Experts have warned national leaders of a possible global recession that’s predicted to hit a third of the world’s economy this year. Although the Department of Finance (DoF) recently claimed that the Philippines may avoid the recession, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) move to raise policy rates in addressing inflation posts additional challenges to startups and SMEs.[1]
“We've been monitoring industries that will continue to be resilient. Being SME-focused has its pros and cons. In this case, it helps that our focus can be concentrated on the SMEs that we can build relationships with in the next 12 months and do our best to help them connect with the right investors for whatever financing assistance they might need. In this regard, we can contribute what we can to helping the Philippines avoid recession,” says Investree Philippines Country Manager Alexander Capulong.
Investree Philippines notes that investors will be more cautious this year. However, they are positioned to help SMEs grow their businesses and help investors find the right opportunities amid the economic headwinds.
“We have a positive outlook for 2023. We see an opportunity despite the predicted global recession and the ongoing inflation. We've been making many tweaks in our business model over the past year. We're excited to bring about these changes this year as we get closer to our dream of being the foremost SME crowdfunding platform,” says Capulong.
Capulong added that 2023 remains one of the best times to crowdfund in the Philippines. The current economic challenges prompt traditional sources of funding like banks or mature institutions to be more conservative. “Sometimes they can be portrayed as impediments but we can't blame them. They have a duty to manage their risks especially for those handling public deposits. Our goal at Investree is to develop ways to help even conservative players safely deploy capital to the market because we have the capability to help mitigate the risks. It's an extremely complex endeavor given the complexities teams like ours have to juggle but that's part of the excitement. The good news for potential investors or issuers (SMEs) is that we do the heavy lifting so they can focus on their main needs,” Capulong explains.
Investree Philippines retains optimism and encourages stakeholders (lenders and borrowers) to share their confidence in its sustainable crowdfunding business model that can withstand the current market condition. Its platform optimizes data and technology to connect small and medium enterprises with institutional investors, creating an environment where #EveryoneCanGrow.
Investree Philippines, a venture of F(DEV) Digital Innovations and Ventures, Inc. and Investree Singapore Pte Ltd, was the first to secure an SEC-granted permanent license early last year. Its 2-gether Towards the Future campaign launched financial inclusion and business management programs that empowered local enterprise owners through knowledge-sharing #BeyondACrowdfundingPlatform. Its planned nationwide expansion, which kick-started in the last quarter of 2022, is slowly solidifying Investree Philippines’ presence in Central and Western Visayas and the Davao region.
“We've been working hard to improve our strengths in making SMEs a viable opportunity especially against other more traditional options like the stock, bond, or crypto markets. As a crowdfunding platform, our long-term goal is to have a diverse set of investors with varying appetites. This broad participation will help us match them with the many different types of SMEs in the Philippines,” says Capulong.
Under its 2023 campaign 202TREE: Renew, Refresh, Reactivate, Investree Philippines will launch SME-focused educational programs on financial inclusion and modern-day business management techniques. The campaign also seeks to establish and strengthen Investree’s governmental and nongovernmental partnerships through participating in SEC Roadshow 2023, networking initiatives with Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Philippine SME Business Expo (PhilSME), and Supply Chain Management Association of the Philippines (SCMAP), and educational campaigns with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Investree Philippines also remains consistent with the development of its online platform to improve customer experience. New services are expected to launch soon to cater the needs of other critical segments of the industry.
F(DEV) Founding CEO Xavier Marzan expresses his support for Investree Philippines’ strong financial inclusion agenda. “We are one with Investree Philippines in their mission to back SMEs in achieving their full potential amid these challenging times. Our vision is for local businesses to get access to financial solutions that can help them recover and grow – SMEs are the backbone of our local economy so we need to constantly look at helping this base,” said Marzan.
Investree Philippines is open to interested SMEs, institutional investors, and anchors for partnership opportunities. Visit Investree Philippines’ channels and learn more about the 202TREE campaign at www.investree.ph or contact cs@investree.ph. Follow its social media channels @investree.ph on Instagram and Investree Philippines on Facebook, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
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