Women startup founders face capital, gender barriers

WOMEN-LED startups in the Philippines continue to face systemic barriers to growth — from limited access to funding to persistent gender bias — despite their growing influence in the country’s innovation economy, industry representatives said.

- By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz

"Filipina founders and leaders are not short on ideas or grit," Celina Francia R. Durante, head of communications at Kickstart Ventures, said in an emailed reply to questions. “What needs to improve are the pathways — access to investors, mentors and networks that turn their vision into reality.”

A 2025 DealStreetAsia report found that all-women founding teams in Southeast Asia raised just $94.5 million in equity funding, equivalent to only 2.1% of the region’s total — a stark reflection of how female entrepreneurs remain underfunded.

In the Philippines, women founders have made strides in industries like financial technology, health technology, sustainability and education, and many also serve as investors and mentors themselves.