Sinigang Valley Association Elects Board of Trustees

Sinigang Valley Association (SVA), a collective of local startup companies, investors, and accelerators, has elected its first board of trustees since it was formed in 2021. The election helps pave the way for a more streamlined and professionally run organization seen to benefit the nascent startup industry in the Philippines. 

Elected as board members were Paulo Campos of Kaya Founders, Rene Cuartero of AHG Lab, Jojo Malolos of Paymongo, Roland Ros of Kumu, and Franco Varona of Foxmont Capital.

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According to insiders, the election happened last Thursday, August 15 and involved 28 of the 29 members of SVA. Ballots were counted the same day and the results were announced to members on Friday (August 16), after the winners were informed of the results.

All of the newly elected board members have strong backgrounds in the local startup industry.

Campos is the founding managing general partner of Kaya Founders, one of the most high-profile early-stage venture capital firms in the country. He is also a founding partner of Pulse 63 Healthcare Ventures, co-founder and former managing director of Zalora Philippines, and sits on the board of many other companies. He completed his MBA at Harvard Busines School and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University.

Cuartero is co-founder and CEO of AHG Lab, an independent venture studio supporting budding entrepreneurs. AHG Lab’s portfolio includes startups and accelerators like Helixpay, Shoppable, TalentHero, Travel Guru, Founders Launchpad, CrafveFast, and many more. 

Malolos is a veteran in the tech startup space in the Philippines. He was CEO of both Data Analytics Ventures Inc (DAVI) and JG Digital Equity Ventures, the corporate VC arm of JG Summit of the Gokongwei family. He was also co-founder, president and CEO and later chairman of GoTyme Bank. Today he is CEO of payment solutions platform Paymongo. 

Ros is, of course, best-known as the co-founder and CEO of Kumu, one of Asia’s largest livestreaming apps. He has worked in business development and strategic partnerships for a number of companies, including Spark Revenue, MediaTrust, and Consumer Track. He  is also an angel investor whose portfolio includes companies like Pickup Coffee, AcadArena, Lista, and Podcast Network Asia.

As managing partner of Foxmont Capital Partners, Varona has a front seat to the best and most promising Filipino entrepreneurs building their businesses in the country. Their portfolio reads like a who’s who of the current local startup landscape: companies like Kumu, Edukasyon, Etaily, Kraver’s Canteen, Edamama, 1Export, Peddlr, Pickup Coffee, Toki, and many others. Varona has a wealth of experience in the tech startup space, including a stint as general manager of Grab Philippines. He graduated with a BA in International Relations and Literature from Syracuse University.

While the group was initially founded mostly by companies geographically located in Makati’s Poblacion area—hence the playful moniker Sinigang Valley—membership has grown to include groups headquartered in other places around the capital’s business districts and even outside Metro Manila. The idea is to eventually attract businesses and startups from across the Philippines and even Southeast Asia.

Representatives from SVA say there is more to come from the startup collective, especially now with a formal board of trustees in place. 

For more information on Sinigang Valley, check out their website.