Cover EdukSine founder and CEO Karen Salutan-Krukover, GoTyme Bank CEO Nathaniel Clarke and Sprout Solutions co-founder and CEO Patrick Gentry are leading their startups to a new level
EdukSine founder and CEO Karen Salutan-Krukover, GoTyme Bank CEO Nathaniel Clarke and Sprout Solutions co-founder and CEO Patrick Gentry are leading their startups to a new level
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The startups won top honours at the second edition of the annual awards, which recognises innovators who are positively impacting society
The Philippine startup scene witnessed an evening of entrepreneurial brilliance and innovation as KMC Solutions, a leading provider of business solutions in the country, unveiled its latest roster of champions.
Among the luminaries at the KMC Startup Awards 2024 were the businesses founded and led by Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow Nathaniel Clarke, Patrick Gentry and Karen Jane Salutan-Krukover. The groundbreaking ventures of GoTyme Bank, Sprout Solutions and EdukSine secured their place among the country’s most transformative companies.
With over 300 entries from more than 100 startups nationwide, the competition was fierce, but these trailblazers proved they were making a name in their respective fields.
Read more: Meet Asia’s tech disruptors who are creating the blueprint for tomorrow
GoTyme Bank is Startup of the Year
Above Steve Sy, founder and CEO of Great Deals E-Commerce Corp; Jenelyn Bajacan from the Customer Service Group at GoTyme Bank; Frederick Blancas, head of corporate communications and external relations at GoTyme Bank; Khecelyn Rayo from the Customer Service Group, GoTyme Bank; and Shor Macalbe, manager at QBO Innovation (Photo: KMC Solutions)
Steve Sy, founder and CEO of Great Deals E-Commerce Corp; Jenelyn Bajacan from the Customer Service Group at GoTyme Bank; Frederick Blancas, head of corporate communications and external relations at GoTyme Bank; Khecelyn Rayo from the Customer Service Group, GoTyme Bank; and Shor Macalbe, manager at QBO Innovation (Photo: KMC Solutions)
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GoTyme Bank, under the leadership of its CEO Clarke, emerged as the overall winner, clinching the Startup of the Year Award as well as top honours in Innovation Marketing and Growth Champion.
“GoTyme Bank is humbled by winning KMC’s Startup of the Year award. We thank our customers for their exponential adoption during 2024 and we look forward to further unlocking their financial potential as we continue our journey to become the largest and most loved bank in the country,” Clarke said.
Read more: How GoTyme Bank’s CEO took risks to unlock the financial potential of Filipinos
Since its inception in 2021, the digital bank has addressed long-standing issues in traditional banking, such as complicated account opening processes and awkward app designs.
With over three million users and US$290 million in deposits, GoTyme is rewriting the rules of financial inclusion. The bank’s marketing strategies and user-friendly approach have stood out in a fiercely competitive field, including opening an account and getting a free debit card in five minutes or less in its nearly 500 kiosk locations.
EdukSine bags Innovation in Marketing Award
Above EdukSine team at the 2024 KMC Startup Awards (Photo: EdukSine/Facebook)
EdukSine team at the 2024 KMC Startup Awards (Photo: EdukSine/Facebook)
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EdukSine, a pioneering streaming platform for independent Filipino films founded by Salutan-Krukover, proved that films can do more than entertain—they can educate, empower and inspire.
The platform, which amplifies socially relevant films, was honoured with the Bronze Award in Innovation in Marketing for its effort to make cinema accessible to underserved communities.
Read more: What is EdukSine, the Filipino independent films-focused streaming platform?
“This recognition reflects our commitment to creating innovative and impactful marketing strategies that bring the magic of Philippine independent films closer to communities and audiences nationwide,” Salutan said.
By integrating Filipino sign language into its films, EdukSine continuously champions inclusivity. With over 350 block screenings organised, often in collaboration with government agencies and international embassies, EdukSine is bridging gaps and uplifting stories that inspire change.
Sprout Solutions wins Customer Excellence Award
Above Parry Nagpal, CEO of KMC Solutions and Bernice Locsin, VP of Customer Success Management at Sprout Solutions (Photo: KMC Solutions)
Parry Nagpal, CEO of KMC Solutions and Bernice Locsin, VP of Customer Success Management at Sprout Solutions (Photo: KMC Solutions)
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Sprout Solutions, the brainchild of Gentry, snagged the Gold Award in Customer Excellence, proving its place as a leader in human resource technology.
By providing a cloud-based platform that manages every stage of the employee lifecycle—from recruitment to payroll—Sprout helps businesses save time and reduce disputes.
Gentry’s own entrepreneurial career, which began with KMC Solutions, came full circle as he celebrated this milestone.
Read more: Founderitis: The syndrome that can kill a startup
Above Nagpal with Bing Tan, CEO of Packworks and Toby Floro, investment director of Kaya Founders (Photo: KMC Solutions)
Nagpal with Bing Tan, CEO of Packworks and Toby Floro, investment director of Kaya Founders (Photo: KMC Solutions)
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The KMC Startup Awards was a stage for the best and brightest across the Philippine startup ecosystem.
Packworks, led by co-founder and CEO Bing Tan, took home the Tech Innovator Gold Award and the Emerging Leader of the Year Gold Award, underscoring its role as a technology game-changer. Other gold winners included Xeleqt for Innovative Product of the Year, Mylo Speech Buddy for Social Impact Award, Mober Technology Inc for Sustainability Award and OneLot for Best Newcomer Award.
Read more: Can AI help sari-sari stores? Packworks’ Bing Tan says ‘yes’
Silver distinctions went to UNO Digital Bank in Startup of the Year category, Cocotel International CEO Rafael Jouwena in Emerging Leader of the Year, Mylo Speech Buddy in Best Newcomer and Innovative Product of the Year, Qonnec Software Solutions Inc in Tech Innovator, GoTyme Bank in Customer Excellence, Saint C in Innovation in Marketing, Sprout Solutions in Growth Champion, Pammé in Sustainability and Packworks in Social Impact.
Bronze awardees included Unprude, whose founder and CEO Rica Cruz, earned Emerging Leader of the Year and Best Newcomer, KwikCare in Customer Excellence, Smile API in Innovative Product of the Year, Mober Technology, Inc in Growth Champion, Agrabah Ventures in Sustainability and Adobokashi Systems, Inc’s Pic-A-Talk AAC in Social Impact.
Michael McCullough, co-founder of KMC Solutions, summed up the event’s ethos: “Seeing these startups bring their visions to life is a powerful reminder of the magic that happens when great ideas meet determination.”
Syrah is Tatler Philippines’ Power & Purpose editor, where she spotlights extraordinary journeys shaping the Philippines and Asia. She covers business, innovation, impact, and culture—chasing the people, ideas and forces shaping how we live and think today.
