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Malaya Business Insight

The National Development Company (NDC), the government’s investment arm, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Asian venture capital firm Quest Ventures to become knowledge partners in driving startup innovation and investments in the country.

In a statement, NDC said the collaboration aims to leverage the combined expertise and resources of both parties to address the potential of the Philippines startup and innovation ecosystem.

For this collaboration, the NDC will leverage its newly established Philippine Innovation Hub, the headquarters of the Startup Venture Fund, the Philippine E-commerce Platform and the Ph AI Research Center.

The MOU was signed in Manila by Anton Mauricio, general manager of the NDC and April Ong Vaño, head of Environment, Social & Governance at Quest Ventures.

Mauricio said Quest Ventures brings valuable cross-border insights, best practices and extensive network to the partnership aimed at enhancing the local venture capital ecosystem and promoting sustainable investments.

Ong Vaño said Quest Ventures will bring its venture capital courses and accelerators and will implement Philippine-specific programs to address new sectors of opportunities such as sustainability.

Quest Ventures has a portfolio of over a hundred venture-backed companies operating in more than 150 cities across Asia. These include industry leaders such as 99.co, Carousell, Carro, Glife, Hepmil/ PGAG, Oddle, Shopback, VulcanPost, Xfers, and Kraver’s Canteen. Its enterprise innovation clients include Applied Materials, Coca-Cola, HP, Nissan, and Tencent.

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深圳卫视

未来可期！

“一带一路”走过十年，供应链产业链价值链加速融合，共建伙伴由共生而共赢，由共赢而共享。如今，越来越多的中国企业家们行走在“一带一路”上，他们打造出生产、技术、销售、服务的完备产业链，拉近了中国与世界的距离。第三集《造链》，讲述中国企业探索当地、扎根当地、服务当地的故事。

求索创投管理合伙人陈中参加了深圳卫视节目制作。

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BusinessMirror

The National Development Company (NDC), the government’s investment arm under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), recently inked a series of agreements with an international venture capital firm to drive start-up innovation and investments in the country.

NDC General Manager Anton Mauricio underscored the importance of the agreement with Quest Ventures, noting that the venture capital firm’s “significant footprint” across Singapore and Asia brings “valuable cross-border insights, best practices and extensive network that aligns with our key objectives in enhancing the local venture capital ecosystem and promoting sustainable investments.”

The MOU was signed in Manila between Anton Mauricio, General Manager of the NDC, and Ms. April Ong Vaño, Head of Environment, Social & Governance at Quest Ventures; and witnessed by Mr. Jerahmeel Chen, Chief Innovation Officer at iHub.

At a media briefing last Friday, NDC Assistant General Manager for Corporate Communications Group Leopoldo Acot explained that under the firm’s start-up venture fund, counterpart funding should transpire between NDC and a co-investment partner.

Jerahmeel Chen, Chief Innovation Center of NDC, explained further at the same briefing, “The challenge of SVF is we always have to have a coinvestment partner. Even if we want to invest in a start-up, we have to ask them to present to the accredited CIPs and then if one of them will invest then tsaka we will invest.”

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Manila Standard

The National Development Company (NDC), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) tasked to support companies and industries, and Quest Ventures, a top venture capital (VC) firm in Asia, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to embark as knowledge partners to drive startup innovation and investments in the country.

NDC general manager Anton Mauricio and Quest Venture head of environment, social and governance April Ong-Vaño signed the agreement in Manila on Monday.

“We are excited to join forces with Quest Ventures in our pursuit of innovation and startup industry growth. With their significant footprint in Singapore and across Asia, Quest Ventures brings valuable cross-border insights, best practices and extensive network that aligns with our key objectives in enhancing the local venture capital ecosystem and promoting sustainable investments,” Mauricio said.

Ong-Vaño said the regional venture capital firm was encouraged to partner with NDC to transform the Philippines startup and innovation ecosystem by improving access to venture capital.

“We look forward to bringing our crowd favorites such as venture capital courses and accelerators to important hubs in The Philippines. We also look forward to implementing Philippine-specific programs to address new sectors of opportunities such as sustainability,” she said.

Quest Ventures portfolio companies include industry leaders such as 99.co, Carousell, Carro, Glife, Hepmil/ PGAG, Oddle, Shopback, VulcanPost, Xfers, and Kraver’s Canteen. Its enterprise innovation clients include Applied Materials, Coca-Cola, HP, Nissan, and Tencent.

Quest Venture is known for uplifting communities in emerging economies in Southeast Asia and Central Asia, through the infusion of capital and technology. It received recognition as VC of the Year in 2022.

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TechNode Global

NDC said in a statement that the NDC and Quest Ventures have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to embark as knowledge partners to drive startup innovation and investments in the country.

It said the collaboration aims to leverage their combined expertise and resources as well as to strengthen linkages between government and private sector.

The NDC will leverage its newly established Philippine Innovation Hub (iHub) for this collaboration.

It is noted that iHub is also the headquarters of the Startup Venture Fund (SVF), the Philippine E-commerce Platform (PEP), and the Ph AI Research Center (PAIR).

“With their significant footprint in Singapore and across Asia, Quest Ventures brings valuable cross-border insights, best practices and extensive network that aligns with our key objectives in enhancing the local venture capital ecosystem and promoting sustainable investments,” said Anton Mauricio, General Manager of the NDC.

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e27

The NDC will leverage its newly established Philippine Innovation Hub (iHub) for this collaboration. iHub is also the headquarters of the Startup Venture Fund (SVF), the Philippine E-commerce Platform (PEP), and the Ph AI Research Center (PAIR). The SVF recently received US$143 million from the Philippines’s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to invest in local startups.

Anton Mauricio, General Manager of the NDC, said: “With their significant footprint in Singapore and across Asia, Quest Ventures brings valuable cross-border insights, best practices and extensive network that aligns with our key objectives in enhancing the local venture capital ecosystem and promoting sustainable investments.”

Quest Ventures is an active VC firm with a portfolio of 100-plus companies in over 150 cities across Asia. Its portfolio companies include 99.co, Carousell, Carro, Glife, Hepmil/ PGAG, Oddle, Shopback, VulcanPost, Xfers, and Kraver’s Canteen.

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联合早报

年轻创业者彭匡和（23岁）两年前获得新加坡创业行动社群的协助，从一心只知道开发软件产品，到后来学习如何与投资者沟通和介绍产品等商业模式，终于开创自己的事业。

彭匡和创业已经三年，正开发一款名为Bumpp的软件，该软件帮助用户整理电子名片，并以此建立专业的人际关系网络。

但创业之初，他只懂得研发软件。后来，他得到新加坡创业行动社群（Action Community for Entrepreneurship，简称ACE.SG）的帮助，通过指导计划获得支持，逐渐学会与投资者沟通和推销自己的产品，并组建团队。

未来，更多年轻人将能像彭匡和一样，在ACE.SG的一项新计划下，得到专业导师的帮助，让他们在创业路上走得更自信。

ACE.SG星期四（9月28日）启动为本地创业社群提供专业培训的机构，并与新跃社科大学、义安理工学院、淡马锡理工学院和工艺教育学院签署四份谅解备忘录，为年轻创业者提供高质量和相关的学习机会。

ACE.SG加强与这些高等教育机构的合作，为初创公司提供咨询服务、交流机会、实习机会，为初创业者提供培训计划等，让他们做好充足的准备。

教育部兼人力部政务部长颜晓芳担任活动主宾。她对这一合作表示支持，认为应该赋予年轻和年长的学习者必要的技能和思维方式，创新与创业发展对于学生应对未来的挑战也至关重要。

新加坡创业行动社群主席兼求索创投合伙人陈中在会上提起新加坡今年在起步公司生态系统排名全球第八，但不能视之为理所当然，必须继续创新，探索新的路径，为本地的初创企业者提供更多机会。

淡马锡理工学院副校长胡传棋说，学校致力于通过创新和初创企业项目、指导计划等资源支持和促进学生和教职员的成长。这次能够扩大与ACE.SG合作，通过新的项目强化初创企业生态系统是一种荣誉。

另一名创业者是理财平台Seedly的执行董事叶明锋（33岁），他说自己创业七年，自去年开始加入帮助ACE.SG的指导计划，为年轻的创业者提供咨询和支持。

他说，早在疫情期间，他就曾经帮助一家手机公司提供咨询服务，该公司的实体店因疫情而关闭，他提供了关于如何转向在线业务的建议，帮助公司扩大业务规模。

他认为与教育机构合作，能提升现有指导计划的咨询服务，帮助更多的初创业者。他说，创业的道路是越走越孤独的，他鼓励创业者不管是年长者还是年轻人，都要不断学习，唯有学习才能让自己和事业不断进步和成长。

有关教育课程和培训的更多细节，ACE.SG 和合作伙伴将于日后公布。

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TechNode Global

Singapore-based venture capital firm Quest Ventures has appointed Philippine-based April Ong Vaño as its Head of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG).

She will be covering this role while based in Cebu, The Philippines.

“I intend to drive practical outcomes in local communities. These include microfinance for agriculture and accessible solutions for clean water and energy, all of which are important for a decarbonised planet,

“I firmly believe that venture capital plays a pivotal role in sustainable innovations and technology. I look forward to supporting transformative startups to scale their impact,” said Ong Vaño.

It is noted that Quest Ventures is one of the first venture capital firm signatories in Asia to the Principles of Responsible Investment, an investor initiative in partnership with UNEP Finance Initiative and UN Global Compact.

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Manila Bulletin

Philippine-based April Ong Vaño to champion outcome-driven initiatives in sustainability

Emerging markets top venture capital firm Quest Ventures announced today that it has appointed Ms. April Ong Vaño as its Head of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG). In this capacity, Ms. Ong Vaño will play a pivotal role in advancing the company’s mission and advancing sustainability efforts in key markets.

Ms Ong Vaño brings a wealth of experience to this role, having served ten years in social innovation and sustainable development across government, non-profit, and private sector projects. As Head of ESG at Quest Ventures, Ms Ong Vaño will leverage her knowledge of venture financing and local markets to spearhead strategic initiatives with meaningful outcomes. She will be covering this role while based in Cebu, The Philippines.

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DealStreetAsia

Singapore-based venture capital firm Quest Ventures has appointed April Ong Vano as the head of its environmental, social & governance (ESG) functions.

Ong Vano has been with the company for five years, and will be based in the Philippines in her new role, leading sustainability efforts in key markets.

Quest Ventures is an Asia-focused venture capital firm, operating in more than 150 cities across the continent. Its portfolio includes companies such as 99.co, Carousell, Carro, Glife, Hepmil, Oddle, Shopback, VulcanPost, Xfers, and Yummy Corporation.

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