Aptos Foundation Funds Hiraya Network to Boost Blockchain Talent and Startups in the Philippines

Aptos Foundation, which supports the development and growth of the Aptos blockchain, is funding Hiraya Network, a new initiative in the Philippines

Aptos Foundation is funding an initiative in the Philippines called Hiraya Network to discover local talent and support projects that will eventually build within the Aptos ecosystem, according to Eli Becislao, co-founder of The BLOKC, the organization leading Aptos Foundation’s Hiraya Network in the country.

During a press conference on Wednesday (August 2), Becislao said the backing of Aptos Foundation and Aptos Labs will ensure continuous support to bring opportunities to Filipino developers and entrepreneurs.

“We’re very fortunate that we’re supported by foundations like Aptos Foundation and Aptos Labs to bring opportunities to the Philippines,” said Becislao.

He added that while the country is rich in tech talent—being the world’s top BPO hub—Filipino developers often lack access to the necessary resources and opportunities to build successful blockchain projects.

“There’s money, and there are foundations ready and willing to support. But the problem is that we don’t have enough eligible projects and startups to present to them.”

This is where Hiraya Network comes in, with the goal of identifying and developing these projects to ensure continued support for blockchain innovation in the Philippines.

Also Read: Aptos Among Chains Hit by DegenEra NFT Project's Token Price Crash

When asked about the key performance indicators (KPIs) for Hiraya Network, Becislao highlighted economic impact as the main metric that will determine the initiative’s success.

“We don’t care if we only produce 100 developers for Aptos in the span of six months—as long as those 100 developers are hired and employed within the Aptos ecosystem. That’s economic impact for us.”

Becislao explained that if Filipino developers are earning $5,000 to $10,000 per month from blockchain projects, or if a handful of startups raise millions of dollars in funding, these outcomes create a ripple effect, generating jobs and contributing to the Philippine economy.

The press conference also revealed that Hiraya Network’s primary objective is to uncover high-potential blockchain projects and talent in the Philippines that can benefit from Aptos’ global programs. These include grants, accelerators and the Aptos LFM—a specialized program supporting Aptos-native projects in their token generation event (TGE) preparations.

“Through lots of activations that we are doing right now, we’ll make it happen for sure.”

The launch of Hiraya Network is supported by several institutions, including:

Aptos Foundation and Aptos Labswill be providing ongoing support and opportunities to the selected startups and developers.

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)is offering assistance in terms of registration and legal compliance for blockchain startups operating in the Philippines.

The cooperation will enable seamless integration for startups planning to expand their businesses within the PEZA ecosystem.

The Philippine government, through the Department of Science and Technology - Science and Technology Innovation Center (DOST-STIC), is also providing support for the initiative.

This support includes assisting in identifying and connecting promising startups with relevant institutions and programs for further development.

The initiative is also supported by institutions like The BLOKC, which will be managing the program and providing support to startups and developers.

The launch of Hiraya Network marks a significant step in fostering blockchain innovation and talent within the Philippines.

As the country continues to emerge as a regional technological hub, initiatives like Hiraya Network are crucial in nurturing local potential and contributing to the global blockchain ecosystem.

Full Transcript

BitPinas Reporter: Launching initiatives such as Hiraya comes with costs and expectations. Who is responsible for funding the Hiraya Network, and how is it structured? How long will the support last, and what are the specific KPIs or metrics that will measure its success?

Eli Becislao, The BLOKC: Thank you. Well, technically, for this one, it’s our own problem—joke! (laughs)

We’re very fortunate that we’re supported by foundations like Aptos Foundation and Aptos Labs to bring opportunities to the Philippines. As Emerson mentioned earlier, we have good talent here in the Philippines. We’re the top BPO country in the world, right? That really proves that we have a lot of talented people. (Note: Emerson Fonseca is co-founder of The BLOKC.)

The problem is that we don’t have access to resources, we don’t have access to opportunities, and that’s what Aptos Labs and Aptos Foundation, through Hiraya Network, are bringing to the Philippines.

In terms of funding and how long it will last—I don’t know. But if we can produce really good projects here in the Philippines, they’ll definitely be more than happy to continue supporting startups and projects in the country.

The idea is this, guys: There’s money, and there are foundations ready and willing to support. But the problem is that we don, t have enough