Brainsparks once again brought together startup leaders, experts, and ecosystem enablers for its highly anticipated 2025 Founders Circle series. In partnership with Common Ground Philippines and JLL Philippines, Brainsparks hosted four engaging sessions across April, May, and June 2025, aimed at helping local entrepreneurs navigate the challenges and opportunities of an ever-evolving startup landscape.

Startup Landscape in 2025

The speakers and participants of Startup Playbook 2025: Adapting to the Year Ahead last April 2, 2025 at Common Ground, Rockwell

Starting with Startup Playbook 2025: Adapting to the Year Ahead, this installment explored shifts in funding patterns, emerging market trends, relevant policy updates, and the new opportunities these changes bring. Attendees gained actionable insights into refining their business strategies, managing risks, and identifying new avenues for growth. Speakers included Carlo Chen-Delantar, Founding Partner of Gobi-Core Philippine Fund; Lyra Reyes, Head of Marketing at e27; and Hardesh Singh, Managing Director of 1882 Energy Ventures. This session kicked off the series last April 2, 2025, at Common Ground, Rockwell.

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The Secrets to Startup Hiring

The speakers and participants o fHiring Hacks: Building a Startup Dream Team last April 23, 2025 at JLL Philippines,Makati

After that, Hiring Hacks: Building a Startup Dream Team tackled one of the most critical challenges in the startup journey—building, retaining, and scaling high-performing teams. Participants explored hiring strategies, ensuring cultural fit, choosing the right recruitment channels, and avoiding common pitfalls that can hinder growth. Insights were shared by Ritch Traballo, CEO and Co-Founder of NexHire; Sigrid Vasquez, Client Recruitment Manager for Southeast Asia at Uncommonly Good People; Patrick Gentry, Co-founder and CEO of Sprout Solutions; and Gian Reyes, Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships at KMC Solutions. The second Founders Circle session was held on April 23, 2025, at JLL Philippines in Makati.

The Power of Purposeful Partnerships

The speakers and participants of Building Bridges: How Partnerships Drive Meaningful Change last May 14, 2025 at Common Ground, Rockwell

The third installment—Building Bridges: How Partnerships Drive Meaningful Change emphasized how collaboration, rather than competition, can lead to sustainable growth and help tackle complex social challenges. Attendees gained insights into building effective partnerships that amplify collective impact and create new opportunities for inclusive development. Featured speakers included Patch Dulay, Founder and CEO of The Spark Project; Mark Joaquin Ruiz, Co-Founder and President of Hapinoy; Maroushka Lu, Chief of Staff and Head of Special Projects at Villgro Philippines; and Engr. Ian Solas, CEO of Green Solution.ph. The session was again held at Common Ground, Rockwell last May 14, 2025.

Start Local, Grow Global

To cap off this year’s series, Brainsparks invites you to join the fourth and final session on June 4, 2025, at JLL Philippines, Makati. Titled Made in the Philippines, Built for the World: What Do Local Startups Need to Learn and Do to Grow and Scale Beyond the Local Market, this session aims to equip founders with the tools and knowledge needed to take their businesses global. Through real-world stories and hard-earned insights from Philippine companies that have expanded abroad, the session will explore the country’s potential in international markets, common pitfalls to avoid, and the key factors that can determine success—or failure—on the global stage. To register, click the link or the button below. Secure your spot now: https://bit.ly/FC4-GoGlobal

With four deeply relevant and strategically designed sessions, the 2025 edition of Brainsparks Founders Circle aims to deliver immense value to the Philippine startup community. Entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem players are invited to take part, gain fresh perspectives, and help shape the future of innovation in the country.