QBO

The DTI Global AQELERATION Program (GAP) is an acceleration and soft-landing program that will help mature Filipino startups enter Southeast Asian markets and support various needs such as business development, fundraising, and other strategic opportunities.

The program is designed to scale and accelerate the growth of promising enterprise-focused Philippine startups.

The program kicked off last year, with the US Embassy in the Philippines providing support, incentives, and benefits to 13 early-stage startups worth P1 million.

Sheona Mckenna, counsellor at the Australian Embassy, said only 18% of startups in the Philippines have women founders. This is roughly the same in Australia, where women are also “grossly underrepresented”.

Startup accelerator QBO Innovation Hub recently unveiled the winning startups in a nationwide startup competition that aims to help scale startups with Covid-19 initiatives.

The RESQUE Covid-19 Competition is a country-wide startup competition that aims to help startup founders stay afloat during these uncertain times.

The three added hotspots are the cities of Legazpi and Naga and the province of Bohol.