Crowdfunding Filipino Startups - PhilAmThropy (PATH)

Crowdfunding Filipino Startups – PhilAmThropy (PATH)

Posted by Mighty on Sep 19, 2012 | 2 Comments

Last week, I wrote about the support that Filipino startups need. I even went as far as suggest the development of a system of support and crowdfunding similar to Kickstarter.com, Fundersandfounders.com Gofundme.com. These two websites are a great way to raise money even if you don’t have a track record yet. If you have a great idea but don’t have the resources, you can post your project on these sites. Then tell your friends about it. If they believe in your project, they will pledge money!

Again, through the blog of Peter Cauton, JuanGreatLeap.com, I managed to hear of a similar project that aims to connect Filipino Startups with migrant workers who have made it big!

Connecting migrant Filipinos and Filipino Startup Founders

In my blog post last week, I wrote several recommendations to support Filipino startups. Here’s an excerpt from that post:

Get conversations going.

Read the newspaper. Read blogs. Monitor Twitter and Facebook for amazing Filipino startups. Then leave your comments, even if they may feel insignificant. I believe that if we generate online buzz, and our startups deliver on their promise, we can build our own version of Silicon Valley here in the Philippines. Besides, aren’t we Asia’s rising star?

We need a local version of Kickstarter.com or FundersandFounders.com.

Both of these websites connect startup founders with the investors who could help them launch their startups and gain momentum.

Setup a system of support and mentoring.

There are already several groups supporting startups. Manny V. Pangilinan, perhaps one of the most risk-averse businessmen in the country is supporting startups, too. Ideaspace Foundation is the result of this. There’s also Project Pagsulong that aims to support young Filipino entrepreneurs in the social entrepreneurship sector. There’s also the StartupWeekend Manila and the next one will be on Sept 28-30, 2012 at Mint College.

I think that Recommendations No. 2 and 3 will be fulfilled pretty soon.

How?

I discovered another Startup headed by a Silicon-Valley based Filipino with a heart for the development of the Philippines. A platform for supporting Filipino startups is in the works!

That’s great news!

Now, we have an online platform to help support our startups. It’s called PATH: PhilAmTHropy!

Here’s what the founder emailed me:

After Ondoy in 2009 (and Gener last month), we all saw the outpouring of support from Filipinos overseas. However, weeks and months later, the support may seem to have slowed down but it is not because people forgot, they just did not know how to reach out. There is currently no platform in place that allows us to support each other on a regular basis. We should invest in ourselves first if we want other countries to take notice and invest in us.

Filipinos are very creative. We are able to work with what we have and turn it into something better. Unfortunately, a lot of talented pinoys do not have the resource to get started and this is where PATH comes in; by providing a platform that is easy to use. By using PayPal as our payment method, we are able to reach more supporters. PATH’s goal is to post quality projects which is why we have PATH Ambassadors who will help set the bar high. There are so many websites to visit and I hope that we can make you feel proud by being a Filipino in the few minutes that you are on PATH. PATH would also like to help promote Philippine products and services by giving points to those who help fund projects. Every $1 they give to a project that is successfully funded earns them 1 point which will allow them to win raffle prizes from Philippine companies (based on their number of points).

It’s still in the early stages. The site is under construction. The video for the first few projects are being edited. When’s the launch date, then?

Let’s wait for October!

Meanwhile, you can follow PhilAmTHropy via Twitter and Facebook.

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Efren Pallorina

Check out SocialProject.ph by Justin Garrido. Awesome!
PhilAmTHropy

Thank you for being one of our early supporters, Mighty. As of today, we have 2 successfully funded projects and 2 ongoing campaigns. One campaign is to help bring Delite Herbal Tea to store shelves in North America. Delite Tea is from the manufacturer of Ampalaya Plus. Our Community Service project is from Physicians for Peace, the favorite charity of the late Secretary Jesse Robredo. We are just getting started and really grateful for all the support. We are also looking forward to Social Project’s website. Let’s all work together for a better and brighter Philippines!