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Startup QC: Breaking Boundaries From Student Ideas To Professional Success
Government

Startup QC: Breaking Boundaries From Student Ideas To Professional Success

Jong Sumpaico

Head of the Investments Services Division at Quezon City Local Economic Development & Investment Promotions Office (LEDIPO)
Startup QC
Margaux Zurbano

Startup QC is a banner program by the Quezon City Government in the Philippines that aims to drive innovation and support early-stage startups. As the first and largest startup program led by a local government unit (LGU) in the country, it seeks to cultivate a thriving startup ecosystem in Quezon City. The program offers two key categories: the Professional Category, which supports early-stage startups and entrepreneurs aiming to scale, and the Student Category, which encourages students to develop and pitch their business ideas. With that, why don’t you join me in learning more about Startup QC with its Program Lead, Jong Sumpaico. 


Can you tell us about the inception of Startup QC and its goals for fostering innovation in Quezon City?

The Startup QC program officially launched in 2022, but even before that, the Quezon City Government had already envisioned it as a way to support three key pillars of the city's 14-point agenda: creating more jobs, establishing growth hubs, and positioning Quezon City as the preferred business destination. To make this a long-term initiative, the program was ordained (backed by an ordinance), ensuring continued funding and support, regardless of changes in city leadership.

When we launched the program in 2022, we initially opened applications for the professional category, and by August 2023, we held our first demo day for our inaugural cohort. Since then, we've experienced rapid growth, successfully completing three cohorts in the professional category and one business plan student competition. Along the way, we've actively collaborated with academic institutions and engaged multiple private and public agencies.


What are the key differences between the Professional and Student Categories, and what specific benefits do participants receive in each?

The Professional and Student Categories serve different purposes but share the goal of fostering entrepreneurship in Quezon City.

The Professional Category offers up to ₱1 million in equity-free funding, released in three tranches to ensure startups remain active and aligned with their business plan. The only requirement is that recipients must register their startups in Quezon City, if they haven’t already.

Beyond supporting professionals, we also introduced a student category to raise awareness about startups at a young age. Many students typically envision working for multinational companies after graduation, but we want to highlight that starting their own business is also a viable and rewarding path. Through this category, we train students in ideation and business planning, with the hope that they eventually transition to the professional category and build their own startups. The focus is on learning. This category is a business plan competition that encourages creativity and innovation. Students receive mentorship, and winners get cash prizes—₱100,000 for first place, ₱75,000 for second, ₱50,000 for third, plus additional awards. In 2024, we awarded 27 student teams.

Beyond funding, both categories provide mentorship and business matching. Since the office works closely with private companies and top universities like UP, Ateneo, Miriam, and TIP, we connect startups with real business opportunities. Our ultimate goal is to position Quezon City as the Startup Capital of the Philippines, and right now, we’re the first and largest LGU-led startup program in the country.

How do you select the startups and student business plans that are part of the program, and what criteria are used for evaluation?

For selecting startups, we use five key criteria, but the most important one is scalability. Since our goal is to make Quezon City the Startup Capital of the Philippines, we prioritize startups with the potential to expand globally. That’s why we’ve reached out to organizations like TechShake in Japan and Plug & Play in Silicon Valley. We’ve even connected with the Consul General of San Francisco, hoping that one day, some of our startups will establish a presence in Silicon Valley—while, of course, keeping their roots in Quezon City.

Aside from scalability, we also evaluate the team’s experience and expertise, as a strong and knowledgeable team is crucial for growth. Originality and innovation are equally important—we look for startups that offer unique solutions rather than copies of existing ones. We also prioritize alignment with key verticals such as sustainability, health, education, finance, information technology, arts and culture, and agriculture, as these sectors have strong global potential and align with Quezon City’s investment priorities.

The city’s investment priorities—innovation, creativity, sustainability, and inclusivity—play a big role in how we select startups. If a startup aligns with these priorities, it’s easier for us to provide resources and support. While we’re open to all kinds of startups, we prioritize tech-driven ventures because they have the greatest potential for scalability and global reach. This approach is also in line with the Philippine Startup Act, which defines and supports tech startups.

Can you share any success stories from previous cohorts that demonstrate the impact of the program on participating businesses?

The selection process for our startups goes through three stages of evaluation. Since this is an LGU-led program, the evaluators come from various departments within the local government, ensuring that key sectors like sustainability, health, education, finance, information technology, arts and culture, and agriculture, are well-represented. Beyond just awarding cash prizes, we focus on building long-term partnerships with these startups, helping them scale and match them with potential business opportunities. Many of our program graduates have gone on to make a real impact. For example, Kipap, one of our startups, is currently in talks with us to support the civil service exam preparations for city hall employees. Some of our other notable alumni include Hibla from cohort two, which promotes traditional weaving in the Philippines and has showcased their work in fashion shows in London and China. Eduksine, from cohort one, became the only Philippine representative at the World Intellectual Property Organization Global Awards and has even expanded with a branch in New York. 

These achievements, both nationally and internationally, make us incredibly proud. We always remind our startups that as alumni of the program, they have our full support. And while it’s not a requirement, we hope that as they grow and succeed, they find ways to give back to the citizens of Quezon City—the place where it all started for them.

Looking ahead, what are some of the plans or developments for Startup QC to continue supporting the startup ecosystem in Quezon City and the Philippines as a whole? 

Looking ahead, our goal is to firmly establish Startup QC on the map and continue building a thriving startup ecosystem—not just locally but on a global scale. We’re actively working on strengthening relationships with international startup accelerators and investors to provide more opportunities for our startups.

One key initiative is the creation of innovation hubs in Quezon City. Many startups don’t have the capacity to build their own facilities, so we want to provide them with co-working spaces, and a dedicated environment where they can collaborate and grow. Another major step is ensuring ease of doing business. We’re working on passing an ordinance that will grant startups fiscal incentives, including tax breaks, to help them establish and scale their operations. Ultimately, we believe that by fostering a strong startup ecosystem, supporting businesses in their early stages, and making Quezon City a prime destination for innovation, both the startups and the city will benefit significantly in the long run.

Jong Sumpaico is the Program Lead of the Startup QC Program, concurrently the Head of the Investments and Services Division at Quezon City Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (LEDIPO). Jong’s role is important for the Program since he plays a key role in leading efforts to attract investment, promote business opportunities, and facilitate the growth of local startups. He is passionate about fostering innovation and growing the startup ecosystem in Quezon City and beyond. 

Visit www.techshake.asia if you would like to know and connect more with Startup QC. 



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