Imagine a space where a food entrepreneur can test a recipe, a gaming startup can develop its next blockbuster, and a blockchain pioneer can pitch to investors—all under one roof. That’s the vision behind a new innovation and startup hub in the city of Marikina in the Philippines, a groundbreaking initiative proposed by Congresswoman Stella Quimbo and led by the Philippine Innovation Hub, aiming to revolutionize the country’s startup ecosystem. While its official name has yet to be finalized, the facility is set to play a pivotal role in supporting high-growth entrepreneurs.
A nexus for innovation
Scheduled for launch on April 11, 2025, this Marikina-based startup hub is a testament to the nation’s commitment to fostering technological advancement and entrepreneurial growth. Spanning an impressive 20,000 square meters across five floors, this state-of-the-art facility promises to be a game-changer for startups across various industries.
According to Philippine Innovation Hub’s Corporate Executive Officer II, Jerahmeel Chen, “It’s a five-story facility. Each floor has a theme. With regards to the programs, the National Development Company (NDC) was tasked to create an incubation and acceleration program within the facility to help and assist startups with their specific industries thereof.”
Tailored support for diverse sectors
Chen detailed how the center is structured to cater to a wide range of industries:
- Ground Floor: Featuring an open kitchen and a fashion showroom, this floor caters to culinary and fashion entrepreneurs looking to test and refine their products in a supportive environment. “We have an open kitchen where a food deck can have a masterclass. Entrepreneurs or founders can utilize our kitchen—they don’t have to buy their own. They can test their products with their market.”
- Second Floor: Designed for government services consolidation, providing a streamlined space for regulatory compliance and even retail testing. “Hopefully, you don’t have to go from one building to another just to get the compliance done,” Chen explained.
- Third Floor: Targeting the creative industries, equipped with cutting-edge software and hardware to support gaming, animation, and multimedia ventures. “We will be acquiring software and hardware that will support the game development industry, the animation industry, and other components of the creative industry,” he shared.
- Fourth Floor: The tech hub, primed for fintech, artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain startups, offering workspace and advanced infrastructure, including potentially a supercomputer, crucial for developing next-generation technologies. “We will have, hopefully, a private sector partner, and we will be able to deploy the supercomputer and services that are needed there,” said Chen.
- Fifth Floor: Reserved for venture capitalists and pitching events, with meeting rooms and an auditorium for large-scale presentations, fostering connections between startups and investors. “There’s a small auditorium where they can do large-scale pitching events,” Chen noted.
Empowering through technology
Central to the hub’s mission is its commitment to leveraging emerging technologies like AI and blockchain. Chen emphasized their role in revolutionizing the biotech, cybersecurity, and healthcare industries.
“The objective is to create industries. Our hope is that they can become industrial-scale corporations,” Chen explained. “A perfect example would be one of our partners in Hong Kong. One of the startups they are accelerating manufactures organic material that is replicated in an industrial manner. They don’t need a farm; they just need a factory, and they’re providing it to big brands like Prada and H&M.”
Blockchain, in particular, holds promise in securing supply chains and data integrity, crucial in an era of heightened digital threats. “I think blockchain in private companies is inevitable. They will probably utilize blockchain to secure not just data but also inventory,” Chen remarked. “The amount of data just to tell that we have this number of products affects the price points of those products. So blockchain application is inevitable.”
Overcoming challenges
Acknowledging potential hurdles, Chen discussed the importance of infrastructure development and public acceptance of new technologies.
“The apprehension would be the acceptance of their clients,” he noted. “If the clients would accept that the back-end technology is done by blockchain—because you really can’t see blockchain in the front-end—it’s mostly in the back. And considering all the fake news that surrounds it (blockchain), is the critical factor. Once they move past that, once there is awareness and understanding, blockchain will probably boom.”
Chen also cited infrastructure as a roadblock to faster adoption. “Development of technology outpaces the implementation of infrastructure,” he said. “Similar to the rollout of cell towers—it will take probably eight months to roll out one, but a new technology can be developed in six months. That’s the problem.”
Despite these challenges, he remains optimistic. “The solution is with the Philippine people,” he asserted. “We have more cell phones than actual people using them in the country. It’s just a matter of creating the app or the software that will apply these kinds of technologies. So it’s just a matter of time.”
Looking ahead
With an eye on economic growth, mainly through sectors like STEM and sustainable manufacturing, the Philippine Innovation Hub aims to elevate the nation’s GDP and create lasting impacts on global supply chains.
“We need our economy to grow seven or eight percent,” Chen explained. “We need companies or startups or SMEs that would produce STEM-related products. If there is a startup that can, let’s say, process copper sustainably and create a sustainable way of making copper sheets for the battery industry, that would be great—not just for employment but for our economy. That will push a higher GDP growth for the Philippines.”
As the launch date approaches, anticipation is high within the startup community and beyond. This new innovation hub in Marikina promises not only to be a physical space but also a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and economic transformation. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, a blockchain advocate, or an entrepreneur seeking fertile ground for your ideas, the Philippine Innovation Hub stands ready to shape the future of entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia.
Watch: What is the state of the Philippines startup scene?
title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen=””>
