Kickstart Ventures

Kickstart Ventures is the Philippines' largest corporate venture capital firm, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe Telecom. The firm is dedicated to investing in early- to early-growth stage tech startups globally that address real-world challenges through sustainable and inclusive innovation. Beyond providing capital, Kickstart Ventures aims to create disproportionate value for its portfolio companies by offering access to extensive expertise and market opportunities, leveraging its strong affiliations with leading corporations in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, including Globe Telecom, Ayala Corporation, and Singtel.

Founded on March 28, 2012, in Quezon City, Philippines, Kickstart Ventures initially began as a corporate incubator with an early-stage fund of $2.5 million. The firm evolved into a full-fledged Corporate Venture Capital entity in 2015, managing a $50 million growth fund. Currently, Kickstart Ventures oversees three distinct funds, including the Ayala Corporation Technology Innovation Venture Fund (ACTIVE Fund), which is its largest to date at $180 million. The firm's total assets under management stand at $255 million, reflecting its significant growth and commitment to fostering innovation.

Kickstart Ventures maintains a diverse investment portfolio of approximately 70 companies, supporting over 130 founders across various global innovation hubs. Notable investments include companies such as Pickup Coffee, Transcelestial, Kumu, SariSuki, Edamama, Eezee, LotusFlare, Xendit, Dialpad, Coins.ph, Skillshare, Zalora, and Showcase Tech Limited. The firm's investment focus spans a wide array of sectors, including enterprise solutions, SaaS, fintech, health-tech, ed-tech, e-commerce, marketplace, digital lifestyle, media, healthcare, energy, information technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, consumer, and retail.

The Kickstart Ventures team is led by Minette Navarrete, President & Managing Partner and Co-founder, and Dan Siazon, Founder & Managing Partner. The team also includes General Partners Joan Yao and Mike Maté, along with a dedicated group of professionals specializing in legal, compliance, investment, portfolio operations, strategic partnerships, communications, strategy, sustainability, human resources, and finance. An independent Investment Committee, comprising experts like Ernest Cu (Chairman of the Board, Mynt) and Ramanan Raghavendran (Co-founder & Managing Partner, Amasia), ensures a progressive and efficient decision-making process, further enhancing the firm's ability to support visionary entrepreneurs.