The excitement was high as the “AQTIVATE: Angel Investing Short Course” kicked off with a dynamic summit in Makati City, Philippines, a collaborative initiative powered by QBO Innovation Hub, in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines and IdeaSpace Investments. The summit gathered the most influential players in the world of Angel Investing to emphasize the role of mobilizing funding for emerging startups.
Entrepreneurs, who embark on a journey of building new businesses, often encounter a similar problem — securing capital. QBO Innovation Hub underscores the critical role of Angel Investors to bridge the gap and enable these visionaries to bring their ideas to life. In this process, not only do Angel Investors seize the opportunity to yield profit, but also significantly influence the trajectory of promising startups.
Discussions at “AQTIVATE: Angel Investing Summit” were led by the country’s most prominent startup investors. Among the list are Ray Alimurung, former CEO and Chairman of Lazada, Quenby Go, Executive Director of MAIN.PH, Martin Cu, Partner at 500 Global.
Speakers also included Paul Taylor, Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, as well as leaders of successful Filipino startups, like Kim Yao, CEO of Cloudeats, Jess de Mesa, CEO of Kindred, and Saul Molla, CEO of Flowerstore that all got their first investments from Angel Investors.
In conjunction with the AQTIVATE: Angel Investing Summit and serving as a pivotal element of the comprehensive 3-part AQTIVATE program—QBO also spearheaded an engaging range of sessions on Day 2 led by seasoned investors, focusing on building a successful startup investment portfolio.
Participants gained invaluable insights to boost their angel investment journeys, gaining expertise in optimal capital deployment and high-potential investment opportunities. Day 3 shifted focus to “Closing Angel Investing Deals,” providing participants with exceptional insights to enhance their angel investment strategies.
QBO Innovation Hub is known to be the chief organization for startups in the Philippines. Through its AQTIVATE program, the company is geared towards building the angel investing community in the country — ultimately developing the next 1,000 angel investors in the Philippines.
“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,” said Katrina Rausa Chan, Executive Director, QBO Innovation Hub.
“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,” U.S. Embassy’s Deputy Director for Public Engagement Pauline Anderson said in her opening remarks at the Angel Investing Summit.
As the year concludes, QBO Innovation Hub wraps up 2023 on a resounding high with the success of AQTIVATE: Angel Investing, capping off a stellar run alongside the Philippine Startup Week and the ongoing IdeaSpace Accelerator Program. Looking ahead to the next year, QBO remains committed to advancing the startup ecosystem, particularly in nurturing the angel investment ecosystem.
Grateful for the support from partners and the vibrant community, QBO is poised for a future filled with innovation and collaboration. Ready for the next step in the world of startups and angel investing? Get in touch with QBO Innovation Hub and join the journey towards entrepreneurial success. Check out its official website here: www.qbo.com.ph
