100X Program Envisions Greatest Generation of Filipino Startups.
The 100x Fellowship program kicked off its 14-week program of putting the heads of angel investors, burgeoning startup founders, and experts in artificial technology together to cultivate the “greatest generation of Filipino startups.”
The program got its name from the shared vision for startups to ensure a 100x (100 times) return of investment for founders and investors once these businesses take off, and a 100x impact on the country’s business environment and to customers.
The fellowship program got the ball rolling on June 20 with the first day called “Powerhouse” that brought together 42 Philippine startup players who are trying to build their own 100x journeys.
100x is a joint initiative led by the founding fellows that include Kaya Founders Managing Partner Paulo Campos, AI First Chief Executive Officer Carlo Almendral, and Ignite House of Innovation CEO Andre Yap. It aims to equip startup founders with financial, strategic, and human capital resources and the technical know-how to ensure significant returns and impact.
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Day 1 saw major players in the early-stage startup scene and in the AI field led by Yap, PayMongo Chief Executive Officer Jojo Malolos, and Concepcion Industrial Corp. Chairman Jojo Concepcion, who engaged in fireside conversations on how crucial the 100x program is in leaving a lasting impact on a variety of fields and on the current business landscape in the country.
There were also discussions on AI-first best practices, or how AI can be used to do things better, faster, and cheaper, to drive this goal of a 100x ROI.
“Attendees were eager to connect, share their 100X ventures, and learn how to engage more meaningfully with investors,” according to the news release from early stage venture capital company Kaya Founders, which is working with Ignite House of Innovation to carry out the 100x program.
“For angel investors, the program aids in highlighting the need to make early stage capital more transparent, structured and founder-aligned from day one,” it added.
Manila continues to be a hub for startup growth as it posted about $1 billion in funding for startups each year in the past two years, based on a report by Foxmont Capital Partners and BCG.
Based on the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Index by StartupBlink, the Philippines dropped four spots in the annual index to 64th out of 100 countries. The country’s annual ecosystem growth rate was the lowest in Southeast Asia.
StartupBlink evaluates startup ecosystems in 100 countries and about 1,000 cities based quantity and quality of startups and their business landscape and environment. Manila received a startup funding of about $273.6 million last year, based on the report.
The 100x collaboration seeks to emphasize deep collaboration via capacity building programs to secure substantial returns and market impact.
“The kickoff was testament to how 100X isn’t just a founder initiative but part of a long term commitment to strengthen the infrastructure around early stage investing in the Philippines,” according to Kaya Founders.
