Iloilo City is No. 5 startup hub in PH: FyrFest 2025 to celebrate regional innovation milestones

With its growing reputation as a leading innovation hub, Iloilo City is set to host FyrFest Iloilo 2025, a major startup conference and networking event aimed at showcasing the region’s rising startup ecosystem.

The event will take place on Dec. 10, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Panay Ballroom, The Venue Function Rooms in Smallville Complex, Mandurriao. Organized by FyrLab Accelerator under Youth First Initiative Philippines, FyrFest aims to celebrate what organizers called a landmark year of “shared innovation milestones” across Western Visayas.

The celebration comes as Iloilo City earned the No. 5 spot among Philippine startup hubs in the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Index by StartupBlink. Globally, the city ranked No. 744.

The region’s momentum was further validated when the UMWAD Western Visayas Consortium was named the “Most Vibrant Startup Ecosystem” in the Visayas by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Wadhwani Foundation.

“Everything we have achieved as individual stakeholders and collectively as an ecosystem is an acknowledgment that we cannot do it alone,” FyrFest organizers said. “Strong relationships are key to bringing us all together toward the success that we want for ourselves”.

FyrFest will also highlight several policy breakthroughs and local startup successes that defined the year:

• The Iloilo Provincial Government approved the Iloilo Startup Development Ordinance, which led to the province’s first Startup Hackathon.
• The Regional Action Plan for Startup Development was drafted to guide ecosystem strategies through the next five years.
• Iloilo-based startups gained national attention: Rezbin won at the Presidential Filipinnovation Awards, and DiaSight triumphed at the DICT Philippine Startup Challenge.

A highlight of the event is the showcase of FyrLab Accelerator’s third cohort, composed of five startups that promote technology-driven solutions:

• Gen Woo, founder of B Academy
• Josh Senina, founder of MyTutor
• Dr. Soledad Garibay, founder of Algacon
• Teofy Decatoria, cofounder of DigiHwy
• Christian Lexis Tan, founder of Astral Visions

This cohort received PHP 500,000 in combined cash and in-kind support, including mentorship for operations, product development, and funding-readiness. DOST Region 6 invested PHP 4.3 million this year through Youth First Initiative Philippines to operate FyrLab.

The one-day event includes keynote speeches, panel discussions, and founder stories. Notable speakers include:

• Engr. Rowen Gelonga, DOST Region VI regional director (via recorded message)
• Jason Gonzales, Iloilo provincial board member and author of the startup ordinance
• Mari Martirez, CEO of Rezbin
• Pamela Mejia, founder of PAMMÉ & FIBERS
• James Dorado, founder of DiaSight

Afternoon sessions will include a “Fyrside Chat” on the role of business groups in innovation, followed by an open forum and the Cohort 3 startup showcase. The day will conclude with “CampFyr,” an open networking session with “Crash & Burn Stories,” giving founders a chance to share startup challenges in an open mic format.