After its launch last October, the Quezon City Government named the five (5) finalists who will continue to vie for the financial grant at the end of the StartUp QC program.

Out of almost 70 applicants, only five (5) passed the rigorous selection and evaluation process. These five (5) will now move forward to the coaching and mentoring phase of the program. 

“These finalists stood out among the other applicants because we are looking for viable, sustainable, and socially-responsive startups who can contribute to the development of the city. These five (5) have promising business models which through the help of mentors can be fine-tuned for execution,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.   

“Through the Startup QC Program, our goal is to inspire these entrepreneurs to develop their promising innovative ideas, refine their business models and find solutions that aim to solve the pressing challenges of the city and hopefully enable these startups to compete on a global stage,” Local Economic Investment Promotions Office Head Jay Gatmaitan said.

The first cohort of startups includes Bamboo Impact Lab which provides high-quality, bamboo-derived products; EdukSine Production Corporation whose website and mobile application cater to educational and socially relevant films that will allow block screening and individual access; and  ITOOH E-Furniture and Design Inc. which is the Philippine’s first tech-enabled marketplace for quality-vetted home and office furnishings.

Also on the list are Indigo Artificial Intelligence Research Inc. which provides general-purpose AI capabilities such as a multilanguage engine that can understand various languages and colloquial variants; and Wika which is an accessibility service provider that provides various aid to people with hearing and/or visual disabilities through a mobile app and hardware to accommodate visual aid, and user-generated content.

“We remained true to our mission and vision to make Quezon City the preferred business destination and make it a business-friendly city that has an environment for sustainable development and inclusive growth,” Vice Mayor Gian Sotto said.

In the kick-off event, the startups were introduced to the partners and mentors who will guide them throughout the learning sessions. And in August, the five (5) finalists will present their final pitches on Demo Day. Winning startups may receive financial grants up to P1 million pesos. 

###