菲律宾：初创企业和创新的温床

随着经济的增长、年轻而充满活力的人口以及数字化应用的不断增加，菲律宾可以为新兴初创企业提供很多机会。

The Philippines is quickly becoming a hotbed for startups and innovation, thanks to its growing economy, young and vibrant population, and increasing digital adoption. At the recent Endeavor Philippines 10th anniversary celebration, I had the chance to chat with high-impact entrepreneurs and industry leaders to uncover the “secret sauce” to scaling businesses in this dynamic market. From embracing technology to fostering a culture of innovation, here are some key takeaways for startups, developers, and Web3 enthusiasts.

由于其不断增长的经济、年轻而充满活力的人口以及不断增加的数字化采用，菲律宾正在迅速成为初创企业和创新的温床。在最近举行的奋进菲律宾十周年庆典上，我有机会与具有高影响力的企业家和行业领袖交谈，以揭示在这个充满活力的市场中扩展业务的“秘密武器”。从拥抱技术到培育创新文化，以下是初创公司、开发人员和 Web3 爱好者的一些重要收获。

Manny Ayala, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Endeavor Philippines, painted an optimistic picture of the country’s potential.

Endeavor 菲律宾公司联合创始人兼董事总经理曼尼·阿亚拉 (Manny Ayala) 对该国的潜力描绘了一幅乐观的图景。

“The long-term macroeconomic prospects of the Philippines are very, very promising,” he said. “We’re a large country with an average age of 24 and a healthy GDP per capita growth rate of 5-6%. By 2050, some economists predict we could be the 16th largest economy in the world, so by that alone, it’s an attractive market.”

“菲律宾的长期宏观经济前景非常非常有希望，”他说。 “我们是一个大国，平均年龄为 24 岁，人均 GDP 增长率为 5-6%。一些经济学家预测，到 2050 年，我们可能成为世界第 16 大经济体，因此仅凭这一点，这就是一个有吸引力的市场。”

For his part, this mix of youthful energy and untapped opportunities positions the Philippines as a “frontier market” for both traditional and Web3 startups. Entrepreneurs looking to scale must recognize and adapt to these evolving market dynamics.

对他而言，年轻的活力和未开发的机遇的结合使菲律宾成为传统和 Web3 初创公司的“前沿市场”。想要扩大规模的企业家必须认识并适应这些不断变化的市场动态。

Technology as the catalyst for growth

技术是增长的催化剂

Ayala also highlighted the crucial role of technology in driving growth and innovation.

阿亚拉还强调了技术在推动增长和创新方面的关键作用。

“Technology is like the yeast in the bread,” Ayala explained. “You sprinkle technology in, and things expand. You can do things faster, better, cheaper, and even create brand-new categories.”

“技术就像面包中的酵母，”阿亚拉解释道。 “你融入了技术，事物就会扩展。你可以更快、更好、更便宜地做事，甚至创造全新的品类。”

A perfect example is CloudEats, a virtual kitchen platform that uses data-driven processes to optimize everything from cooking to delivery. Its Co-Founder and Group CEO, Kimberly Yao, stressed the transformative role of innovation, saying, “Our food production facilities are designed to address real-world problems like transportation and food accessibility. While global technologies like robotics are exciting, we’re focused on solving these immediate, on-the-ground challenges.”

一个完美的例子是 CloudEats，这是一个虚拟厨房平台，它使用数据驱动的流程来优化从烹饪到送货的一切。其联合创始人兼集团首席执行官 Kimberly Yao 强调了创新的变革作用，她表示：“我们的食品生产设施旨在解决交通和食品可及性等现实问题。虽然机器人技术等全球技术令人兴奋，但我们专注于解决这些迫在眉睫的实际挑战。”

For startups in Web3, blockchain presents similar transformative potential. For Endeavor-supported company Coins.ph, for instance, blockchain is utilized to facilitate global money transfers without branding itself explicitly as a blockchain company.

对于 Web3 领域的初创公司来说，区块链也呈现出类似的变革潜力。例如，对于 Endeavor 支持的公司 Coins.ph，区块链被用来促进全球资金转移，而无需明确地将自己标榜为区块链公司。

Embracing digital transformation in legacy industries

拥抱传统行业的数字化转型

Even legacy businesses are harnessing technology to stay relevant. President of SSI Group, Anthony Huang, shared insights from their digital journey, saying, “We’ve evolved into a unified retail operation, merging both digital and brick-and-mortar. As part of a massive transformation project, we’re integrating AI tools into our ERP system for demand forecasting and optimizing our CRM practices.”

即使是传统企业也在利用技术来保持相关性。 SSI 集团总裁 Anthony Huang 分享了他们的数字化之旅的见解，他表示：“我们已经发展成为统一的零售业务，融合了数字化和实体化。作为大规模转型项目的一部分，我们正在将人工智能工具集成到我们的 ERP 系统中，以进行需求预测并优化我们的 CRM 实践。”

SSI’s hybrid approach shows that scalability isn’t just about digital-first models but also about reimagining traditional businesses with technology.

SSI 的混合方法表明，可扩展性不仅涉及数字优先模型，还涉及利用技术重新构想传统业务。

Navigating the challenges of Web3 adoption

应对 Web3 采用的挑战

Web3 technologies like blockchain and digital currency are generating buzz, but their adoption in consumer-facing industries remains nascent in the Philippines, says Bela Gupta D’Souza, Founder and CEO of Edamame.

Edamame 创始人兼首席执行官 Bela Gupta D'Souza 表示，区块链和数字货币等 Web3 技术正在引起轰动，但它们在菲律宾面向消费者的行业的采用仍处于萌芽阶段。

“There needs to be regulatory alignment and infrastructure development; the government must recognize and adopt blockchain as a strategy across industries before consumers can truly benefit,” Gupta D’Souza said, highlighting the need for foundational changes.

“需要协调监管和开发基础设施；政府必须承认并采用区块链作为跨行业的战略，消费者才能真正受益。”Gupta D'Souza 表示，他强调需要进行根本性变革。

This perspective aligns with Ayala’s observation of a “blockchain winter” that temporarily slowed its growth but is now picking up steam again after the re-election of Donald Trump as United States president, particularly in the gaming and digital currency sectors. Ayala advised startups entering this space to focus on creating value beyond hype, ensuring practical and scalable applications of the technology.

这一观点与阿亚拉对“区块链冬天”的观察一致，“区块链冬天”的增长暂时放缓，但在唐纳德·特朗普连任美国总统后，现在又重新回升，特别是在游戏和数字货币领域。阿亚拉建议进入这一领域的初创公司专注于创造超越炒作的价值，确保该技术的实际和可扩展应用。

Building a resilient business model

建立有弹性的商业模式

Gupta D’Souza also stressed the importance of sustainability in scaling a startup.

Gupta D'Souza 还强调了可持续发展对于初创企业规模的重要性。

“Scaling a startup is not just about rapid growth—it demands sustainability,” she said. “Find a problem to solve that achieves product-market fit, pursue your passions, but ensure they align with market opportunities. Also, be profit-focused. The days of blitz-scaling without sustainable growth are behind us.”

“扩大初创公司规模不仅仅意味着快速增长，还需要可持续性，”她说。 “找到一个需要解决的问题，以实现产品与市场的契合，追求你的激情，但确保它们与市场机会保持一致。另外，要以利润为中心。没有可持续增长的闪电式扩张的日子已经过去了。”

This focus on sustainability resonates with global trends, where investors highly favor businesses that demonstrate both growth and profitability.

这种对可持续发展的关注与全球趋势产生了共鸣，投资者高度青睐具有增长和盈利能力的企业。

The role of mentorship and community

指导和社区的作用

Ayala also highlighted the role of mentorship in helping entrepreneurs navigate challenges and achieve success.

阿亚拉还强调了指导在帮助企业家应对挑战和取得成功方面的作用。

“We (Endeavor) connect startups with 50 of the best corporate leaders and entrepreneurs locally and globally. Access to experienced mentors and niche VCs is crucial for scaling tech-enabled businesses,” he said.

“我们 (Endeavor) 将初创公司与本地和全球 50 名最优秀的企业领导者和企业家联系起来。获得经验丰富的导师和利基风险投资对于扩大技术支持的业务至关重要，”他说。

Huang agreed with Ayala, emphasizing that the retail sector’s digital evolution was fueled by learning from global best practices and adapting them locally.

黄同意阿亚拉的观点，强调零售业的数字化发展是通过学习全球最佳实践并在本地进行调整来推动的。

Fostering a culture of entrepreneurship

培育创业文化

Culturally, the Philippines is shifting toward greater acceptance of entrepreneurial risk.

在文化上，菲律宾正在转向更加接受创业风险。

“Young graduates today see the value of being entrepreneurial, whether it’s running a Shopee store or starting a small business. However, the ecosystem needs more success stories to inspire others to take the plunge,” Gupta D’Souza observed

“如今的年轻毕业生看到了创业的价值，无论是经营 Shopee 商店还是创办小型企业。然而，生态系统需要更多的成功案例来激励其他人冒险尝试，”Gupta D'Souza 观察到