This Logistics Innovator Connects the Philippines Through an Inter-Island Delivery Network

Flying Tigers Express is one of the recipients of the inaugural Startup Awards held during GrowthCon 2025.

GrowthCon PH 2025 placed the spotlight on how artificial intelligence is redefining startup growth and innovation in the Philippines. As part of the momentous event, the inaugural Startup Awards recognized the country’s most forward-thinking startups—those pioneering AI integration, championing visionary leadership, and pursuing sustainable growth strategies that push industries forward.

Among this year’s honorees is Flying Tigers Express, a logistics startup that’s bridging the Philippine archipelago through its robust inter-island delivery network.

In an exclusive interview with The Business Manual, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder Jover Alforque and Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder Dave Overton shared how, together with fellow Co-Founder Jon Gotiong, they built and scaled Flying Tigers Express into a logistics innovator connecting communities and businesses across the nation.

Seeing a Market Gap 

The co-founders of Flying Tigers Express come from different backgrounds.

Alforque began his career in banking before transitioning to a multinational pharmaceutical company following his MBA.

Overton, on the other hand, moved to the Philippines 22 years ago and co-founded a non-profit with his wife.

“I later started Symph, a software development company which is how I met my co-founders of Flying Tigers Express,” Overton shares with The Business Manual. “I like to solve problems and I think the journey to entrepreneurship was rooted in that.”

The inspiration behind Flying Tigers Express was rooted in personal experience. Overton, Alforque, and Gotiong eventually identified a gap in the logistics market: they all sought a service provider that could consistently guarantee on-time delivery.

“It is pretty simple for me. I like to order things online but I don’t want to wait weeks for them to arrive,” Overton says. “To illustrate the pain, a few years ago my daughter had a ballet recital and we ordered her outfit online, three weeks in advance, and it still didn’t arrive in time for her performance so we had to scramble to find another option.”

Alforque had a similar experience while working in the construction industry.

“In my line of work, we often needed to source materials from Metro Manila, but the delivery process was a constant challenge,” says Alforque. “The estimated time of arrival (ETA) for shipments was typically four days to over a week, and that was under ideal conditions. More often than not, trucks would encounter problems along their RORO (Roll-On/Roll-Off) journey, which would only delay the delivery further.”

“These delays caused a chain reaction: labor costs would rise because our teams would have to stay longer on-site, and our clients would get frustrated with the unpredictable timelines,” Alforque adds.

The lack of a logistics service [provider] that could reliably ensure on-time delivery for businesses with urgent material needs was a key gap Alforque identified. He focused on this issue in the hopes of providing a solution. 

“I felt it was crucial to address this because many businesses needed a more reliable, time-sensitive shipping solution,” he explains. “In starting Flying Tigers Express, I wanted to provide a service that could deliver materials or merchandise faster, more efficiently, and with greater predictability, so companies wouldn’t have to bear the additional burden of costly delays and dissatisfied clients.”

Fast, Timely, and Reliable Service

Flying Tigers Express’ mission is simple and straightforward. 

“Flying Tigers Express is a tech logistics services company that combines the reliability of standard shipping with the speed and convenience of on-demand delivery,” Alforque says. “Essentially, we offer two main services: we handle everything from documents to large bulk items, and we also provide the fastest, same-day and next-day delivery options.”

Overton puts it simply: “We deliver fast, nationwide. If you want to send something from one metro to another and you need it there by tomorrow, look no further than Flying Tigers Express.”

While Flying Tigers Express operates like a traditional shipping company offering inter-island and regional deliveries, its focus on and prioritization of speed and convenience makes it stand out from other players in the market.

“For our customers, we offer a truly flexible experience,” says Alforque. “You can book your shipments easily through our app or website, with no need to visit a physical store. And to make it even easier, we offer free pick-up at your location.”

“The sustainability of our USP comes from the continuous need for speed and convenience in today’s fast-paced world. Customers in various industries, particularly in sectors like construction, e-commerce, medical and logistics, are under constant pressure to meet tight deadlines,” he adds. “The need to get materials, documents, and products quickly has only increased over time.”

Challenges and Keys to Success 

Like any other company, Flying Tigers Express encountered plenty of challenges in its early stages.

“Starting something is hard and we have faced a lot of challenges. In the early days of the startup, there were challenges with cash flow as we were still discovering what the problem is and who our customer is,” Overton recalls. “We had to lean into what we were learning as well as find ways to generate enough revenue to cover our costs.”

Despite the challenges, the founders stayed focused on their vision and steadily built the foundation for long-term success.

“I can’t give away all of our secrets, but I would say that one of the keys to our success was learning to focus on the customers who really experience the pain that we are solving,” says Overton. 

As a leader, Overton strives to empower his team to do their best work, helping them achieve not only the goals they’ve set for themselves but also the shared vision they’ve built for the startup.

“This is done through attempts to use support and challenge to guide them,” he says. “I also try to be a servant leader.”

Thriving in a Competitive Landscape 

Overton admits that competition has greatly increased with many other logistics companies entering the market. To manage this, he places stronger emphasis on the speed and efficiency with which Flying Tigers Express delivers its services to clients.

“There are a lot of logistics companies, and one of our main differentiators is that we deliver things fast and enable businesses to not run out of stock by moving products nationwide in a day,” he says.

He acknowledges that the present landscape, however, also presents opportunities.

“There are some very big trends happening right now both through AI as well as automated delivery vehicles,” Overton notes. “This is an interesting time to see how we might leverage these opportunities with Flying Tigers Express.”

Clockwise from top: Eliza Santos, Strategy Consultant; Ghie Tesorero, Account Executive; Shad Roi dela Cruz, Partner; and John Paul Angelo Salcedo, Operations and Finance Head 

A Bright Future Ahead

For Overton, the future looks great for Flying Tigers Express. Big plans have been lined up for the startup. 

“We are opening up more locations nationwide with our coverage and we are continuing to innovate for what delivery services will look like in the next five years in the Philippines and throughout Southeast Asia,” he reveals. 

The goal for the next five years is simple: to be the top provider of fast delivery in the Philippines and in the Southeast Asian region.

About GrowthCon PH 2025 Startup Awards 

As part of GrowthCon PH 2025, The Business Manual held the inaugural Startup Awards, which recognized the contributions and celebrated the success of five of the Philippines’ most forward-looking startups. Along with Flying Tigers Express, the Startup Awards honored Shoppable, Lithos Manufacturing, Invested Ed, and MindNation.

The five awardees were selected from a total of 16 finalists that were nominated based on the following criteria:

• Innovation, Uniqueness, and AI Integration
• Market Impact and Traction
• Growth Trajectory
• Leadership and Vision
• Sustainability and Scalability

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