QC opens financial grants for startup entrepreneurs
QUEZON City residents who are planning to put up a business in the city can now avail of financial grants from the city government.
This was learned after the city government recently launched the Startup QC Program, which will provide financial grants of up to P1 million to qualified startup entrepreneurs.
The program aligns with Mayor Joy Belmonte’s 14-point agenda, which aims to make Quezon City the preferred destination for businesses, create new jobs and opportunities, and develop growth hubs.
“The goal is to create business hubs that will inspire and empower QCitizens to create innovative business models that can help provide solutions to social issues or concerns. Through this program, we are encouraging entrepreneurs with innovative ideas to be part of the greater mission of improving our society,” Belmonte said.
Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Ivan John Uy, on the other hand, said that the program would indeed play a critical role in strengthening the city’s startup business ecosystem.
“To this end, we fully support the Filipino startup community as we continuously aim to promote innovation and encourage entrepreneurship through empowering programs and initiatives,” Uy added.
For her part, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Competitiveness Bureau Director Lilian Salonga vowed to continue to endeavor to sustain the efficient implementation of initiatives, programs, and projects that promote a culture of innovation; embed innovation and entrepreneurial mindset to the stakeholders; and foster the growth of a robust innovation and startup ecosystem.
Belmonte, meanwhile, also said that the city government is aiming to fund and support innovative startup ventures that are still at their early stages but have promising viable products for an execution.
The qualified startups will be immersed in training, mentorship, and networking activities facilitated by the QC Government and its technology business incubator and industry program partners.
“Through this multi-million peso initiative to catalyze QC innovation, we will enable young startup ventures to thrive in the city, nurture a QC business startup ecosystem, and make Quezon City the innovation capital of the Philippines,” Belmonte added as she encouraged young innovators and startup entrepreneurs to sign up for the StartUp QC Program.
