PH Consulate General in SanFo Co-Organizes Virtual Roundtable Discussion

SAN FRANCISCO 20 November 2018 – In celebration of Global Entrepreneurship Week, the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, through its Philippine Trade and Investment Centre–Silicon Valley, held a virtual roundtable discussion on emerging trends for start-ups entitled “Ecosystem Connect” held simultaneously in Manila on 14 November 2018 and San Francisco on 13 November 2018.

“Ecosystem Connect” aimed to gather experts in the start-up industry in both countries to discuss emerging global trends and opportunities for Filipino start-ups.

Two panels were simultaneously set-up, one at the Philippine Center in San Francisco, and the other at the American Spaces facility in the U.S. Embassy in Manila. 

The San Francisco panel was led by the Consulate General’s Economic Officer and Consul Jed Llona and Trade Commissioner Celynne Layug, and was composed of Earl Valencia, venture advisor for start-ups and corporate innovation and current Managing Director of Charles Schwab; Al Lim, General Manager of Spark447 and CEO and Founder of Xtrilogy Ventures, a company that helps early stage startups to grow; and Mark Goldenson, an entrepreneur and investor who started four companies in different industries.

The Manila panel was led by United States Embassy in Manila’s Economic Officer Stephanie Moniot and Public Affairs Office Counselor Philip Roskamp, and was composed of representatives from Ideaspace, Kickstart, Endeavor, Ignition, and Manila Angels. 

The event generated lively discussions on the start-up industry in the Philippines, including the value of mentorships and the need to identify niche sectors. Positive developments such as recent legislation on the Ease of Doing Business and the Innovative Startups Act were cited.

Co-organized with the US Embassy in Manila, the activity is in line with the Consulate General’s Spark 447 program and the overarching Spark*Connect*Empower movement, which hopes to “spark” interest in the startup ecosystem in the Philippines among Filipino Americans, “connect” individuals and organizations in Silicon Valley to like-minded networks in the Philippines, and “empower” the community to help bridge the gap between the Philippines and Silicon Valley.  END

For more information, visit www.sanfranciscopcg.dfa.gov.ph / www.philippinessanfrancisco.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHinSF/.