Forbes recently released its ‘30 Under 30 Asia’ list, and this year’s roster of honorees includes seven Filipinos from different industries.
Forbes announced its “30 Under 30 Asia” list on May 18, recognizing 300 young and thriving professionals across the continent who’ve made game-changing contributions in their chosen fields.
In an official announcement, the group stated that the young professionals “are effecting positive change and driving innovation amid global economic uncertainty and a challenging environment.”
Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia editor, Rana Wehbe Watson, added: “Despite a challenging year marked by global economic uncertainty and a drop in VC funding, this year’s 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia entrepreneurs continued to innovate and thrive across industries.”
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Among the 300 honorees are seven Filipinos in a range of industries, namely retail and e-commerce, finance and venture capital, industry and manufacturing, and the arts. Read on to learn more about them:
David Marquez
28-year-old David Marquez is the co-founder of Shipmates, a Manila-based delivery platform. Founded in August 2020, the company wanted to address the growing need for e-commerce and courier services. According to Marquez’s official Forbes profile, Shipmates “aims to usher in ‘next-generation’ shipping technology and infrastructure for the Philippines.”
The platform raised a total of $2.2 million during its seed round with Wavemaker Partners. Marquez also cofounded t-shirt printing startup Shirt.ly and storage startup Xpanse.
Aaron Villegas
At only 25 years old, Villegas is the CEO of Lista—a finance tracking app for both individuals and small businesses in the Philippines. Established in 2021, the app “lets users plan spending, track finances and set payment or debt reminders,” as written in the entrepreneur’s official Forbes profile. Lista is said to have more than 1.6 million downloads and managed to raise $5.8 million from investors.
Isabel Sicat
A graduate of Brown University-Rhode Island School of Design, 29-year-old Isabel Sicat is the founder of clothing brand TOQA.
After having interned in various New York fashion houses like Alexander Wang, the young designer wanted to create more fashion suited to island lifestyles. TOQA specializes in turning dead-stock fabrics into high fashion that’s sustainable.
Sicat’s works have been featured in the 2022 Hawaii Triennial exhibition, as well as Vogue Philippines.
King Alandy Dy, Jeff Tan, Rui Aguiar, Jig Young
Dy, Tan, Aguiar, and Young were recognized for their work as co-founders of artificial intelligence startup Expedock. The business helps automate processes in the freight industry through their AI technology, moving thousands of freight containers internationally. Their official Forbes profile stated that the company raised $17.5 from investors like Insight Partners, WIN, Motion Ventures, and Decent Capital.
Banner photo via Instagram @vitamin_belly.
