THE United States government recently supported the development of 20 startups offering sustainable solutions to environmental issues in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, and Manila.
On July 21, the US Embassy’s “American Spaces Phils.” and “The Spark Project” concluded the “Green Impact Accelerator (GIA)” boot camp—a five-month program that supported the growth and commercial viability of green startups through mentorship, networking, and crowdfunding matching.
Of the 20 solutions presented, three startups were selected to receive seed funding to develop, implement, and scale-up their projects: Cagayan de Oro’s “Kids Who Farm,” which established “Food Loop”—a circular food system concept and technology that helps households convert edible material waste into organic components for growing food; Dumaguete’s “Plantsville Health,” which developed “Green Lives”—an artificial intelligence-powered system that can record and monitor Philippine cinnamon production; and Manila’s “DeWaste Solutions,” which created “MARE!”—a modular and portable materials-recycling facility that promotes environmental sustainability through education, while providing employment for women in waste management.
“This program is part of [our] commitment to support environmental resilience and promote inclusive economic growth,” said Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer Pauline Anderson of the US Embassy. “The projects we saw in this program showcase the Philippine startup community, and how their talents can build sustainable ecosystems and help achieve prosperity.”
GIA teams will reconvene in October for the “American Spaces Angel Investing Seminar,” where they will be matched with potential investors and benefit from seed-funding opportunities.
