Forbes has recently unveiled its highly anticipated eighth annual "30 Under 30 Asia" list, which recognizes 300 young entrepreneurs, leaders, and trailblazers from the Asia-Pacific region who are under the age of 30.
The Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Class of 2023 features notable honorees across ten categories, including The Arts, Entertainment & Sports, Finance & Venture Capital, Media, Marketing & Advertising, Retail & Ecommerce, Enterprise Technology, Industry, Manufacturing & Energy, Healthcare & Science, Social Impact, and Consumer Technology.
This year, seven remarkable honorees from the Philippines have made their way into the prestigious list, showcasing their extraordinary accomplishments in finance & venture capital, retail and commerce, the arts, and industry, manufacturing, and energy.
Let's take a closer look at some of the outstanding Filipino individuals who have earned their well-deserved spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list:
Isabel Sicat
29 years old, Cofounder of Toqa
Photo from Forbes
While pursuing a dual degree at Brown University-Rhode Island School of Design and interning at renowned New York fashion houses like Alexander Wang, Isabel Sicat recognized a gap in the fashion industry for island lifestyles.
In response, she cofounded Toqa with Aiala Rickard. Toqa is an innovative sustainable high-fashion brand that transforms deadstock fabrics into remarkable pieces, including sheer slip dresses, high-cut metallic swimwear, and vibrant island prints.
Made to order and shipped worldwide from the Philippines, Toqa has gained recognition for its exceptional creations.
The brand's Midnight Smoothie collection was featured in the esteemed 2022 Hawaii Triennial exhibition and has been highlighted in Vogue Philippines and L'Officiel.
Prominent figures such as beauty queen Angelique Manto and model Siobhan Moylan are among Toqa's enthusiastic supporters.
Aaron Villegas
25 years old, Cofounder of Lista
Photo from Forbes
Aaron Villegas serves as the CEO of Lista, a finance tracker app that empowers individuals and small businesses in the Philippines to effectively manage their finances.
The app provides features that help users plan their spending, track their finances, and set payment or debt reminders.
Founded in 2021, Lista has achieved remarkable success, garnering over 1.6 million downloads.
The company has secured substantial investments, including a $5.1 million funding round led by OpenSpace Ventures, with participation from East Ventures, Saison Capital, and 1982 Ventures.
David Marquez
29 years old, Cofounder of Shipmates
Photo from Forbes
Amid the pandemic-driven surge in e-commerce and the corresponding need for reliable courier services, David Marquez cofounded Shipmates, a Manila-based delivery platform.
Shipmates aim to introduce "next-generation" shipping technology and infrastructure to the Philippines.
The startup's dedication to innovation led to its selection for Y Combinator's prestigious 2022 summer cohort.
Shipmates successfully raised $2.2 million in a seed round with the participation of Wavemaker Partners. Prior to Shipmates, Marquez also cofounded Shirt.ly, a t-shirt printing startup, and Xpanse, a supply chain and storage startup.
Rui Aguiar, King Alandy Dy, Jeff Tan, Jig Young
Cofounders of Expedock
Photo from Forbes
Rui Aguiar (25), King Alandy Dy (25), Jeff Tan (25), and Jig Young (27) are revolutionizing the international freight industry.
Combining their family's background in cross-border shipping with AI technology, Expedock automates processes by reading paperwork and invoices, categorizing data, and visualizing profit and loss insights for supply chain businesses.
In a significant milestone, Expedock secured $17.5 million in a Series A funding round, led by Insight Partners, WIN, Motion Ventures, and Decent Capital.
Notable corporations such as Ascent, CEVA Logistics, and Jusda, a spinoff from Taiwan's Foxconn, are among the companies benefiting from Expedock's services.
These young Filipino talents stand alongside notable figures such as fourth-generation K-pop girl groups Le Sserafim and NewJeans, as well as Thai actor Metawin Opas-iamkajorn, who gained fame through his role in the popular Thai BL series "2gether."
