Filipino founders are building momentum in an ecosystem defined by grit, diversity, and community-driven capital, and the latest Gobi-Core report shows why these traits matter now more than ever.
At the heart of the Philippine startup journey is resilience. Founders rate persistence as their most important trait, a reflection of the country’s tough funding cycles and constantly shifting market realities. This tenacity is not just admirable; it is a survival skill in a landscape where deal volume has sharply declined.
Equally encouraging is the growing gender diversity shaping the ecosystem. With women now comprising nearly half of surveyed founders, the Philippines is inching closer to true parity. This shift signals a healthier and more representative pipeline, though sustained attention to mentorship and equitable funding access remains crucial.
Another defining feature is the Philippines’s grassroots funding ladder. Most founders rely on angels, bootstrapping, and personal networks rather than institutional venture capital. While this underscores the difficulty of accessing formal funding, it also highlights a uniquely community-driven approach to early-stage growth.
Despite challenges, startups continue to create jobs, particularly in edutech, e-commerce, HRtech, and entertainment. These signals point to a dynamic, resilient ecosystem: one where creativity and determination continue to fuel long-term economic impact.
REGIONAL
Singapore crypto platform’s founder sued for US$60.5M over alleged fraud: Over 270 former users of Tokenize Xchange accessed founder Hong Qi Yu and COO Erin Koo of fraudulent misappropriation of US$263.7M. MAS and police investigate its parent AmazingTech for fraudulent trading.
Danantara open to Grab-GoTo deal, awaits further details: Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani said the agency is open to joining the deal but will wait until details become clearer, including on pricing and structure. He emphasised that the welfare of ride-hailing drivers should be a key priority.
Shopping scams cost Indonesia US$666.6M in 2025: The most common scams involve fraudulent shopping transactions and fake calls using AI and social engineering. OJK data shows 62,999 reports of shopping scams, with average losses of US$1,020 per case.
Roojai bags US$60M as investors bet on digital insurance boom: Investors include Apis Partners, Asia Partners, HDI International, and IFC. The Thai firm will expand its ASEAN operations, strengthen embedded insurance, and drive tech-led transformation in the region’s insurance market.
Meet the 6 graduating startups of the 13th IdeaSpace Accelerator Programme: After graduation, IdeaSpace’s support will continue. Startups will receive mentorship, access to network, and guidance across different aspects of business.
REPORTS, FEATURES & INTERVIEWS
What drives Filipino founders? A deep dive into the 2025 startup report: Filipino founders are propelled by resilience, growing gender diversity, and grassroots funding pathways, shaping a dynamic startup ecosystem.
From caution to discipline: Inside SEA’s year of startup reset: Did the downturn make Southeast Asia more disciplined, or simply more cautious? The answer, founders say, lies somewhere in the middle, but with an apparent tilt toward long-term maturity.
From energy to ergonomics: 20 AI startups to watch in Southeast Asia: Taken together, they offer a snapshot of where Southeast Asia’s AI ecosystem is heading next: less hype, more context, and products built for the region’s unique constraints.
The age of infinite workers: Why AI changes the rules of economics and global power: AI-driven productivity shifts suggest debt matters less as nations that invest in energy and compute infrastructure gain exponential economic power.
Through the fog: Why 2025 holds ‘fragile optimism’ for global logistics: Global logistics faces uncertainty in 2025, with Southeast Asia poised for growth through AI, resilience, and strategic trade shifts.
INTERNATIONAL
Temasek joins US$300M Series B in German’s Black Forest Labs: Salesforce Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and Air Street Capital also joined. Black Forest Labs develops generative AI models for images. It will use the funding to advance the R&D of its visual AI models.
UAE now lets users buy gold, silver at ATM: The machine lets users buy gold and silver bars using e-wallets or credit cards, and withdraw physical bullion from digital accounts. The companies plan to deploy 35 to 40 ATMs across the country in 2026.
Sam Altman declares ‘code red’ to focus on ChatGPT upgrades: The Information report says OpenAI is prioritising improvements to ChatGPT and postponing other projects. OpenAI is also testing various ad formats, such as those related to online shopping.
Didi starts 24/7 driverless robotaxi trial in Chinese major city: The trial covers the Huangpu core area, including metro stations, schools, malls, offices, and residential buildings. The system matches vehicles based on pickup and drop-off points, road conditions, dispatch distance, and local demand.
Trump administration said to take equity stake in ex-Intel CEO’s chip startup: The administration has agreed to inject up to US$150M in XLight, a startup led by former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger. This marks the office’s first investment after the Trump administration took over a US$7.4B Biden-era semiconductor research institute.
SEMICONDUCTOR
Intel to make Malaysia assembly hub with US$208.1M investment: The US chipmaker is also nearing completion of a US$2.9B advanced packaging facility in Penang. Intel said it has committed US$680K to support R&D and education initiatives in Malaysia over the past two years.
SoftBank sells Nvidia stake to raise funds for AI projects: CEO: SoftBank Group founder Masayoshi Son explained that SoftBank needed capital for initiatives such as data centre construction and acquiring US chip designer Ampere Computing. He dismissed concerns about an AI investment bubble.
Nvidia launches new AI models for speech, safety, self-driving: The launch includes Nvidia Drive Alpamayo-R1, an open reasoning vision language action model for autonomous vehicle research. The model integrates AI reasoning with path planning and will be available on GitHub and Hugging Face.
AI
Indonesia has 25 AI startups, compared with 300 in Singapore: minister: Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said that the gap creates “room for growth” for tech players to to accelerate innovation, supported by Indonesia’s advantage in large-scale datasets.
The hidden advantage: How AI insights will power Asia’s next growth cycle: Asia’s startups face tighter funding and fast-shifting markets, but AI is becoming their edge—turning data into early signals, sharper predictions and faster decisions, enabling founders to act with clarity before the next growth cycle.
Inclusive AI isn’t optional – it’s Asia’s tech advantage: Asia doesn’t need to copy Silicon Valley’s mistakes. We have the opportunity to lead differently, to build AI that reflects our diversity and cultures. Our superpower is the ability to blend innovation with values rooted in community, family, and balance.
Why founders should stop hustling and start automating: If you’re a founder building something important, don’t burn yourself out trying to “do it all.” Step back and ask: What can I systemise? What can I automate? That shift in mindset is what takes you from fire-fighting to future-building.
Why AI won’t replace developers — but CEOs must lead the transformation: Generative AI is reshaping teams, pushing CEOs to align developers, processes, and leadership to stay ahead in faster dev cycles.
How ChatGPT and automation are revolutionising so-called ‘traditional’ industries: ChatGPT and a business strategy grounded in automation won’t replace the provision of food, drink and connection, but it can improve businesses’ ability to provide those exceptional experiences.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Ad astra per aspera: Finding hope and truth in an age of misinformation: A year of uncertainty reveals how misinformation fuels fear and division, yet hope endures through empathy, critical thinking, and inclusive leadership—reminding us that through struggle, we can still reach for the stars.
First large-scale AI Workflow Competition opens regional call for builders and SMEs: The competition brings builders and SMEs together to design and deploy real world agentic AI workflows that solve practical business challenges and drive everyday automation adoption.
Why continuity plans for F&B businesses is a must: When a company is conscious of the changing climate, it can be of favour and be confident in implementing long-term sustainable strategies, instead of pursuing short-term gains to stay innovative and stay relevant.
Gen Zs, Millennials, and Baby Boomers: When are they most productive at work?: Understanding the needs of a modern, intergenerational work environment is essential for attracting and retaining talented employees.
The SEA headcount trap: Why more people ≠ more progress: The best SEA founders are rethinking scale—not by adding more people, but by multiplying their effectiveness. It’s not about working harder. It’s about building an AI-first team that scales smarter.
People-first teams: How SEA startups embrace remote-first culture in the AI era: Southeast Asian startups are embracing remote-first models and AI tools to scale efficiently while prioritising flexibility and wellbeing.
What 2025 taught me about discipline, real customers and building a business that lasts: Founders in 2025 learned that sustainable growth comes from hard decisions, real customer traction, and scaling people over hype.
The global skill shift: Why smart companies are building borderless tech teams: Borderless hiring is reshaping global work as companies integrate offshore talent to drive innovation, agility, and diverse problem-solving.
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