DTI eyes employment, infra and startup ecosystem dev’t with Dutch firms

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Fred Pascual spearheaded three business meetings on Friday, 30 June 2023, during the Netherlands leg of the Europe Investment Roadshow jointly organized by the Board of Investments (BOI) and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Brussels, Belgium.

One of the meetings was with Business Connect, a Dutch consulting company focused on setting up startup ecosystems worldwide.

Led by Mr. Pjotr Steinmetz, Business Connect had successfully established startup communities in the Netherlands and Taiwan. They are now working towards establishing a similar ecosystem in the Philippines through a collaboration with Techshake, Asia’s most active Philippine-based Startup Ecosystem Builder that creates thousands of connections and opportunities for startups.

During the meeting, Secretary Pascual praised Business Connect for their role in fostering startup communities and looks forward to their upcoming trade mission to the Philippines in October.

Together with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (DCCP) and in coordination with the PTIC-Brussels, Business Connect is leading a trade mission from the Netherlands to the Philippines on 9 to 13 October, which will be composed of Dutch startups and other companies involved in high-tech, agricultural technology, and water sectors.

The trade mission will coincide with IGNITE Philippines that is scheduled on 12-13 October.

“We are looking forward to your visit in the Philippines as you work in organizing a trade mission to our country. I would like to emphasize that one of the top priorities of the DTI under my leadership is to create an enabling environment for startups through the Startup Act which was signed into law on 26 April 2019,” Secretary Pascual said.

Republic Act No. 11337 (Innovative Startup Act) aims to strengthen, promote, and develop an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem and culture in the Philippines. It focuses on providing benefits and removing constraints to encourage the establishment and operation of innovative new enterprises and businesses.