PH Consulate in SF, PTIC-SV and Dynamico organized Pitch Nights for Philippine Startups

20 January 2022, SAN FRANCISCO –  The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco together with the Philippine Trade & Investment Center- Silicon Valley (PTIC-SV) and Dynamico Space (Dynamico) organized two virtual pitching and networking events on 13 and 20 January 2022 for the winners and finalists of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 6 Slingshot 2021. DTI’s Slingshot features notable Philippine startups and startup enablers with the aim of fostering the startups’ growth.

“Our economic team here at the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, the Philippine Trade and Investment Silicon Valley and Dynamico, are ready to support Philippine startups by providing mentoring and networking opportunities. We hope for their success that would in turn contribute to national development,” said Consul General Neil Frank R. Ferrer.

Dynamico was represented by Mr. JR Calanoc, CEO and co-founder of Dynamico Space (https://dynamico.space/). Ms. Nancy Hwang Dynamico, Dynamico head of mentorship, and mentors Ms. Jessica Tsoong, investor and advisor at Relay Ventures, and founder of WiFi Slam, and Mr. Matthew Brightman, advisor, entrepreneur, and senior product manager at Google, were on hand to listen to the presentations of the DTI Region 6 startups.

Overall, the mentors were impressed with the solutions and the problems that the startups were solving, such as on education, poverty, environment, and health. The mentors noted their appreciation for the opportunity to learn about the Philippine startup ecosystem through the problems and solutions identified by DTI Region 6 startup founders.

“On behalf of DTI – Region 6, we would like to thank the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, the Philippine Trade & Investment Center Silicon Valley, and the Dynamico Space mentors, for the successful Pitch Nights for Online Slingshot Region 6 Startups. This new collaboration broadens our startups’ understanding of the U.S. market and accelerates the development of our startups’ skills to make them globally competitive,” said DTI Regional Director Rebecca Rascon.

The mentoring program by Dynamico is part of the implementation of a public-private partnership between the Consulate and PTIC-SV and Dynamico. In June 2021, the Consulate signed with the private company the “Philippines-Silicon Valley Startup Program with Dynamico Memorandum of Understanding.”

The PPP setup with Dynamico aims to assist Philippine startups to gain exposure to the U.S. and expand their networks. It also facilitates the expansion of U.S. startups and companies in Southeast Asia and the Philippines, which is a leading global provider of IT and Business Process Management services, and has a developing startup ecosystem.

The following Western Visayas startups have participated in the Dynamico Mentoring Program:

1. Tyrescue Inc. (Iloilo) – a machine that inverts old tires inside out so they can be used into something new and useful such as flowerpot/planters; pet beds and bathing tubs; animal feeders; water basins; tables and chairs with storage capacity; garbage/compost bins; water storage bins; aquariums; and septic tanks.

• Viqua Water Filtration and Purification System Supply (VIQUA) (Aklan) –  a water treatment system that can provide inexpensive potable water to PWDs and other members of marginalized communities.

• Plantsville Health (Negros Occidental), a social enterprise, which integrates conserving Philippine cinnamon and health food/non-food processing to make the livelihood of small farmers, resellers.

• Ayo Tech Corporation (Negros Occidental) –  an advance Wound Care management using Negative Pressure Wound Therapy.

• IF Green Technologies (Negros Occidental) – an urban farming company specializing in aquaponics and hydroponics system.

• Asignaturo (Iloilo) – an online education platform for students with limited bandwidth and access to the internet.

• Maker Academy  – is a subscription-based model to enable the STEM robotics in schools. The kits have add-on electronic module tailored to industrial-scale application packaged with technical support and free of charge parts replacement. Each module comes with workbook that will guide the teachers and student in assembling the hardware and sequence of programming.

• Creative Definitions – is the startup behind the LAKAT Sustainable Sneakers. The sneakers are 100% Philippine-made using sustainable textiles made of natural fiber grown locally, and handwoven by partner weaving communities, providing them with sustainable income.

• Trashure Crafts – is a social enterprise built on achieving sustainable development and promoting sustainable consumption by offering collection hubs for residual and special waste and selling products made from waste materials.