₱2.1 billion Funding Mobilized for PH Startups by Innovative Startup Act Steering Committee

The Philippines just turned up the heat for innovation! 🔥 With ₱2.1 billion already mobilized to support over 2,000 startups, the Innovative Startup Act (ISA) Steering Committee unveiled its bold “ISA 2030 Vision” — a roadmap to create four Filipino Unicorns and attract USD$10 billion in investments by 2030.

Now led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the initiative builds on the Department of Science and Technology’s strong foundation, ensuring the country’s startup ecosystem continues to thrive. Philippine Startup Week 2025 is also in full swing, gathering founders, investors, and changemakers to connect, collaborate, and spark the next wave of innovation for Filipino entrepreneurship.

Philippine Startup Week (PHSW) 2025 kicked off this November 11, 2025, with a major press conference. The Innovative Startup Act (ISA) Steering Committee showcased that they’ve mobilized ₱2.1 billion in government funding for the Philippine startup ecosystem and their “ISA 2030 Vision.” 

During the event, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) officially passed the ISA Steering Committee Chairmanship to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), leading the committee from 2025 to 2027. Chairmanship rotates among the lead agencies of the ISA Steering Committee. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) was the chair for 2020-2022.

The ISA committee showcased its ambitious new national direction, the “ISA 2030 Vision.” This highlights their plan to foster a mature ecosystem capable of producing four Philippine Unicorns and attracting USD$10 billion in investments. 

Dr. Leah J. Buendia, DOST Undersecretary for Research & Development and ISA Chairperson, presented a “Key Accomplishment Report” detailing the strong foundation for this new outlook. Under the DOST’s chairmanship, the ISA’s ₱2.1 billion has directly supported 212 startups and incubated 2,233 more through a national network that has grown to 158 Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) and Innovation Hubs. 

“We are incredibly proud of these achievements,” said Dr. Leah J. Buendia. “The funding we’ve mobilized and the 2,233 startups incubated prove our national strategy is working. We have full confidence that the unique expertise, resources, and capabilities of the DICT will be instrumental in guiding our collective agenda forward and achieving the next level of success for our mission and vision, which is “A PH startup ecosystem that sustains Filipino entrepreneurship!”

The report also addressed the country’s recent slip in global startup rankings, from 60 in 2024 to 64 in 2025. Dr. Buendia presented a powerful counter-narrative, highlighting that the ISA’s “Start Local” strategy is working. She noted that three new Philippine cities have entered the Global Startup Ecosystem Ranking— Iloilo, Cauayan, and Solana — joining Manila, Cebu, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and Naga. She expressed optimism that the Philippines’ startup ecosystem will continue to thrive with the collaborative efforts among all stakeholders.

Each lead agency of the Innovative Startup Act is implementing distinct programs, such as the Startup Grant Funds (SGF) and Startup Venture Funds (SVF), as well as incubators and programs that empower Philippine startups to grow, innovate, and scale to greater heights.

Philippine Startup Week 2025, the country’s annual celebration of startups, officially opens its main event on November 12-14, 2025, at the Philippine Innovation Hub in the Marikina Enterprise Center. The country’s largest startup conference invites founders, investors, advocates, and enthusiasts to explore the nation’s startup community and enjoy the community events happening nationwide. Attendees can network with prominent startup enablers, champions, venture capital (VC) firms, and top startups of the country through the expo and conference.