Wavemaker leads $1m round of Philippine environmental intelligence startup

Philippine-based Komunidad, an environmental intelligence service provider, has raised US$1 million in seed funding for its Asian expansion.

Wavemaker Partners led the round, with Asian Development Bank’s ADB Ventures joining the fundraise.

Komunidad team / Photo credit: Komunidad

Founded in 2019 by Felix Ayque and Allister Ayque, Komunidad was originally an email service for tropical cyclone information. It now provides data for businesses to help them plan for safety, operational efficiency, and business continuity during natural disasters.

The Philippines ranked 17th in the 2021 Global Climate Risk Index, with several strong typhoons hitting the country in the past decade. The country also lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire, which means that it experiences frequent volcanic and earthquake activity. With these factors in play, Komunidad targets local environment-reliant industries to help them make informed decisions through its platform.

“Climate change is widespread, rapid, and intensifying, according to the latest studies. It will definitely impact the way we live, work, and do business in the future, and many countries in Asia will be most affected,” said Felix Ayque, who serves as Komunidad’s CEO.

Ayque added that the fresh funds will be used to expand the company’s “weather and environmental intelligence datasets,” as it aims to customize its Philippine system to other markets in the region.

“Asia, specifically Southeast Asia, will potentially face more severe climate change effects than other parts of the world. We think Komunidad is in a unique position to help mitigate the hazards for both public and private organizations in the region,” said Paul Santos, managing partner at Wavemaker Partners in Southeast Asia.