Remotify beat 8 other finalists and won as Best Start-Up Pitch by showing compelling results to the investor-judges.

A promising and dynamic outsourcing company, a start-up selling a coconut-based milk product, and a firm that transforms medical waste into fuel were just some of the chosen finalists for Growth Con PH 2024’s first ever start-up pitch competition.

The pitching competition was opened to start-ups who may or may not have an operating business yet, but have an interesting business idea. Each start-up made a pitch to a panel of judges composed of venture capitalists and angel investors.

In the end, outsourcing company Remotify emerged as the winner, beating eight other finalists, thanks to its clear and comprehensive presentation and tangible results.

Co-founder and CEO Maria Sucgang said that their company answers three challenges of business owners: finding the right talents, keeping them, and ensuring companies’ compliance with regulatory requirements.

They provide customers with instant job matching and onboarding in just 10 minutes, and has three growth engines: Employers, clients, and the digital platform.

In 2023 alone, Remotify generated a gross merchandise value of $ 1.2 million and gross profit of $ 214,000.

Aside from further funding support, Sucgang hoped that they might also gain access to more strategic partners in joining the start-up pitch competition.

Eight other companies made it as finalists. These were:

1. Weworxmart

Presenter: Cristina Manalo, Co-Founder

A social enterprise and outsourcing company that provides virtual assistance and digital marketing services, while providing vocational training and job opportunities in marginalized communities.

2. NexHire

Presenter: Rich Traballo, Co-Founder and CEO

A recruitment company that promises to connect jobseekers with the best headhunters in the industry through a referral system, that encourages individuals and executive search experts, to collaborate with them to find the best fit for their corporate clients and individual candidates.

3. PogiPoint

Presenter: Bong Misajon, Founder

A mobile application that promotes an awards-based performance management system.  It hopes to make an employee’s performance appraisal more objective and comprehensive by extending the application of awards and recognition to everyday actions and results.

The app was born out of Misajon’s own difficulty in accurately documenting and rating his team members’ performance and accomplishments, with 18 direct reports under him.

The app allows superiors and companies to customize the awards, based on their own objectives and preferences, and hopes to provide added documentation of a team member’s initiatives and accomplishments.

4. KaHero

Presenter: Kristianne Valerie Reyes, Co-Founder

Provides an all-in-one mobile point of sale system that streamlines business operations anytime and anywhere. They help in processing sales transactions, monitoring branches, generating profit and loss statements, among others.

5. Hey Storyseller Studios

Presenter: Anna Katrina Violeta, Founder

A data analytics firm that specializes in data visualization for both online and traditional businesses. They create custom data visualization dashboards to help businesses manage their operations and financial objectives better.

6. FlyPool

Presenter: Renzmarr Ramos

A mobile app that provides carpool services to and from the airport by connecting drivers and passengers. It is currently active in the USA and Europe with around 450 existing iOS and Android users.

7. Dehusk

Presenter: Samuel Tecual, Co-Founder

A plant-based milk product, made from coconut that offers to help address the need for more milk products in the Philippines (RP imports 99% of its dairy requirements), while offering a low-calorie, low sugar, no cholesterol, cruelty-free alternative. The company has an edge PR-wise, as celebrity couple Nadine Lustre and Cristophe Bariou are business partners and product endorsers.

8. I-Nerhiya

Presenter: Edwin Astorga, Founder

A waste management company that transforms medical waste into fuel. I-Nerhiya currently services marine vessels and generators and hopes to recover its investment in three years’ time.

Learning from the Experts

Each contestant was given five minutes to do their start-up pitch before the panel of judges, which consisted of the following venture capitalists and angel investors:

• Franco Varona, Foxmont Capital Partners
• Phoebe Fontanilla, Gobi-Core Philippine Fund
• Toby Florio, Kaya
• Joseph de Leon, Manila Angel Investor Network
• Alewijn Ong, National Development Company

After each presentation, judges asked follow-up questions which the finalists had three minutes each to answer. They were judged based on how their concept addressed a specific problem, its market potential, ability of the team to execute the concept, the business model, the business’ financial viability, and innovation.

By joining, participants were given the opportunity to present their ideas to some of the best investors and venture capitalists in the country, and get valuable feedback and advice. In addition, Remotify as the winner, will have a separate feature in The Business Manual.

Growth Con PH

The start-up pitch competition was part of The Business Manual’s GrowthCon PH 2024, where hundreds of entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, and investors converged to network and share their  experiences in the current business landscape for the second year in a row.

Participants learned from four full sessions where speakers shared their knowledge and experience in building essential skills for starting a business, achieving growth through digital innovation, growing with sustainability and impact, and securing the right investment partner for expansion.

Discussions were led by speakers from: Peddlr, Avocadoria, Parlon, DMark, Humble Sustainability, SolX, Mylo, Luxe Beauty and Wellness, Baken PH,1export, Mtek, Kindred, Betterteem, Go Rocky, Kaya, Foxmont, Ideaspace, Gobi, Manila Angel Investors Network, National Development Company.

“Entrepreneurs are the problem-solvers of society. They are the doers, and they are hard-nosed risk takers. They do not take no for an answer. And they get things done,” reminded Ramon Galicia, One Mega’s COO, during his opening address.

Galicia noted, that despite the constant economic challenges, entrepreneurs continue to bring hope by creating employment and opportunities, and fueling the economy. “Entrepreneurs are also nurturers. They are providers. They are builders. They create jobs. Simply put, they make the world a better place,” he said.