Edition of the Startup Pitch Competition and the nomination mechanics for the highly anticipated Startup Awards will be unveiled soon.

GrowthCon 2024

This year’s GrowthCon builds on the success of GrowthCon 2024, which gave participants an unparalleled opportunity to gain valuable insights, learn innovative strategies, and network with industry professionals as part of their entrepreneurial journey.

One of the panelists at last year’s GrowthCon was Nel Laygo, Founder and CEO of Peddlr, who shared insights on the often isolating and lonely journey of entrepreneurship—and how aspiring business owners can navigate these challenges in pursuit of success.

Rachel Carrasco, founder of Baken, also took part as a panelist at the event. She shared valuable marketing insights and spoke about how she expanded her premium snack brand to reach a global audience.