5 startups vying for Quezon City government grant

MANILA, Philippines — From almost 70 applicants, the Quezon City government has narrowed down to five the list of eligible business ideas for its StartUp QC program.

Launched in October 2022, the program aims to strengthen, promote and develop the city’s startup business ecosystem by providing grants to promising and viable ventures that are still in their early stages.

Selected business ideas may receive up to P1 million to support their operations.

According to the city government, the five that passed the rigorous selection and evaluation process will 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 that can contribute to the development of the city,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

“These five have promising business models which through the help of mentors can be fine-tuned for execution,” she added.

The startups selected for the first cohort include the Bamboo Impact Lab, which develops high-quality products derived from bamboo; EdukSine Production Corp., 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., the Philippines’ first tech-enabled marketplace for quality-vetted home and office furnishings.

Also shortlisted were 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, an accessibility service provider that provides aid to people with hearing or visual disabilities.

The startups were introduced to the partners and mentors who will guide them throughout the learning sessions. In August, the five finalists will present their final pitches.