Cebu has almost no resident seed funds. Manila's scene is 12 times bigger. Most Cebu founders raise from Manila or Singapore. Here are 12 seed investors backing Cebu startups in 2026.
Cebu has plenty of technical talent but very little local capital, so most seed funds still sit somewhere else. The money that backs founders here tends to live in Manila or across the water in Singapore.
Those two hubs write the cheques that move Cebu rounds, and they happily back strong regional founders. Some teams sidestep the gap entirely and raise through SAFEs abroad, while the pool of homegrown money stays thin.
You will end up pitching funds that are hundreds of miles away, often without a single face-to-face meeting. Ellty pulls your data into one shareable link so distance stops working against you.
| Type | Check size | Sector focus | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foxmont Capital Partners | Manila PH seed VC | ~US$250K-$1M+ | Fintech, consumer, enterprise | foxmontcapital.com |
| Kaya Founders | Manila PH pre-seed/seed VC | ~US$100K-$500K | Fintech, consumer, edtech | kayafounders.com |
| Gobi-Core Philippine Fund | Manila / regional seed VC | ~US$100K-$1M+ | Fintech, healthtech, consumer | gobicore.vc |
| Kickstart Ventures | Corporate CVC (Globe / Ayala) | ~US$500K-$2M | SaaS, fintech, healthtech | kickstart.ph |
| Crestone Venture Capital | Early-stage fintech VC | ~US$250K-$1M+ | Embedded fintech, lending | crestone.vc |
| Quest Ventures | Singapore pan-Asia seed VC | Seed range | Digital economy, fintech, logistics | questventures.com |
| 1982 Ventures | Singapore seed fintech fund | ~US$250K-$1M | Fintech, financial inclusion | 1982.vc |
| Wavemaker Partners | Pan-SEA seed VC | ~US$1M-$2M | B2B, deep tech, climate | wavemaker.vc |
| Forge Ventures | Singapore pre-seed/seed VC | ~US$200K-$1M | SEA tech, early-stage | forge.vc |
| IdeaSpace | Accelerator and seed fund | ~US$10K-$300K | Fintech, healthtech, logistics | ideaspace.vc |
| ADB Ventures | Development-finance CVC | ~US$200K-$4M | Climate, impact, SDG tech | ventures.adb.org |
| Plug and Play | Global accelerator-VC | Accelerator and seed cheques | Sector-agnostic | plugandplaytechcenter.com |
Pitch funds in any city from one link
Most Cebu seed money sits in Manila or Singapore. Ellty shows who opened your deck so you chase the keen funds first.
Start free 14-day trialWhat a seed investor backs
At seed, investors are betting on a team and on early pull rather than a polished P&L. Revenue helps the story, but it is rarely the thing that wins the cheque.
They also want to see a path that reaches well beyond Cebu, since a local-only plan caps the return. Startups that can scale out of the region quickly are the ones that hold their attention.
A clear, honest plan shortens the gap between the first call and the yes. A sharp pitch deck carries the argument, and Ellty gives each fund one link so you can see exactly who reads your deck.
Funding remains the biggest challenge. The laws and infrastructure are there, but without a dedicated budget it is hard to scale.
12 Cebu seed investors
1. Foxmont Capital Partners
Foxmont is the largest PH independent VC.
Recent Activity: Led Cebu-linked Prosperna's seed in 2021
LinkedIn: Foxmont Capital LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Fintech, consumer, enterprise
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$250K-$1M+
Location: Makati, Manila
Website: foxmontcapital.com
2. Kaya Founders
Kaya backs founders across the country.
Recent Activity: Closed a US$25M Fund II in 2025
LinkedIn: Kaya Founders LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Fintech, consumer, edtech
Stage Focus: Pre-seed to Series A
Check Size: ~US$100K-$500K
Location: Manila
Website: kayafounders.com
3. Gobi-Core Philippine Fund
Gobi-Core is the most Cebu-engaged fund.
Recent Activity: Ran investor matching at Cebu GOAB 2025
Sector Focus: Fintech, healthtech, consumer
Stage Focus: Pre-seed to Series A
Check Size: ~US$100K-$1M+
Location: Manila
Website: gobicore.vc
4. Kickstart Ventures
Kickstart is the country's largest tech CVC.
Recent Activity: A major PH CVC, open to Cebu
LinkedIn: Kickstart Ventures LinkedIn
Sector Focus: SaaS, fintech, healthtech
Stage Focus: Seed to growth
Check Size: ~US$500K-$2M
Location: Taguig, Manila
Website: kickstart.ph
5. Crestone Venture Capital
Crestone backs early fintech founders.
Recent Activity: Co-led Peddlr's seed for a Visayan founder
LinkedIn: Crestone VC LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Embedded fintech, lending
Stage Focus: Seed
Check Size: ~US$250K-$1M+
Location: Manila and Singapore
Website: crestone.vc
6. Quest Ventures
Quest has a Cebu-based partner on its team.
Recent Activity: Backs digital-economy startups in Asia
Sector Focus: Digital economy, fintech, logistics
Stage Focus: Seed to Series A
Check Size: Seed range
Location: Singapore
Website: questventures.com
Send each seed fund one trackable link
Ellty logs when a fund opens your numbers. Follow up at the right moment, not a week too late.
Start free 14-day trial7. 1982 Ventures
1982 Ventures backs early PH fintech.
Recent Activity: Led Higala's 2025 seed in the PH
Sector Focus: Fintech, financial inclusion
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$250K-$1M
Location: Singapore
Website: 1982.vc
8. Wavemaker Partners
Wavemaker backs B2B and climate startups.
Recent Activity: Led climate startup Komunidad's seed
LinkedIn: Wavemaker Partners LinkedIn
Sector Focus: B2B, deep tech, climate
Stage Focus: Seed
Check Size: ~US$1M-$2M
Location: Singapore and Los Angeles
Website: wavemaker.vc
9. Forge Ventures
Forge backs early platforms across SEA.
Recent Activity: Led NoneAway's 2024 pre-seed in PH
Sector Focus: SEA tech, early-stage
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$200K-$1M
Location: Singapore
Website: forge.vc
10. IdeaSpace
IdeaSpace runs an accelerator and seed fund.
Recent Activity: Runs the HALO seed fund
Sector Focus: Fintech, healthtech, logistics
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$10K-$300K
Location: Manila
Website: ideaspace.vc
11. ADB Ventures
ADB Ventures backs impact and climate tech.
Recent Activity: Backed climate startup Komunidad
Sector Focus: Climate, impact, SDG tech
Stage Focus: Seed to early Series A
Check Size: ~US$200K-$4M
Location: Manila
Website: ventures.adb.org
12. Plug and Play
Plug and Play runs a national PH accelerator.
Recent Activity: Runs a national PH accelerator
Sector Focus: Sector-agnostic
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: Accelerator and seed cheques
Location: Silicon Valley and Manila
Website: plugandplaytechcenter.com
Why money comes from Manila
Cebu has only one or two local funds of its own, so almost all of the seed capital you chase will be raised elsewhere. Manila VCs lead the regional rounds, and Singapore funds often join alongside them.
The good news is that you can pitch these out-of-town backers much like local ones, since they already invest across the islands. For the angel side of the same map, see our Cebu angel investors guide.
Ellty lets you share the same data set across every city you are raising in. You track each open in one place instead of guessing who is still reading.
How Cebu founders get found
Startup Island PH gets founders investor-ready, and Geeks on a Beach pulls in the VCs who might write your cheque. These events are where introductions happen and where you start matching with the right funds.
In practice, most term sheets land well after the event rather than on the day itself. The teams that win build relationships months before they formally raise, so warm ties beat cold outreach almost every time.
It also helps to widen the net beyond Cebu when your sector calls for it. See our fintech investors guide too, and let Ellty log who reads your deck so you can read real intent fast.
Raising seed from Cebu
Raising from a smaller hub means running a tight, mostly remote process. Do your due diligence prep early so nothing stalls once a fund leans in.
Keep every document in one virtual data room and share it in a single click. That way each fund sees a clean, current set of files rather than a tangle of email attachments.
Use document analytics to track reads and spot which investors are genuinely keen. Ellty also locks files with granular permissions and shows every read, so you always know where you stand.
How to pitch a seed investor
Show a sharp team and early pull.
- 1.Show a sharp team and early pull.Open with the people and why they are the ones to build this. Let the early signal you already have make the vision feel within reach.
- 2.Prove a little real traction.Bring a few honest numbers that show users or revenue moving in the right direction. Concrete proof beats promises and earns the next meeting.
- 3.Name your round size and plan.State exactly how much you are raising and what it buys over the next 18 months. Keep the ask tight so the investor can picture the milestones clearly.
- 4.Send one Ellty link to your data.Share a single trackable link to your deck, metrics, and model instead of loose files. Then watch who digs in so you can follow up while interest is hot.
How Ellty helps you land a seed investor in Cebu
You have your Cebu seed list ready. Set up a data room before the first call.
- 1.Upload your deck, metrics, and model.Set access per fund.
- 2.Share one trackable link per fund.Each fund gets a unique link.
- 3.Watch opens and reply on time.Use analytics to time each nudge.
Cebu seed investor questions
- Very few are based here. Most invest from afar.
- Manila and Singapore funds. A few regional ones too.
- Often US$250K to US$2M. Some are smaller.
- That is where funds sit. Cebu capital is thin.
- A strong team and traction. A path to scale out.
- Before your first seed call. Track who opens your numbers.
