Featured image above shows DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. sharing a scissor with DTI Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque to officially kick off the Philippine Startup Week 2025. They are flanked by DICT Director Jhino Ilano (left) and former Marikina congresswoman Stella Quimbo. (Photo: SDN)
Spotlight trained on “ISA 2030 Vision” which aims to produce 4 startup unicorns
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MANILA, November 11, 2025 — Philippine Startup Week (PHSW) 2025 kicked off today, Tuesday, 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. In 2020-2022, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) chaired the committee.
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 US$10 billion in investments.
Dr. Leah J. Buendia, DOST undersecretary for Research & Development (R&D) 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 funding 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 (PIH) in the Marikina Enterprise Center (MEC) . The country’s largest startup conference invited 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. (/)