Minette Navarette, a major player in the startup world, shares insights on tech innovations and investments

MN: Providing value-adding support for startups to improve their chances of success—as in many emerging markets, startups frequently lack not just capital, but access to expertise, experience, and business networks necessary to scale efficiently and successfully.

At Kickstart, our purpose is to break down barriers and build bridges to create a chain reaction of opportunity. We actively contribute to the Philippine startup ecosystem: as the country’s biggest capital commitment to tech startups, as well as our programs for community and business development. We provide extensive support to our portfolio companies by aligning ourselves with their interests and helping them by providing access to market players, expertise and innovation community, and media and publicity.

Related: Should startups look at equity crowdfunding to raise capital?

What can you say to those who’d like to follow in your footsteps?

MN: It helps to have a clear statement of purpose from the beginning. At Kickstart, we talk about breaking down barriers and building bridges to create a chain reaction of opportunity. This means a bias for emerging market technologies, where the problems are often greatest, and the creative solutions can be more surprising. It requires concrete action, demonstrable results, and continuing impact. It is a genuine commitment.

Raise your hand for the tough jobs that nobody wants. The delta for learning is greatest for difficult jobs, especially for jobs that have no set playbook. And competition is low for jobs that are not glamorous. But these maximize the opportunities to learn, experiment and innovate: I’m always drawn to chaotic circumstances where sense-making is both skill and art, and discovery is greatest.

Swing for the fences. This was actually advice from one of our LPs! The point of innovation is to do what hasn’t been done before; and if you’re going to do something new, it may as well be ambitious, meaningful, and long-lasting. Star Trek’s “go boldly where no man has gone before” is quite good!

More from Tatler: 8 Female-Led Startups Making The World A Better Place

Who do you look up to for guidance, inspiration or mentorship?

MN: When you work in innovation investment, you need all three! For guidance: Ernest Cu, my boss. He’s got a great instinct; he taught me to go beyond strategic thought into relentless execution and to figure out the right timing vis-à-vis market readiness.

For mentorship: I’ve had the good fortune of mentors throughout my career. These folks I’ve learnt from when I was much younger; they continue to share the benefit of their experience and wisdom. Off the top of my head: Maricelle Narciso, Angie Lacson and Geocel Olanday at Unilever, who taught me to always focus on the market and customer; and Victoria Egan, Bien Tan, and Sec. Sonny Dominguez from our Shangri-la Plaza days, helped me sharpen my instincts when they bet on me in my first C-level jobs.

Lastly, for inspiration, our LPs, for their trust and willingness to innovate ambitiously and the entire Kickstart team. I always say you should hire folks who are smarter and stronger than you—this team has smarts and skills aplenty. Finally, family! Brilliant conversations, generous projects, and fun exploring new concepts and favourite cities (well, not in a while; but hopefully soon again). Undying love.

What are your plans for the coming years and what keeps you going?

MN: We are excited about the speed of innovation and adoption of technology! We’ve done a fair bit of investing in The Frictionless Future, whether that is in financial solutions, cybersecurity, or eCommerce. A recent investment is Transcelestial Technologies—sending data via free space optics, ie lasers! We’re keen to see the recent crop of PH-based startups scale and expand.

We’re starting to discuss food security under our A World of Plenty thesis. We also invested in TreeDots out of Singapore last year: reducing food waste through digital tech and logistics solutions. Hopefully, [there is] more to do here.

I’m personally keen to see more startup founders, leaders, and investors in the startup and tech spaces. And especially: female founders, leaders, and investors! Venture capital and technology are traditionally male-dominated domains; the stats do bear that out. But we’re seeing many great women emerging in the Philippines, and globally: a good number of women in the Kickstart and ACTIVE Fund portfolios; and hopefully more women in the Kickstart team, too!

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