IT opened its doors to the public on the very first day of Philippine Startup Week on November 18, 2019. The date was providential as the facility is essentially inspired by and made for the start-up community.
Enter Dragon’s Nest—Lessons from CNN Philippines’s The Final Pitch was the soft launch event, that was the first time people were welcomed into what will be a start-up hub, unlike any other in the country. For one, the facility will be the new home of Streetpark Productions Inc., producer of the country’s first business reality TV show The Final Pitch, which has now successfully finished filming its fifth season.
“This facility is inspired by successful technology hubs from around the world, and will be the home of up-and-coming start-ups, as well as our own future startup ventures” said Dragon’s Nest founder and Chief Exponential Officer John Aguilar. “We wanted a place where we could bring the best minds and technology of the world to the Philippines, and the best Philippine start-ups to the world.”
Dragon’s Nest is a co-working technology hub strategically located inside Thames International along Calle Industria, in Quezon City, now a buzzing start-up corridor with the likes of Launch Garage, Kation Technologies, PayMongo, and a few other start-ups located within walking distance from each other.
Start-up venture builder
Dragon’s Nest was formed specifically to build, launch and scale numerous technology start-ups simultaneously, attracting talent that will comprise its core team in the coming years. “We will be launching five start-ups this 2020 in partnership with corporate and venture partners and, possibly, with government, with the goal of building companies that address challenges and opportunities not just in the Philippines but across the region,” said John. The company is currently recruiting for its team as it puts together the best talents in the various functional areas of marketing, finance, product, design and tech.
Dragon’s Nest is currently meeting with various corporate partners that would want to back exciting solutions or opportunities related to their industry. “The ideas for the start-ups we build will be jointly formed by us, our corporate and government partners, and the executive founders we will work with who will run our start-ups,” shared John. “This model for building start-ups is one that we are very confident will do well, having analyzed and assessed the reasons start-ups fail, and what has worked for the few who have successfully scaled their ventures.”
Dragon’s Nest tour
The Dragon’s Nest facility itself is conducive to building start-ups.
The first thing that will greet you as you approach the entryway are the glass doors with the 10X decal, signifying the exponential nature of the facility. “We want to set the tone that when you enter Dragon’s Nest, you are entering a place where big ideas and dreams are encouraged, where exponential takes the place of incremental, both in thinking and in action,” said John.
As soon as you enter, visitors are greeted by the dragon unicorn, a majestic commissioned sculpture by rising Philippine steampunk artist Ram Mallari. The head is a replica of the Dragon’s Nest logo—that of a dragon’s head curled up amid the embrace of the nest. The sculpture’s unicorn horn and horse body caught in mid-gait signifies the company’s technology aspirations and aggressive trajectory. With his signature use of scrap metal and various objects, such as typewriters, computers and motorcycle parts, sculptor Mallari successfully utilized and married the use of parts from different industries, even eras, to represent the industrious nature of the dragon unicorn, and the constant change and reinvention that technology necessitates. The sculpture sets the tone for the kind of work that will be done in the space, and the people that will call it their home base.
As you enter the reception area, what greets you is not your typical office lobby furniture. The weaves and organic nature of the pieces are a dead giveaway to the kind of furniture that originates from the renowned artisans of Cebu. We notice pieces of intricately woven rattan and familiar recurring patterns borne from the imagination of furniture designer Allan Murillo. Design cues come mostly from nature, with disparate images inspired by jellyfish for the co-working area stools, lava flow for an elevated chaise lounge and earthquake-induced cracks for a corner chair.
The conference room which sits a maximum of 14 people is perched above the lobby, giving new meaning to the term high-level meetings. The conference room, highlighted by a one-piece 12-foot long solid narra table, is available for rent on an hourly basis.
Noticeable and playful points of the design include grass carpet turf and three functioning swings that serve to divide the lobby from the work spaces.
Available for co-working are various areas, including dedicated desks that start-ups and freelancers can rent on a monthly basis.
Serviced offices
Individual serviced offices furnished for four but can sit a maximum of six people are also available for those looking to start their operations at the drop of a hat. The offices come with desks and chairs, and are available for short or long-term lease. These offices are perfect for start-ups or foreign companies looking for a base of operations in Manila.
Virtual office
Dragon’s Nest also offers virtual office services for those looking to have an office address without the need for an actual serviced office or desk. The virtual office is ideal for freelancers and independent professionals who work from home or hold meetings in coffee shops. Having Dragon’s Nest as a virtual office gives people the office address that they can use for their business, use of the lobby and business lounge to meet with people, and usage of the address to forward mail and packages. They also have access to dedicated desks and meeting rooms in the co-working area, and can arrange to hold events at Dragon’s Nest, all for an additional fee.
“We’ve been getting inquiries from various companies, associations and individuals who would like to hold their launch events, workshops, even board meetings here,” said Dragon’s Nest cofounder and COO Monica Aguilar. “We are ecstatic that we have been received so warmly and we are looking forward to working with and collaborating with more partners in the future.”
Dragon’s Nest’s future tenants and locators will also have access to a future UFC gym, auditorium and meeting rooms at the Thames International Business School where Dragon’s Nest is located.
John, who is also the creator and host of The Final Pitch, is bullish with the future of the start-ups that they will be working with on the show, and the start-ups they will be launching on their new TV series The Venture Builder, which will also be seen on CNN Philippines.
“More than a facility, we would like for Dragon’s Nest to be a place that people in the start-up and innovation ecosystem will gravitate to, a collaborative environment where exciting partnerships will form from the sheer agglomeration of creative and technical people who visit or hold office here,” said John. “Ultimately, we would like for our locators to be able to work with each other, as well as with us as we scale our start-ups in the Philippines and across the region.”
Dragon’s Nest is located at 27 Calle Industria (within Thames International Business School), Bagumbayan, Quezon City.