The “AQTIVATE: Angel Investing Short Course” commenced with a dynamic summit, uniting entrepreneurs and angel investors. This collaborative effort, powered by QBO Innovation Hub in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines and IdeaSpace Investments, aimed to highlight the crucial role of mobilizing funding for emerging startups.
Embarking on the journey of building new businesses often presents a common challenge for entrepreneurs — securing capital. QBO Innovation Hub underscores the critical role of Angel Investors in bridging this gap and enabling visionaries to bring their ideas to life. Not only do Angel Investors seize the opportunity to yield profit, but they also significantly influence the trajectory of promising startups.
“We believe unlocking private capital plays a key role in fueling growth within the startup landscape in the Philippines. Aligned with QBO’s vision of ‘Filipino startups changing the world,’ we’re committed to cultivating the next generation of local angel investors, and in doing so, significantly increasing the volume of investments and opportunities for early-stage ventures in the years ahead,” according to Katrina Rausa Chan, Executive Director of QBO Innovation Hub.
The “AQTIVATE: Angel Investing Summit” brought together influential figures in the world of Angel Investing to discuss and emphasize the importance of funding for startups. Prominent startup investors in the Philippines led discussions, including Ray Alimurung, former CEO and Chairman of Lazada, Quenby Go, Executive Director of MAIN.PH, and Martin Cu, Partner at 500 Global. The lineup of speakers also featured Paul Taylor, Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, along with leaders of successful Filipino startups such as Kim Yao, CEO of Cloudeats, Jess de Mesa, CEO of Kindred, and Saul Molla, CEO of Flowerstore, all of whom received their initial investments from Angel Investors.
Running alongside the AQTIVATE: Angel Investing Summit, QBO spearheaded a series of engaging sessions on Day 2 led by seasoned investors. These sessions focused on building a successful startup investment portfolio, providing participants with invaluable insights to enhance their angel investment journeys. Day 3 shifted the focus to “Closing Angel Investing Deals,” offering exceptional insights to further refine participants’ angel investment strategies.
The AQTIVATE program, a comprehensive 3-part initiative by QBO, aims to build the angel investing community in the Philippines. As the chief organization for startups in the country, QBO Innovation Hub is dedicated to developing the next 1,000 angel investors.
“Last year, we completed another program with QBO called Sustainable Development Goals or SDG challenge bootcamp. The goal was to find new solutions that address the SDGs and help aspiring entrepreneurs to develop their ideas to become successful Filipino tech startups. These programs exemplify how we support the Philippine government’s policies to promote inclusive economic growth and to establish a globally competitive and innovative industry and services sector,” said Pauline Anderson, U.S. Embassy’s Deputy Director for Public Engagement in her opening remarks at the Angel Investing Summit.
As 2023 comes to a close, QBO Innovation Hub celebrates the success of AQTIVATE: Angel Investing, concluding a remarkable year alongside the Philippine Startup Week and the ongoing IdeaSpace Accelerator Program. Looking ahead to 2024, QBO remains committed to advancing the startup ecosystem, particularly in nurturing the angel investment community. With gratitude for the support from partners and the vibrant community, QBO is poised for a future filled with innovation and collaboration. For those ready to take the next step in the world of startups and angel investing, reach out to QBO Innovation Hub and join the journey towards entrepreneurial success.