Ecosystem Stories: Startup Village - Building Founders from the Ground Up

The Filipino Startup Ecosystem Mapping gives us the big picture, but behind every name on the map is a story of people, programs, and purpose.

In this series, we sit down with the enablers shaping the future of Filipino innovation.

This time, StellarPH caught up with Carlo Calimon, President and Co-Founder of Startup Village, an incubator and accelerator based in Makati that’s been helping Filipino startups grow from idea to global for over two decades.

Let’s start with the big one. What exactly does Startup Village do?

Carlo:
We’re an incubator and accelerator for startups at every stage, from ideation to early growth. We help founders shape their ideas, build their business models, and connect with investors and customers.

We provide mentorship, training, workspace, and network access, but most importantly, we guide founders in thinking beyond their local markets.

Lately, we’ve been working with more growth-stage startups, helping them expand globally and access more resources and capital.

Can you share a few success stories?

Carlo:
One of our startups, Pass A Job, became part of the GCash ecosystem, powering the GJobs platform you see in the app today.

We’ve also helped startups expand overseas, one of them now operates in Canada and Finland, which shows the potential of Filipino founders to compete internationally.

It’s not just about starting up, it’s about scaling up and thinking bigger.

How do you help founders outside Manila?

Carlo:
We’ve been running programs across the regions, including Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula).

There’s so much untapped talent outside Metro Manila, but many founders need guidance to compete beyond their local markets. I tell them all the time: it’s great that you’re thriving locally, but if you want to drive real value, you have to go beyond your comfort zone.

When they start understanding new markets, how behavior, culture, and competition differ, they grow not just as entrepreneurs but as leaders.

You’ve mentored founders for years. How do you inspire young people to take that leap?

Carlo:
We work with organizations like Rotary, JCI, and other community groups to bring entrepreneurship to more people. But inspiration really starts with stories.

We need more success stories. Those stories are what inspire the next generation to dream bigger.

Events like Geeks on a Beach are a great example, seeing students pitch, network, and talk to founders is powerful. Last night, some students were still rehearsing their pitches during the mixer! I told them, “Close your laptops and go talk to people.” Because that’s where real learning happens, through conversation and connection.

What cultural shifts do you think the Philippines still needs?

Carlo:
We need to change how we view failure. In our culture, there’s still a stigma around making mistakes. But failure is part of the process.

The young founders I see today they’re open-minded, curious, and eager to learn. That’s the mindset we need to nurture. We need to give them environments where they can experiment, pivot, and grow without fear.

What’s next for Startup Village?

Carlo:
We’re expanding our programs, especially around market matching, helping startups connect directly with customers and investors who fit their needs.

Our goal is simple: to make sure every Filipino startup has access to the tools, mentorship, and opportunities they need to succeed, no matter where they come from.

Where can we find you?

Want to learn more, collaborate, or join one of Startup Village's programs?
You can find more info here in our ecosystem map: Startup Village

This is one story from the map.

Many more are on the way.
We’re just getting started.