Leading global venture builder headquartered in the UK, Block Dojo marked its first anniversary in the Philippines by showcasing six groundbreaking startups at its Demo Day on August 1, held at the Asian Institute of Management.
Established in August 2023, Block Dojo Philippines has been dedicated to fostering startup growth through an intensive 12-week incubation program aimed at providing essential business skills.
The program is structured around three key pillars: a comprehensive curriculum covering finance, legal, marketing, and operations; a tailored component to push the boundaries of startup ideas; and a community-focused approach, emphasizing the collective support necessary for rapid startup development.
Toffer Briones, Managing Director of Block Dojo Philippines, highlighted the significance of the event. “This is a celebration not just for the company but also celebrates how far we have come as a startup ecosystem in the Philippines. We wanted each of the startups to showcase their companies, which aim to solve fundamental problems that Filipinos face every day,” Briones said.
Despite ongoing efforts, Briones acknowledged that blockchain technology has not yet achieved widespread adoption in the Philippines. “Block chain has not reached the same level of success yet,” he noted. “You are probably still not using an app that is based on Block Chain yet. It’s getting there, but it will still take a bit of time to educate the market.”
Since its launch, Block Dojo Philippines has invested in nine startups. The program has completed two cohorts in 2024 and will begin its third cohort in September, aiming to support an additional six to eight startups.
“The challenge is sometimes is a lot more environmental and circumstantial. If we believe that if we can provide the right structured environment for founders, then we can empower more Filipino founders solving real world Filipino problems,” Briones explained. “That’s a vision. To create as many founders who can solve as many Filipino problems that can also global, so we can make a lot of money doing that. It’s win-win and we ca give the money back to the eco-system. That’s ideal.”
The Demo Day event was attended by notable figures from the government, including General Manager Antonilo Mauricio of the National Development Company, who delivered an inspiring keynote address.
The six startups featured during the event included:
Befit2gether: A “phygital” game that makes fitness engaging through squad-based challenges.
Upraised: A platform using blockchain technology to facilitate secure and transparent rental property transactions.
Pettopass: An app that ensures the safety of pets during international travel, addressing concerns of pet owners.
Willow: A coaching platform designed to support personal and professional growth.
Park King: A mobile app that allows users to reserve parking slots in advance, integrated with IoT technology to block reserved spaces.
CertifyEd: An app that provides blockchain-verified certifications for online courses, partnering with local universities such as De La Salle University.
The event also featured a panel discussion with industry leaders, including Jerahmeel Chen, Chief Innovation Officer of the National Development Company; Rene Cuartero, Co-founder and CEO of AHG Lab; Lyra Reyes, Head of Marketing at e27; Atty. Jocel Dilag, Adjunct Professor at AIM; and Stephanie Tower, Country Head at NChain Philippines.
Block Dojo Philippines is currently recruiting for its third cohort, with applications open until August 9. For more details, visit blockdojo.io.
