Manila seed funding cooled hard in 2025. A few funds still write the first cheques. Many cluster on the same hot rounds. Here are 14 seed investors backing Manila startups in 2026.
Philippine seed money got noticeably tighter through 2025, and deal volume fell sharply from the highs of prior years. The funds that stayed active grew more selective, so the bar for a first cheque is higher than it was.
Local funds still anchor the earliest rounds, and pan-SEA funds increasingly join them. Fintech continues to lead the deal count, which means many investors end up chasing the same handful of names.
You will pitch both local and global money on this list, often in the same week. Ellty puts all your raise data behind one link, so every fund sees the same clean picture.
| Type | Check size | Sector focus | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaya Founders | PH homegrown seed VC | ~US$150K-$1M+ | AI, fintech, consumer, F&B | kayafounders.com |
| Foxmont Capital Partners | PH homegrown seed VC | ~US$250K-$1M+ | Sector-agnostic, healthtech | foxmontcapital.com |
| Kickstart Ventures | Corporate CVC (Globe / Ayala) | ~US$500K-$2M | Fintech, AI, enterprise, health | kickstart.ph |
| Gobi-Core Philippine Fund | PH early-stage VC | ~US$100K-$1M+ | Climate, fintech, healthtech | gobicore.vc |
| Crestone Venture Capital | PH homegrown seed VC | ~US$250K-$1M | Fintech, enterprise, retail | crestone.vc |
| 1982 Ventures | Pan-SEA seed fund | ~US$100K-$1M | Fintech, AI, inclusion | 1982.vc |
| 468 Capital | Global seed VC | ~US$500K-$2M+ | Fintech, deep tech, climate | 468cap.com |
| Accion | Global impact / fintech seed fund | ~US$500K-$2M | Fintech, financial inclusion | accion.org |
| Seedstars | Emerging-markets seed fund | ~US$100K-$500K | Fintech, emerging-markets tech | seedstars.com |
| Forge Ventures | Pan-SEA pre-seed/seed fund | ~US$200K-$1M | Consumer, SaaS, proptech | forge.vc |
| Iterative | SEA accelerator-VC | ~US$100K-$500K | Sector-agnostic early tech | iterative.vc |
| ADB Ventures | Development-finance CVC | ~US$200K-$4M | Climate, impact, SDG tech | ventures.adb.org |
| Vulpes Ventures | Global family-office seed VC | ~US$100K-$1M | Consumer, fintech, proptech | vulpesinvest.com |
| Integra Partners | Pan-SEA early-stage VC | ~US$500K-$2M | Fintech, insurtech | integra.partners |
Run your seed raise from one data room
Seed funds read fast and pass faster. Ellty shows who opened your deck so you chase the keen ones first.
Start free 14-day trialWhat a seed investor backs
A seed investor is buying a team and early signs of pull, not a finished business. Revenue helps the case, but at this stage it is a bonus rather than a requirement.
These funds either lead or join small rounds, and in return they want a real ownership stake. A clear plan moves the conversation toward a yes faster, and a sharp pitch deck does a lot of that work for you.
Ellty gives each fund its own link to the same materials. From there you can see exactly who is reading your deck and how closely.
There is confidence returning to the market, but it is a quieter, more thoughtful kind. That is healthy.
14 Manila seed investors
1. Kaya Founders
Kaya Founders writes the first PH cheques.
Recent Activity: Co-led LenderLink's 2025 pre-seed
LinkedIn: Kaya Founders LinkedIn
Sector Focus: AI, fintech, consumer, F&B
Stage Focus: Pre-seed to Series A
Check Size: ~US$150K-$1M+
Location: Manila, Philippines
Website: kayafounders.com
2. Foxmont Capital Partners
Foxmont is the largest PH independent VC.
Recent Activity: Backed healthtech Eluvo in 2025
LinkedIn: Foxmont Capital LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Sector-agnostic, healthtech
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$250K-$1M+
Location: Makati, Philippines
Website: foxmontcapital.com
3. Kickstart Ventures
Kickstart is the country's largest tech CVC.
Recent Activity: Commits to back 12+ startups a year
LinkedIn: Kickstart Ventures LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Fintech, AI, enterprise, health
Stage Focus: Seed to Series A
Check Size: ~US$500K-$2M
Location: Taguig, Philippines
Website: kickstart.ph
4. Gobi-Core Philippine Fund
Gobi-Core backs early PH founders.
Recent Activity: Backed Humble Sustainability in 2024
Sector Focus: Climate, fintech, healthtech
Stage Focus: Pre-seed to Series A
Check Size: ~US$100K-$1M+
Location: Manila, Philippines
Website: gobicore.vc
5. Crestone Venture Capital
Crestone backs early fintech and retail.
Recent Activity: Backs OneLot's 2024 and 2025 rounds
LinkedIn: Crestone VC LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Fintech, enterprise, retail
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$250K-$1M
Location: Makati, Philippines
Website: crestone.vc
6. 1982 Ventures
1982 Ventures backs early fintech in SEA.
Recent Activity: Joined Higala's US$4M 2025 seed
Sector Focus: Fintech, AI, inclusion
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$100K-$1M
Location: Singapore
Website: 1982.vc
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. 468 Capital
468 Capital backs early lending startups.
Recent Activity: Led OneLot's 2024 pre-seed round
Sector Focus: Fintech, deep tech, climate
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$500K-$2M+
Location: Berlin and San Francisco
Website: 468cap.com
8. Accion
Accion backs inclusive fintech worldwide.
Recent Activity: Co-led OneLot's US$3.3M 2025 seed
Sector Focus: Fintech, financial inclusion
Stage Focus: Seed to Series A
Check Size: ~US$500K-$2M
Location: Washington DC, USA
Website: accion.org
9. Seedstars
Seedstars backs emerging-markets seed deals.
Recent Activity: Joined OneLot's 2025 seed round
Sector Focus: Fintech, emerging-markets tech
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$100K-$500K
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Website: seedstars.com
10. Forge Ventures
Forge backs early platforms across SEA.
Recent Activity: Led NoneAway's 2024 pre-seed round
LinkedIn: Forge Ventures LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Consumer, SaaS, proptech
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$200K-$1M
Location: Singapore
Website: forge.vc
11. Iterative
Iterative runs a YC-style SEA program.
Recent Activity: Co-led LenderLink's 2025 pre-seed
Sector Focus: Sector-agnostic early tech
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$100K-$500K
Location: Singapore
Website: iterative.vc
12. ADB Ventures
ADB Ventures backs impact and climate tech.
Recent Activity: Backed Humble Sustainability in 2024
Sector Focus: Climate, impact, SDG tech
Stage Focus: Seed to early Series A
Check Size: ~US$200K-$4M
Location: Manila, Philippines
Website: ventures.adb.org
13. Vulpes Ventures
Vulpes backs early founders across SEA.
Recent Activity: Joined NoneAway's 2024 pre-seed
Sector Focus: Consumer, fintech, proptech
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$100K-$1M
Location: Singapore
Website: vulpesinvest.com
14. Integra Partners
Integra backs early fintech and insurtech.
Recent Activity: Led ProCredit's US$4.1M pre-seed
Sector Focus: Fintech, insurtech
Stage Focus: Pre-seed to Series A
Check Size: ~US$500K-$2M
Location: Singapore
Website: integra.partners
Why funds cluster on hot rounds
Philippine seed deal flow is thin, so funds tend to chase the same proven winners. When one company gains momentum, the rest of the market piles into it fast.
OneLot and NoneAway both drew crowds of investors in recent rounds, and that pattern repeats often. A single hot deal can pull in five or six funds at once.
The way out is to stand apart with a clear, specific edge of your own. Our fintech investors guide goes deeper, and Ellty shows you exactly who is studying your deck so you can track every open in one place.
Why global funds back Manila
Philippine startups now draw serious world money, not just local capital. Singapore funds in particular lead a growing share of these rounds.
US and European funds are joining too, often earlier than they once would. Many are willing to back PH founders well before a Series A.
That means it pays to court both kinds of backers at the same time, and our proptech investors guide covers the cross-border angle. Ellty shares your data across borders without friction, keeping every document in one data room.
Raising seed money in Manila
Run a tight process with a real deadline so funds feel a reason to move. Get your due diligence prep clean and ready before the first serious call.
Track investor interest with document analytics to see who is genuinely keen. Control who sees what with granular permissions so your files stay guarded.
Ellty surfaces every read as it happens, not days later. That live view lets you time each follow-up while the fund is still paying attention.
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 win this market. Make the vision land in the first two minutes so the rest of the pitch has room to breathe.
- 2.Prove a little real traction.Bring whatever early evidence you have, from users to revenue to retention. Numbers beat promises, and even small ones show the idea is moving.
- 3.Name your round size and plan.State exactly how much you are raising and what the money buys. Keep the ask tight so the fund can picture the next 18 months clearly.
- 4.Send one Ellty link to your data.Share a single trackable link to your deck, model, and metrics. Then watch who digs in so you know which funds to chase first.
How Ellty helps you land a seed investor in Manila
You have your Manila 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.
Manila seed investor questions
- Local VCs and pan-SEA funds. Some sit in Singapore.
- Often US$1M to US$4.5M. Some are smaller.
- No, it cooled hard in 2025. Fintech still leads deals.
- Fintech, SaaS, logistics. Healthtech is rising.
- Yes, many fund it early. Singapore funds lead a lot.
- Before your first seed call. Track who opens your numbers.
