Best start-up companies recognized

For the third consecutive year, KMC Solutions, the country’s leading provider of flexible office spaces and offshore solutions, once again recognized the Philippines’ best and brightest startup companies at the KMC Startup Awards 2025 gala night.

KMC Solutions' Startup Awards was born out of a desire to spotlight innovators transforming industries. (Photo: KMC Solutions Facebook)

The event forms part of the 2025 Philippine Startup Week, the annual nationwide celebration of Filipino innovation and entrepreneurship.

This year’s competition received 140 entries from startups nationwide, culminating in 24 finalists awarded gold, silver, and bronze distinctions across eight major categories, each celebrating a different aspect of innovation, growth, and leadership within the startup ecosystem.

LenderLink led this year’s roster of gold awardees, securing both Gold for Startup of the Year and Customer Experience Excellence.

The fintech platform earned praise from judges for addressing critical access gaps in lending and setting new standards in user-first financial services.

LITHOS Manufacturing captured the Gold for Culture and Community Excellence, recognized for its strong employee-first workplace practices and commitment to local industry development.

Serbiz earned Tech Innovator of the Year for its solutions that streamline field service operations and empower grassroots workers through technology.

ZendEase was hailed as this year’s Growth Champion for its rapid scale-up locally and globally.

Philippine Coding Camp took home the Innovation in Marketing award for its creative education campaigns that drive digital literacy among Filipino youth.

Kredit Hero, Inc. rounded out the gold awardees with the FutureTech Leadership prize, a testament to its contribution to next-generation financial technologies.

The silver winners were Mylo Speech Buddy (Startup of the Year, Growth Champion, and Innovation in Marketing), Flying Tigers Express CEO Dave Overton (Breakthrough Leader of the Year), Rezbin (Culture and Community Excellence), Pili AdheSeal Inc. (Tech Innovator of the Year), NextPay (Customer Experience Excellence), and Serbiz (FutureTech Leadership).

Meanwhile, the bronze winners included Rezbin (Startup of the Year), BCRemit's co-founder Jose Angelo “Gio” Calma (Breakthrough Leader of the Year), Bambuhay (Culture and Community Excellence), Twala (Tech Innovator of the Year), Jia Financing, Inc. (Growth Champion), Dehusk (Innovation in Marketing and Customer Experience Excellence), and Rezbin (FutureTech Leadership).

Notable entrepreneurs were also present at the awards ceremony. These included Siargao-based businessman Christophe Bariou, owner of bronze awardee and plant-based milk brand Dehusk, and young businesswoman Iyana Argañoza, CEO of side-hustle superapp Serbiz.

Co-presented by OneCFO, in collaboration with Ideaspace | QBO, MAIN.PH, Founders Launchpad, Kaya Founders, and Uniquecorn Strategies, the event aims to recognize outstanding startups from different sectors while fostering connections within the startup community.

Reflecting on the success of the KMC Startup Awards and its relevance to the Philippine startup ecosystem, Michael McCullough, co-founder of KMC Solutions, urged new ventures to use the awards as a platform to build strong connections among Filipino startups.

“At KMC, we remain committed to supporting this community — to building an environment where founders and teams can think boldly, collaborate, and grow,” McCullough said.

First inaugurated in 2023 by KMC Solutions, a premier business services company that was once a startup itself, the KMC Startup Awards was born out of a desire to spotlight innovators transforming industries.

Now in its third edition, the awards have made their mark in expanding the Philippines’ startup scene by acknowledging emerging entrepreneurs and their creative ventures.

“What began in 2023 as a way to shine a light on emerging founders has grown into a movement — one that recognizes imagination, resilience, and the determination to turn ideas into reality,” McCullough said.

With this year’s theme, “Innovation Without Limits,” the co-founder further encouraged startups to pursue fresh ideas and break boundaries.

“We believe that meaningful solutions can start anywhere, and that progress comes from the courage to create what has not existed before,” he added.