Kickstart Ventures General Partner Joan Yao shares how the Philippines offers interesting talent and a promising market for Canadian startups seeking to enter the market at the APF Canada Women in Business Breakfast Roundtable.
A week of Canada-backed entrepreneurship and business engagements in Manila highlighted growing collaboration between Canadian partners and the Philippine startup ecosystem, led by the Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) and supported locally by Kickstart Ventures, the corporate venture capital firm of one of SEA’s leading telecom companies, as an ecosystem partner.
The engagements are part of APF Canada’s 2019-2026 Women’s Business Mission to Asia Series with the aim of showcasing Canadian women entrepreneurs advancing sustainable and resilient solutions across food and energy security, infrastructure, and the digital economy. Working alongside APF Canada and the Embassy of Canada, Kickstart Ventures helped connect international stakeholders with Philippine startups, founders, and corporate partners.
“When women entrepreneurs are supported, entire communities benefit. This week’s engagements with APF Canada highlight how cross-border partnerships, such as between Canada and the Philippines, can work together to accelerate and shine a spotlight on women-led innovation in sectors critical to building more inclusive and future-ready economies,” said Minette Navarrete, Managing Partner and President of Kickstart Ventures.
APF Canada emphasized that the week’s activities reflect its broader commitment to strengthening Canada’s engagement in the Asia-Pacific region through people-to-people and business ties. “Our work in the Philippines is part of APF Canada’s long-standing focus on building meaningful connections across the Asia-Pacific,” said Christine Nakamura, Vice President at the Asia-Pacific Foundation of Canada’s Central Canada Office. “Collaborating with local partners like Kickstart Ventures helps ensure that our initiatives are relevant, inclusive, and connected to the needs of local founders and business communities.”
The week opened with a reception hosted by the Embassy of Canada and APF Canada, convening representatives from the government, venture capital, and the private sector. This set the stage for a series of APF Canada-led activities, including the “Women Securing Our Shared Futures: Building Resilience Through Canada-Philippines Collaboration” session at Ateneo de Manila University and the APF Canada Women in Business Breakfast, which provided spaces for candid discussion among women founders, operators, and investors.
Support for women-led entrepreneurship emerged as a consistent theme throughout the week, reflecting shared priorities between APF Canada, Canadian partners, and local stakeholders. Kickstart’s participation in moderation, founder discussions, and hosting a local ecosystem event underscored the role of local venture platforms in helping international initiatives engage meaningfully with emerging ecosystems.
