Kickstart Ventures, a corporate venture capital (CVC) firm wholly-owned by Globe Telecom Inc., teamed up with the Trade Commissioner Service at the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines to bolster international collaboration and investment opportunities at the inaugural run of “Cross-border Ventures: A Showcase of Canada’s Most Innovative Startups” pitching session.
The firm’s capability to invest, particularly in multi-million-dollar ventures, and its dedication to strategic post-investment support, has solidified its position as a sought-after partner for global partners.
Kickstart Ventures vice president of investments Mike Maté expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, noting the crucial role of embassies as gateways to global investment opportunities.
“This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to forging connections in the global landscape, and we look forward to more possible partnerships with embassies worldwide,” Maté said.
Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines David Hartman reaffirmed the embassy’s dedication to fostering mutually beneficial collaborations, highlighting the strong relationship between Kickstart and the Canadian startup community.
“This partnership holds special importance to us and is something that we want to continue to invest in. We see great value in connecting Kickstart with more startups in Canada’s strong and robust innovation community, especially this milestone year, as we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Canada-Philippines diplomatic relations,” Hartman said.
The event kicked off with compelling pitches from Canadian startups, showcasing groundbreaking solutions across sectors such as ClimateTech, FinTech, SaaS, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
Among the startups handpicked by Kickstart Ventures were FTEX, offering a solution tailored for light electric vehicle manufacturers; Koïos Intelligence, providing AI-powered assistants for insurance professionals; and Cya.Live, an immersive social broadcast platform for large virtual audiences in real-time.
