If you are wondering how to get funding from Kickstart Ventures, here is the short version: it is the Philippines' largest corporate venture capital firm, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe Telecom that backs early- to growth-stage tech startups in the Philippines and globally. Since 2012 it has made 70 investments backing more than 130 founders, offering expertise and market access through the Ayala, Globe and Singtel networks. That is the practical core of Kickstart Ventures funding — a cheque plus a corporate bridge into Southeast Asia.

What Kickstart Ventures invests in: thesis and stages

Kickstart Ventures invests in pre-Series A to Series C digital startups that solve real-world problems through sustainable and inclusive innovation. Its flagship mandate is the Ayala Corporation Technology Innovation Venture (ACTIVE) Fund, the largest venture capital fund to come out of the Philippines, anchored by Ayala Corporation with LPs including the Bank of the Philippine Islands, AC Industrials, AC Energy and Globe Telecom. The ACTIVE Fund writes cheques of US$2 million to US$10 million into Series A to D rounds in fintech, e-commerce and construction tech, across four themes: A Frictionless Future, From Automation to Augmentation, Innovations in Real Estate, and A World of Plenty. More recently the firm has leaned into artificial intelligence, e-commerce and cybersecurity — AI that augments human capability, plus financial inclusion, healthcare and climate-resilience plays.

Fund size and structure

Kickstart started in 2012 as a corporate incubator with a US$2.5 million fund and became a full corporate venture capital firm in 2015 with a US$50 million growth fund. It now manages two funds for Globe and advises the US$180 million ACTIVE Fund, which closed 20% above its original US$150 million target and is the largest VC fund raised in the Philippines. Since founding, Kickstart has invested PHP 2.15 billion in Philippine startups; its local portfolio has generated around 600 jobs and raised US$305 million in follow-on funding, with five portfolio startups expanding overseas.

Notable portfolio companies

The portfolio of around 70 local and foreign companies includes kumu (live-streaming), edamama (parenting e-commerce), NextPay (SMB banking), coins.ph (crypto/fintech), Pickup Coffee, Skillshare, RuralNet and Zalora. Beyond the cheque, portfolio companies gain procurement access inside the Ayala group, marketing support, and bridging across Ayala's interests from water to telco.

Key people

Minette Navarrete serves as president and is the firm's most public voice on thesis and the ACTIVE Fund. The leadership team includes Dan Siazon (SVP and treasurer), Joan Yao (general partner / VP of investments, the usual press contact on new deals) and Bit Santos (portfolio operations director), alongside VP of investments Mike Maté.

How to apply for funding

Kickstart does not run a public accelerator application or a formal pitch-portal process on its site. The firm's stated contact route is direct outreach: it invites startups to email [email protected] and to follow @kickstartPH for updates. Warm introductions through the Ayala, Globe and Singtel networks help, since network access is the firm's value-add — come with traction, unit economics and a clear ask on which corporate doors you need opened.

Why it matters for founders

For founders selling into Southeast Asia, Kickstart Ventures offers something rare: a US$180 million regional mandate plus procurement and partnership doors inside the Philippines' oldest conglomerate. If your startup fits its themes — fintech, e-commerce, AI-driven augmentation, climate and health tech — the first step is a direct, well-prepared email to [email protected] explaining what you build and which Ayala-group doors you need opened.