MANILA, MAY 29, 2013 – Globe Telecom subsidiary Kickstart ventures has announced that it has selected California-based global accelerator Plug and Play Tech Center (PnP) as an international corporate partner. By doing so, Kickstart will work to connect select Philippine tech startups to Silicon Valley.
PnP, which first opened its doors in January 2006, boasts a network of 300 tech startups and 180 venture-capital investors, including top-shelf venture capital firms like Sequoia Capital, Menlo Partners and Draper Fisher Jurvetson, as well as a community of university and corporate partners including Google, Microsoft and Sun Microsystems.
PnP helps new tech firms rent office space, be introduced to potential investors, customers or acquirers, and join key industry events such as those concerning education, immersion programs and networking. Since its inception, PnP has helped startups raise over USD1 billion in venture funding, and its startup firms have created over USD2 billion.
As one of PnP’s corporate partners, Kickstart will be present in PnP’s Silicon Valley office and will select startup teams in the Philippines that will be sent to the PnP office for a three-month incubation program, which involves participation in the Plug and Play University, mentoring activities and networking events, as well as a chance to pitch their business at the quarterly Plug and Play EXPO.
Saeed Amidi, CEO and Founder of Plug and Play Tech Center, said that PnP would first work with Kickstart to select technology areas of interest, and then work to discover high tech startups crafting innovative products or solutions in these areas in order to help them grow their business.
Minette Navarrete, President of Kickstart, said that even as the Philippines works to create a unique startup ecosystem, there is still much to learn from innovators, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists in Silicon Valley. She added that Kickstart was excited to partner with an active Valley player to help Philippine startups succeed.
