7 Philippines-based companies on 'Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia' list

Nicholas Yong
·Senior Editor
·4 min read
Aerial view of Makati City, the financial and business district of Metro Manila, Philippines. (Photo: Getty Images)
Aerial view of Makati City, the financial and business district of Metro Manila, Philippines. (Photo: Getty Images)

Individuals from seven companies based in or founded in the Philippines have made it to the Forbes “30 Under 30 Asia” list, which features 300 young entrepreneurs, leaders and trailblazers under the age of 30 across the Asia-Pacific.

The seventh edition of the business magazine's annual listing highlights individuals who are "inspiring change and driving innovation in their respective fields" amid the pandemic. They have collectively raised more than US$3.5 billion in funding.

The 2022 list features honorees from 22 countries and territories selected from over 4,000 nominations. 90 are from Southeast Asia, while India ranks first with 61 honorees. This is followed by Singapore (34), Japan (33), Australia (32), Indonesia (30) and China (28).

The criteria includes demonstration of leadership, how they embody the entrepreneurial spirit that is synonymous with Forbes, and their potential of success in their industry.

Honorees were vetted and selected by a panel of judges in each category, including Rakuten founder Mickey Mikitani, Viu chief executive Janice Lee and TAP Group co-founder Arif Rachmat.

The honorees from the Philippines are:

Inteluck founder Kevin Zhang, 28 (Industry, Manufacturing and Energy)

Inteluck founder Kevin Zhang is on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)
Inteluck founder Kevin Zhang is on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)

Zhang's logistics startup, founded in the Philippines in 2014, entered Thailand last year and plans to launch in Vietnam and Indonesia in 2023. The Singapore-headquartered company provides solutions to help logistics firms track their fleet of vehicles, and also helps its customers like Asia Brewery and Coca-Cola book delivery trucks on demand from third-party logistics providers.

Masungi Georeserve Foundation co-founder Billie Dumaliang, 29 (Social Impact)

Masungi Georeserve Foundation co-founder Billie Dumaliang is on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)
Masungi Georeserve Foundation co-founder Billie Dumaliang is on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)

Masungi Georeserve, a geotourism project of more than 2,700 hectares in Rizal Province, was awarded the 2021 Water Changemakers Award and a special commendation in the 2018 UN Convention on Biological Diversity. More than 68,000 trees have been planted so far, funded by sustainable tourism in the park.

One Cainta Food Program executive director Shawntel Nicole Martinez Nieto, 26 (Social Impact)

One Cainta Food Program executive director Shawntel Nicole Martinez Nieto is on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)
One Cainta Food Program executive director Shawntel Nicole Martinez Nieto is on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)

Martinez Nieto helped launch One Cainta Food Program, which claims to have provided over 1.1 million food hampers to about 400,000 people on Luzon island since the beginning of the pandemic. She also cofounded the Society of Sustainability Practitioners to promote and support sustainability in the Philippines.

BreederDAO co-founders Jeth Lorenz Ang, 27; Renz Carlo Chong, 26; and Nicolo Alfonso Odulio, 28 (Consumer Technology)

BreederDAO co-founders Jeth Lorenz Ang, Renz Carlo Chong and Nicolo Alfonso Odulio are on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)
BreederDAO co-founders Jeth Lorenz Ang, Renz Carlo Chong and Nicolo Alfonso Odulio are on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)

The trio are behind BreederDAO, a startup specializing in breeding and crafting NFT characters and game items to be used in play-to-earn games like Axie Infinity, Sipher, Cyball and Crabada. The startup charges players or game guilds to create the desired traits for the playable NFT to win the game.

In January, just two months after its launch, the startup raised $10 million in series A funding through a token sale co-led by Andreessen Horowitz's a16z and Delphi Digital.

AcadArena co-founders Justin Banusing, 22; Kevin Hoang, 29; and Ariane Lim, 28 (Consumer Technology)

AcadArena co-founders Justin Banusing, Kevin Hoang and Ariane Lim are on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)
AcadArena co-founders Justin Banusing, Kevin Hoang and Ariane Lim are on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)

Founded in 2019, AcadArena is an esports startup that helps student gamers in Southeast Asia to compete in international esports tournaments. It has partnered with more than 600 schools, covering some 100,000 students, to create and support gaming clubs and communities.

Aqwire co-founders Earvin Ang, 29, and Jesse Manalansan, 27 (Finance & Venture Capital)

Aqwire co-founders Earvin Ang and Jesse Manalansan are on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)
Aqwire co-founders Earvin Ang and Jesse Manalansan are on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)

Aqwire helps real estate developers in the Philippines access foreign investors, including millions of Filipinos working overseas. Customers abroad can pay property-related payments and fees like monthly amortization with major credit or debit cards. The company lists Ayala Land, Megaworld and Vista Land among its clients.

Kraver's Canteen co-founder Victor Lim, 28 (Retail & E-commerce)

Kraver's Canteen co-founder Victor Lim is on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)
Kraver's Canteen co-founder Victor Lim is on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for 2022 (PHOTO: Forbes)

Kraver's Canteen is a multi-brand cloud kitchen network founded in 2020. Built on a network of kitchens across metro hubs, Kraver's serves popular brands like Foodee Group and Pizza Hut alongside private-label restaurants. Last July, Kraver's partnered with Grab Philippines to set up GrabKitchen for restaurants without physical locations, and in March launched Kra-Verse, a meta delivery and dining experience.

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