15 entrepreneurs share what they think will be the Philippines’ flagship startup

As much as we try to brand the startup ecosystem in the Philippines, it will be defined – for better and for worse – by the flagship startups that arise out of it. We need to look no further than Silicon Valley to see just how true this is. Though there are thousands of innovative startups there, only a handful – think Facebook, Apple, Google, and Amazon – consistently command the attention of the media and the public.

With that in mind, I posed this question to 15 entrepreneurs: which startup do you think will come to define entrepreneurship in the Philippines? The only requirement was that they could not name their own startup – other than that, all else was fair game. They could champion the company of a complete stranger, or the company of a friend or fellow incubatee.

Senti: provides a social media listening tool that understands Filipino

Lyle Jover, CEO of Raket.ph: I think Senti’s concept is great. As entrepreneurs, understanding your market is important. In fact, if you fail to do this, it may spell your company’s demise. Senti can even support our local language, and that is big since most of us don’t really use English all the time in social media. Given this, their potential is great, especially in Asia where English is not the primary language.

If they can execute it well, I just don’t see any reason why companies would not subscribe to their services. For entrepreneurs, guessing or assuming your market is a big risk. So what if you could completely eliminate that and even understand your market’s sentiment for different things? It basically becomes child’s play.

VMoney: provides end-to-end financial tech solutions

Nick Galan, CEO of Satoshi Citadel Industries: We are in the payments space, and as I scan the environment for exciting companies doing extraordinary things, I see only VMoney. Offering a tight, feature-packed, and technically elegant package for merchants, governments, and most of all, consumers, I just know that this group will light things up in the Philippines.

VMoney recognizes that inclusion, rather than stratification creates value in the long term. This is a view we espouse; and we applaud them for this.

Stewarded by seasoned veterans in technology and payments, I predict a very short timeframe before their products and services are a regular part of many Filipinos’ lives.

Peekawoo: provides a more wholesome dating platform geared toward women

Francis Simisim, CEO of Social Light Inc, which makes Zion WiFi: I believe Peekawoo will redefine entrepreneurship by promoting Filipino-made solutions worldwide. While online dating seems to be a saturated industry, Peekawoo has made a name for themselves by differentiating and making online dating more wholesome and safer. This inspiring story will help motivate and give light to Filipino entrepreneurs that dream to have their product or service used globally. Their success will help propel more Filipino entrepreneurs to dream big and go global.

TimeFree Innovations: provides a queuing solution for establishments with high foot traffic

Kristoffer Vincent Loremia, co-founder of Tudlo Innovation Solutions: I would love to choose TimeFree Innovations. TimeFree, spearheaded by its leader, Chino Atillano, has the entrepreneurial spirit that is characterized by innovation and risk-taking. As students in Zamboanga – a city in the Philippines – they started with a simple idea of solving the problem of queuing, and they’re now breaking into the global space. It shows that startup founders, ideas, and companies can emerge from anywhere in the world and any place – the Philippines in particular. It is an essential part of the nation’s ability to succeed in an ever-changing and increasingly competitive global marketplace.

SmartFleet: provides a suite of services geared toward fleet management and analytics

Carl Mamawal, CEO of Nyfti Bicycles: SmartFleet’s fleet management system is something I am looking forward to. They have the potential to improve traffic conditions and fleet driver behavior. They operate with a lean mindset but are very aggressive in getting clients. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are able to get multi-million contracts by next year.

LoanSolutions.ph: allows Filipinos to view the best loan options available to them

Tactiles: provides a learning platform for electronics education

SALt: creates sustainable light solutions

Lenddo: provides loans and other financial services

BitMarket.ph: provides point-of-sale systems for merchants that allows them to accept Bitcoin

Kalibrr: aims to use machine learning to improve the recruitment and hiring process