La French Tech Manila, a non-profit organization supporting the growth and innovation of the Philippines’ startup ecosystem, recently brought established founders and seasoned investors together to host its flagship event, “Navigating the Startup Fundraising Journey.” As the group kickstarts a series of community-building initiatives, the launch strengthens La French Tech Manila’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and opening up the Philippines to collaborate with international communities.
The event featured industry leaders, including Frederic Levy, Co-founder and CEO of social commerce platform TOKI; Carl Garcia, Vice President of Rocket Equities; Joseph de Leon, Founding Member of the Manila Angel Investors Network and Priya Thachadi, Founder and CEO of Villgro Philippines and Unlock Impact. Amanda Cua, CEO of startup content and community platform Backscoop, moderated the discussions, fostering engaging conversations and networking opportunities for attendees.
Iannis Hanen, President of La French Tech Manila, expressed his excitement for the group’s ongoing efforts saying, “We bring together industry leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs in one space to explore pathways to success through partnerships and collaboration. As we push our values and beliefs as a group, we also recognize the value of working with like-minded individuals and groups that contribute to the growth and development of the Filipino startup community.”
Alongside Hanen, La French Tech Manila is composed of esteemed members including Olivier Bariou, Thomas Krasnovsky, Mattieu Boquet, Yannick Legros, Ninoy Salmon, Ludovic Vallat, Rachel Ang, and Nathalia Biancci. Together, this new powerhouse team will leverage their collective experience and expertise to guide Filipino startup founders and entrepreneurs with a commitment to grow its community of partners and advocates in the Philippines. “As one of the earlier members of La French Tech Manila and a startup founder myself, I am excited to see the community grow as the group engages more startups in the Philippines,” said Levy. “Understanding the shared challenges of startup founders and entrepreneurs, it is encouraging to be part of these genuine discussions where we can impart knowledge as peers and friends in the industry.”
Seeing startup companies find ways to navigate the funding winter, La French Tech Manila has built its mission to nurture the growth of emerging ventures and engage ecosystem partners that encourage growth and collaboration. According to a report by the Gobi-Core Philippine Fund, between 2022 and 2023, the count of deals and the total amount raised by Philippine startups have declined by more than 21% and 40%.
“It’s fulfilling to work with partners that are growing and pushing the same advocacies as you are. As we collaborate and support the initiatives of La French Tech Manila, we hope to equip Filipino entrepreneurs and startup founders with the right skill set to support them across every stage of their startup journey,” added Paolo Alba, Country Lead of PRecious Communications Philippines.
Over the next few months, La French Tech Manila will continue to collaborate with industry leaders and other key stakeholders to aid them in their mission to launch various programs to support the growth of the Philippine startup ecosystem. In its upcoming event in June, the group will be delving into the boundless possibilities of Blockchain technology, uniting key leaders from both private and public sectors to unlock the secrets of leveraging blockchain for startup success.
Co-presented by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines, iScale Solutions, Inc., and Proseso Consulting, “Navigating the Startup Fundraising Journey” is supported by Backscoop, PRecious Communications, Dot Digital PH, Staffviser, and MACRES HOUSE.
