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The AI Landscape in Southeast Asia

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March 27, 2025

PayMongo, Mochi partner amid Philippines’ digital payment surge

The new partnership integrates Mochi's billing and collections automation with PayMongo's payment platform, seeking to reduce manual processes and enhance transaction security.

Ron Castro (Independent Investor)

February 25, 2025

EDGE Tutor raises $1M to expand online tutoring in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East

EDGE Tutor aims to increase its tutor capacity from 1,000 to 5,000 by 2026.

Ron Castro (The Independent Investor)

November 19, 2024

Locad Targets the Middle East After $9 Million Fundraise

Logistics specialist Locad will today announce it has raised $9 million of Series B finance, taking the total amount of funding raised by the start-up to more than $30 million.

David Prosser (Forbes)

November 11, 2024

Pickaroo co-founder bets on new startup to fight housing scams

The Philippines’ property market is booming. Yet despite the opportunities, property buyers are highly vulnerable to fraud. The frustration was enough impetus for Gonzalez to establish NoneAway in July 2023, touting it as a proptech platform that could revolutionize property buying, selling, and renting in the Philippines via an AI-powered mobile app.

Glenn Kaonang (Tech in Asia)

October 15, 2024

OneLot raises $4m Pre-Seed funding

OneLot, a Philippine-based lending fintech company, said Monday that it has raised $4 million in pre-seed funding in an oversubscribed round led by 468 Capital.

TNGlobal

September 18, 2024

Mobee secures Seed funding led by Kaya Founders to boost Philippine used car market

With close to 40,000 customers and around 1,000 authorized buyers, Mobee claims to offer the best car selling experience – fast, safe, and at the right price.

Ron Castro (The Independent Investor)

August 20, 2024

Insync’ program to boost Iloilo startup community

We are thrilled to announce the successful launch of the Insync program in Iloilo, in collaboration with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

Perla Lena (Philippine News Agency)

August 20, 2024

Paymongo launches Paymongo wallet in the Philippines

PayMongo, a payment gateway for businesses under our portfolio, has launched their PayMongo Wallet in the Philippines.

The Paypers

August 16, 2024

Toki Gcash partnership for payments

Kaya Founders is happy to announce that Toki, one of our creative portfolio companies, has teamed up with GCash, the top mobile wallet in the Philippines in order to offer users a seamless and secure payment option as they shop for their collectibles.

Darwin G. Amojelar (Manila Standard)

August 13, 2024

PureCulture wins at 2024 Organic Beauty Awards

PureCulture, a D2C clean luxury skincare brand under our portfolio companies, has achieved significant recognition by winning at the 2024 Organic Beauty Awards.

Isha Fojas (Preview)

July 15, 2024

Kindred Raises Pre-Series A Funding Round

Congratulations to Kindred Health for raising their $5.5 million pre-Series A round. We participated in this round led by Integra Partners, alongside other investors including KSR Ventures, Pawikan Capital, and TENCO Capital.

Christian Francisco (The Independent Investor)

July 11, 2024

Netbank partners with Dragonpay

Netbank has recently announced a new partnership with DragonPay Corporation to deploy a new virtual collection accounts solution.

The Paypers

July 4, 2024

Endeavor Philippines Welcomes PCX's Nanette Medved-Po as Board Member

Endeavor Philippines, the local chapter of the global high-impact entrepreneurship community builder, has recently welcomed Nanette-Medved Po, co-founder and CEO of PCX Solutions, to their board.

Endeavor Press Release

June 27, 2024

PhilHealth to use AI for health insurance claims

Pulse63 portfolio company SwiftClaims, an AI-enabled platform helping to streamline and improve the accuracy of health claims processing in the Philippines, signed a proof-of-concept agreement with PhilHealth in the last week of June.

Janna Marie Pineda (Philippine Information Agency)

June 19, 2024

Britana and Sprout Solutions Partnership

Britana partners with Sprout Solutions, unlocking a new era of accessibility for Filipino businesses as they provide seamless access to software that streamline enterprise-level solutions, saying goodbye to complexities of a manual system.

Sprout Solutions

May 30, 2024

PH e-commerce enabler etaily launches in Singapore

Philippine-headquartered digital commerce enabler etaily has announced its official launch in Singapore as it looks to extend its e-commerce enablement services to brands based in the city-state.

Christian Francisco (The Independent Investor)

March 21, 2024

These PH Startups are Part of the TOP100 Growth Program 2024

The TOP100 Growth Program 2024 provides startups access to funding opportunities, mentorship, and regional visibility in Southeast Asia.

BELLA JAVIER LIAMZON

November 14, 2023

etaily is a ‘one-stop solution’ for consumer brands that want to enter Southeast Asia

Founded in 2020 and based in the Philippines, etaily announced today it has raised $17.8 million in Series A funding.

Catherine Shu (TechCrunch)

November 13, 2023

etaily Raises $17.8 Million To Drive Ecommerce In Southeast Asia

The company is today announcing it has completed a $17.8 million Series A funding round as it targets annual revenues of $100 million by 2025.

David Prosser (Forbes)

November 5, 2023

Tried and Tested: This Local Brand's P199 Seamless Undies Feel Barely There

Thank god for seamless panties. And thank god, specifically, for local brand Ecora's version.

Louise Lizan (Spot.PH)

October 24, 2023

Edtech startup EDGE Tutor raises funds for global expansion

Singapore-based edtech startup EDGE Tutor International has raised an undisclosed amount in a seed funding round to expand its online tutor operations globally.

Les Boltron (Outsource Accelerator)

June 21, 2023

How this edtech leader provides equitable access to education to over 20 countries in asia and beyond

Henry Motte-Muñoz’s Edge Tutor International provides highly skilled teachers to Asia, Europe and the Americas

Clifford Olanday (Tatler)

May 12, 2023

Filipino Startup Edukasyon Produces 'Spin-Off' Edutech, Edge Tutor

Filipino edutech Edukasyon.ph just announced the “spin-off” of Edge Tutor International, Inc., a tutoring platform started in 2022 that has since gone global. Popular among parents, Edge Tutor connects students to virtual tutors who are all licensed, certified, and trained educators.

Anri Ichimura (Esquire)

March 29, 2023

PH salary on-demand startup Advance raised $16m, acquires Vietnam's Bravo HR

Advance, a Philippines-based fintech startup that operates a salary-on-demandplatform, has announced raising a total of $16 million in its pre-Series A funding round co-anchored by Vietnam's Do Ventures and emerging market credit provider Lendable.

Mars. W. Mosqueda Jr (Tech in Asia)

February 27, 2023

Fintech startup Advance partners with Sitel Philippines to provide financial benefits beyond the paycheck

New on-demand salary platform Advance has partnered with Sitel® Philippines, one of the largest providers of customer experience products and solutions in the country, to advance employees’ financial wellness through its services.

BMPlus (Business Mirror)

April 5, 2022

Philippine ecommerce aggregator nets $1.3m in pre-seed money

Philippines-based Armada Brands, an ecommerce aggregator, has raised US $1.3 million in a pre-seed round led by M Venture Partners and Foxmont Capital Partners, with Antler and Sketchnote participating.

Roehl Niño Bautista (Tech in Asia)

April 5, 2022

Philippine e-commerce aggregator armada brands raises $1.3m pre-seed co-led by m venture partners and foxmont capital partners

Armada Brands (Armada), a Philippine-based e-commerce aggregator, said Tuesday it has raised $1.3 million in pre-seed funding to invest in e-commerce entrepreneurs looking to scale their brands.

Technode Global

Philippine ecommerce enabler Etaily hits $100m annual revenue

Etaily, a Philippine-based ecommerce solutions provider, has US$100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) since its founding in 2020.

Tech in Asia

March 25, 2025

Kaya Founders invests in five startups, expanding portfolio in key Philippine sectors

The investments include three new portfolio companies and two follow-on investments, reflecting Kaya’s focus on supporting tech-enabled ventures in the Philippines.

Ron Castro (Independent Investor)

January 30, 2025

Emerging Startup Trends in the Philippines

The Philippines has emerged as Southeast Asia's most exciting startup ecosystem in recent years, poised to become the next regional tech center after Singapore and Indonesia.

Paulo Campos III, Raya Buensuceso

June 4, 2024

Stanford Seminar Highlights Thriving Philippine Startup Ecosystem

STANFORD, CALIFORNIA – The Philippine Consulate in San Francisco attended a seminar at Stanford University’s US-Asia Technology Center titled, “The Startup Ecosystem of the Philippines: Current Trends and Opportunities” on 28 May 2024. The event was part of its Spring 2024 series on “Entrepreneurship in Asian High-Tech Industries.”

Philippine Consulate General San Francisco

May 31, 2024

Philippine Startups take Center Stage at Stanford Panel

Kaya Founders Founding Managing General Partner Paulo Campos, alongside Fourth Realm VC Co-Founder and General Partner Kendrick Geluz Kho and Alquemie Ventures LLC Principal Christina Laskowski, recently participated in a panel discussion titled “The Startup Ecosystem of the Philippines: Current Trends and Opportunities” at Stanford University.

Pancho Dizon (The Independent Investor)

May 28, 2024

PH Consulate in SF Meets Kaya Founders to Foster Startup Collaboration

The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco’s Economic Team, led by Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona and Senior Trade Commissioner Celynne Layug, met with Paulo Campos, Founding Managing Partner of early stage venture capital Kaya Founders, at co-working space Dynamico at the Philippine Center in San Francisco on 20 May 2024.

Philippine Consulate General San Francisco

May 7, 2024

The next SEA thing: VCs eye Vietnam, Philippines as the next Indonesia

The Philippines and Vietnam have the same narrative in many ways: a growing gross domestic product per capita, young and large populations of over 100 million, and large foreign investments.

Elyssa Lopez (Tech in Asia)

March 20, 2024

Kaya Founders hits 2nd close of latest funds at $18m

"Philippines-based VC firm Kaya Founders has secured a total of 1 billion pesos (over US$18 million) as of the second close of its two latest funds, bringing its total assets under management to roughly US$22.5 million. Pavilion Capital and Concentric Equity Partners as well as Gabriel and Geraldine Sunshine of Boston-based hedge fund Bracebridge Capital participated in the round."

Lokesh Choudhary (Tech in Asia)

March 8, 2024

Kaya Founders Welcomes Potato Corner Veteran Dom Hernandez as New Strategic Partner

The former COO of Potato Corner is committed to supporting startups, particularly those in the tech and F&B space, to realize their full potential.

Paul John Cara (Esquire Philippines)

February 26, 2024

Founders Launchpad and Kaya Founders team up to launch new startup accelerator program

The new program is industry-agnostic and open to early-stage startups within the Philippines. Founders Launchpad provides hands-on support, while Kaya Founders brings investment expertise and operational guidance.

Pancho Dizon (The Independent Investor)

February 23, 2024

Founders Launchpad and Kaya Founders Come Together on New Startup Accelerator Program

Founders Launchpad and Kaya Founders have teamed up to launch their flagship accelerator program for Philippine startups. According to a news release, the partnership “leverages the strengths and expertise of both firms to create a comprehensive accelerator program designed to offer more funding and better mentorship to startups” in the country.

Esquire Philippines

February 19, 2024

NDC's first mixer event for 2024 with its Knowledge Partners and Co-Investment Partners

Among matters discussed were NDC’s planned role in the local startup ecosystem and MSME development, followed by the acknowledgement of official knowledge partners and the announcement of a potential co-investment partner — Kaya Founders.

National Development Company

June 23, 2023

Kaya Founders: Predictable policy environment will attract investors abroad

MANILA, Philippines — Local venture capital firm Kaya Founders is keen on seeing the domestic policy environment turn predictable for entrepreneurs, especially if the national government hopes to attract foreign investors by the dozen.

Philstar

June 14, 2023

How Kaya Is Backing A New Generation Of Founders In The Philippines

The race is on to secure exposure to the burgeoning start-up ecosystem in the Philippines. One of the fastest-growing markets in South-East Asia has attracted venture capitalists from all around the world – start-ups in the Philippines raised a record $1 billion of funding in each of the past two years according to a report from Foxmont Capital Partners and BCG. Now a home-grown challenger, Kaya Founders, is raising the stakes with a new $12 million funding facility aimed at technology-enabled start-ups in the country.

David Prosser

June 14, 2023

Kaya Founders backs Philippines startups from ‘Day 0’

The Philippines’ startup ecosystem is poised for strong growth, thanks to the country’s rising GDP, fast adoption of online services and a new generation of founders. Launched by tech and investment veterans, Kaya Founders wants to back the most promising startups from the very beginning.

Catherine Shu (TechCrunch)

April 11, 2023

SaaScon PH 2023: Sprout Solutions and Kaya Founders hold the country’s first-ever SaaS conference

"The Philippines is in for a new wave of digital transformation – and you might already be a part of it. Sprout Solutions and Kaya Founders have launched the first Software as a Service (SaaS) conference in the Philippines: SaaScon PH held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom on March 28, 2023."

Rappler

Pickaroo co-founder bets on new startup to fight housing scams

2024

The AI Landscape in Southeast Asia

At Kaya Founders, we believe that AI will be a fundamental technology shift that will shape business and society for the coming century.

2023

The State of SaaS in the Philippines 2023

Over the past few years, we have observed the rapid acceleration of technological adoption across the Philippines.

2025 Investment Themes

Every January, our team at Kaya Founders revisits our investment strategy, vis à vis the key structural trends we’ve observed in the market and the entrepreneurs we were privileged to meet in the preceding year. In 2024, we spoke to a total of ~650 start-ups, eventually investing in 14 of them.

2024 Investment Themes

Kaya prides itself in being a thesis-led investor. We develop conviction around key verticals and business models, and evaluate whether investing in an existing play or building from scratch—in cases where no play exists—is the superior approach.

October 1, 2025

Turning Bills into Savings: Behind Our Investment in SunFund

SunFund enables families to power their homes with the sun, replacing part of today’s high bills with simpler, more affordable monthly payments.

Raya Buensuceso

April 25, 2025

The Future of the Philippines Credit Infrastructure: Behind Our Investment in LenderLink

The best financial systems are ones that are invisible—they work seamlessly in the background, enabling people, businesses, and governments to thrive.

Henry Chong

April 11, 2025

Protect Your Device: Behind Our Investment in Protech Devices

Device insurance remains an underpenetrated market opportunity in many emerging markets, where consumer awareness and adoption are still in their infancy.

Danielle King

March 28, 2025

Opening Doors with Online Education: Behind Our Investment in EDGE Tutor International

In 2024, English remained the most spoken language worldwide, with 380M native speakers and 1.2M non-native speakers. This is followed closely by Mandarin with 950M native speakers and 150M non-native speakers.

Danielle King

February 25, 2025

Bridging the Gap: Behind Our Investment in Datung

Meet Ate Rosa, a sari-sari store owner in Parañaque. For years, she’s worked tirelessly to keep her small shop running, selling canned goods, rice, and snacks to neighbors who rely on her store for their daily needs.

Gabrielle Rodriguez

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