Top 10 Angel Investors in the Philippines for 2025: Driving Innovation and Startup Growth

The Philippines has emerged as a vibrant startup ecosystem in Southeast Asia, with angel investors playing a crucial role in nurturing early-stage companies. These individual investors are fueling innovation, creating jobs, and positioning the country as a major player in the regional venture capital landscape.

The Philippine startup ecosystem has reached a significant milestone, with the country now capturing 19% of Southeast Asia's venture capital funding in 2024, up from just 5% three years prior. This remarkable growth has been driven by a dynamic network of angel investors who provide not only capital but also mentorship and strategic guidance to emerging entrepreneurs.

1. Joseph De Leon - Manila Angel Investors Network

Joseph De Leon stands as one of the Philippines' most influential angel investors through his founding role in the Manila Angel Investors Network (MAIN), the country's largest committed private investors network. As a founding member and lead investor, De Leon has helped MAIN screen over 500 startups and invest in more than 20 portfolio companies across various sectors.

Investment Focus: MAIN prioritizes startups with proven traction, paying customers, and solutions to real-world problems. De Leon emphasizes investing in companies that already have a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and paying clients.

Portfolio Highlights: Through MAIN, De Leon has invested in companies like Kumu, Booky, and Taxumo, with half of MAIN's investments focused on impact areas including financial inclusion, employment, education, and environmental sustainability.

Investment Philosophy: "We're looking for founders who we believe will have the grit to follow through because being in a startup is hard. Over 90% of startups fail, so we're looking for founders that have what it takes to make it all the way," De Leon explains.

2. Francis Plaza - PayMongo Co-founder and Angel Investor

Francis Plaza, co-founder of PayMongo, has emerged as a prominent angel investor in the Philippine startup ecosystem. After successfully scaling PayMongo into one of the Philippines' leading fintech companies, Plaza has turned his attention to supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Investment Focus: Plaza concentrates on education, software, and gaming startups, typically investing at pre-seed, seed, and angel stages across the Philippines and United States.

Portfolio Highlights: His investments include AcadArena (campus gaming platform), Gretel.co (B2B SaaS), and NextPay (digital banking platform).

Investment Philosophy: Plaza launched 335 Fund alongside his PayMongo co-founders to invest in "crazy early-stage founders" in the Philippines, demonstrating his commitment to nurturing local entrepreneurship.

3. Paco Sandejas - Narra Venture Capital

Francisco "Paco" Sandejas is Managing Partner at Narra Venture Capital and serves as a cornerstone figure in Philippine technology investment. With a Ph.D. from Stanford University, Sandejas brings deep technical expertise to his investment decisions.

Investment Focus: Sandejas targets information technology, training, and manufacturing companies at seed, pre-seed, and Series A stages, with geographic focus on the Philippines and United States.

Portfolio Highlights: Through Narra Venture Capital, he has invested in over 25 high-technology companies, including notable exits like Inphi, SiRF, and Ikanos.

Investment Philosophy: Sandejas focuses on companies with defensible barriers to competition, typically based on cutting-edge technology or efficient deployment.

4. Luis Sia - PayMongo and 335 Fund

Luis Sia, co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of PayMongo, has established himself as an active angel investor through 335 Fund. As a Y Combinator alumnus, Sia brings valuable Silicon Valley experience to the Philippine startup ecosystem.

Investment Focus: Sia concentrates on apps, SaaS, and beauty startups at the pre-seed stage, primarily within the Philippines.

Portfolio Highlights: His investments include AcadArena, Peddlr (POS mobile app), and BeautyBuddy (social-powered marketplace for beauty services).

Investment Philosophy: Having successfully navigated Y Combinator with PayMongo, Sia focuses on supporting early-stage founders with the potential for significant growth.

5. Jean Henri Lhuillier - PJ Lhuillier Group

Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies, operates as an active angel investor across multiple sectors. Leading the Philippines' largest microfinancing institution with over 3,000 branches nationwide, Lhuillier brings extensive business experience to his investments.

Investment Focus: Lhuillier invests across diverse industries including technology, hospitality, and financial services, leveraging his extensive business network.

Portfolio Highlights: Through his investment activities, he supports various technology startups and established businesses across multiple sectors.

Investment Philosophy: Lhuillier emphasizes supporting businesses that contribute to financial inclusion and economic development in the Philippines.

6. Ray Alimurung - Kaya Founders

Ray Alimurung, former CEO of Lazada Philippines, serves as General Partner at Kaya Founders and manages their Zero to One Fund. With 14 years of consumer internet and e-commerce experience, Alimurung brings deep operational expertise to his investments.

Investment Focus: Alimurung focuses on gaming, software, and cryptocurrency startups at the seed stage, primarily within the Philippines.

Portfolio Highlights: Through Kaya Founders, he has invested in startups like Etaily, Kraver's Kanteen, PayMongo, and Peddlr.

Investment Philosophy: Alimurung leverages his experience scaling technology businesses to help startups navigate growth challenges and expand regionally.

7. Earl Martin Valencia - IdeaSpace Foundation

Earl Martin Valencia, co-founder and President of IdeaSpace Foundation, has been instrumental in developing the Philippine startup ecosystem. With experience in Silicon Valley at companies like Cisco and Bridgewater Associates, Valencia brings global perspective to local investments.

Investment Focus: Valencia concentrates on science and technology startups that address real-world challenges in emerging markets.

Portfolio Highlights: Through IdeaSpace, he has supported over 100 incubated companies across various technology sectors.

Investment Philosophy: "The world's next big innovation can come from the Philippines," Valencia believes, focusing on startups that can compete globally while solving local problems.

8. Erika Aquino - Aquino Global Ventures

Erika Aquino operates as an angel investor with global reach, focusing on diversity and inclusion in her investment approach. Based in Singapore with Filipino heritage, she brings international perspective to her investment decisions.

Investment Focus: Aquino invests in women- and minority-owned ventures in sustainability, wellness, future of work, and education sectors.

Portfolio Highlights: Her portfolio spans 26 startups across five countries, reflecting her commitment to inclusive innovation.

Investment Philosophy: "By removing limitations and applying a worldview lens, we enable entrepreneurs to innovate without boundaries," Aquino explains.

9. David Leechiu - Real Estate and Beyond

David Leechiu, CEO of Leechiu Property Consultants, has expanded his investment activities beyond real estate into technology startups. With extensive experience in Philippine real estate markets, Leechiu brings valuable sector expertise to his investments.

Investment Focus: Leechiu invests in real estate technology and other sectors, leveraging his deep understanding of property markets.

Portfolio Highlights: His investments focus on companies that can benefit from his real estate industry connections and expertise.

Investment Philosophy: Leechiu emphasizes the importance of timing and courage in investment decisions, drawing from his experience navigating economic cycles.

10. Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng - Kaya Founders

Lisa Gokongwei-Cheng, General Partner at Kaya Founders and senior executive at JG Summit Holdings, represents one of the Philippines' most prominent business families in angel investing. Her involvement brings significant corporate resources and strategic value to portfolio companies.

Investment Focus: Through Kaya Founders, she focuses on early-stage technology startups with potential to transform Filipino industries.

Portfolio Highlights: Her investments include established startups like Etaily and PayMongo, as well as emerging companies like Kindred and Uwi.

Investment Philosophy: Gokongwei-Cheng emphasizes supporting founders building transformative and impactful technology businesses in the Philippines.

The Growing Philippine Angel Investment Ecosystem

The Philippine angel investment landscape has evolved significantly, with the Manila Angel Investors Network alone growing from 50 to over 100 active angels by 2025. The ecosystem now contributes 8% to the national GDP, up from just 2% in 2025, demonstrating the substantial economic impact of angel investment activities.

Key Investment Trends for 2025:

• Fintech Dominance: Financial technology continues to attract the largest share of angel investment, driven by the Philippines' large unbanked population and growing digital adoption.
• Impact Focus: Half of major angel investments now target impact areas including financial inclusion, employment, education, and environmental sustainability.
• Regional Expansion: Filipino angels increasingly support startups with potential to scale across Southeast Asia, leveraging the country's strategic position in the region.
• Corporate Participation: Major Philippine conglomerates are increasingly participating in angel rounds, providing both capital and strategic partnerships.

The success of these top angel investors reflects the maturation of the Philippine startup ecosystem, positioning the country as a key player in Southeast Asia's innovation landscape. Their continued investment and mentorship will be crucial for sustaining the Philippines' remarkable growth in venture capital funding and startup development.