Buko Ventures
Venture capitalActively deployingLehi Β· Pre-SeedβSeed
Investment thesis
Buko Ventures invests in early-stage Philippine founders who have limited access to financial resources, writing small first checks (roughly P250k-500k) into pre-revenue, pre-launch ventures with compelling potential. It keeps investment terms simple so founders can focus on building. The firm is open to any business model, including B2C and B2B, and is enthusiastic about non-traditional ventures such as gaming, social media influencers, and content creators. It actively seeks founders from any background, including those in provincial cities outside Metro Manila, valuing energy, passion, and work ethic over experience, and welcomes both technical and non-technical founders.
Source: firm website, verified Aug 27, 2026.
What they invest in
from 9 of 12 portfolio companiesAI & Machine Learning Γ3Enterprise Software Γ3SaaS Γ3B2B Marketplaces Γ2AgTech Γ1Cloud Computing Γ1Consumer Γ1Data & Infrastructure Γ1
HQs:PhilippinesΓ5United StatesΓ1
Investments Β· 12 tracked
founders shown can be your intro pathAcadArena Edu is a platform that gamifies student extracurricular activities, letting students earn rewards for campus events, enter competitions, and connect with peers around shared hobbies such as gaming and anime.
ConsumerEdTechGaming
Co-investorsBlockchain CapitalEmfarsisHustle FundITERATIVETNBAuraHashed
Betterteem is an AI-powered platform that analyzes employee experience and performance data from multiple systems (HRIS, payroll, ATS, LMS, CRM, productivity tools) to predict employee attrition risk and help organizations take proactive steps to reduce workforce churn.
AI & Machine LearningData & InfrastructureHR TechBonifacio Global City, PH
Bo Discarga(Founder)in
Co-investorsAlpha Startups Pre-AcceleratorIdeaspace VenturesTechstars
ChatGenie deploys autonomous AI agents to automate customer support operations, achieving cost reductions through intelligent ticket classification and routing.
AI & Machine LearningE-commerceEnterprise SoftwareSaaSSouth San Francisco, US
Ragde Falcis(Founder)in
Co-investorsIdeaspace VenturesTechstars
A one-stop solution for hotel reservation needs (proptech).
Co-investorsTENCO Capital
Interleukin operates a B2B platform for sourcing and procuring medical products and services, letting registered buyers discover accredited suppliers, request quotes, send purchase orders, and pay on terms in one system.
B2B MarketplacesHealthtechMedical Devices
MAYANI is a Philippine agri-fisheries platform that connects smallholder farmers and fisherfolk to market, aiming to boost rural incomes while providing fresh, affordable produce.
AgTechB2B MarketplacesFoodTechImpact & Social GoodMarketplaces
Jeff Barreiro(Founder and Executive Chairman)JT Solis(Co-founder and CEO)Josef Amarra(Co-founder and COO)Lance Villanueva(Co-founder and Chief of Fulfillment)Ochie San Juan(Co-founder and Chief Farmer)
Co-investorsIdeaspace Ventures
MeetBit is a white-labeled customer acquisition platform offering automated scheduling and branded online conferencing, letting enterprises distribute meetings across representatives, host branded video calls, and analyze their sales funnel.
Enterprise SoftwareSaaSSales Tech
Co-investorsManila Angel Investors Network
Shipmates provides a platform for Philippine e-commerce merchants to book shipments with multiple courier partners through bulk uploads or Shopify integration.
Enterprise SoftwareLogistics & Supply ChainMakati, PH
David Marquez(Founder/CTO)inJosh Supan(Founder)in
Co-investorsITERATIVEY CombinatorCathexis VenturesWavemaker Partners
Twala AI is a legal research assistant that uses retrieval-augmented generation over a pre-ingested base of more than 200,000 Philippine legal and regulatory documents, including Supreme Court jurisprudence, Republic Acts, and administrative issuances.
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingLegalTechSaaS
Jeffrey Reyes(Co-founder and CEO)
Co-investorsIdeaspace Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- How many investments has Buko Ventures made?
- Buko Ventures has 12 tracked investments.
- What stage does Buko Ventures invest at?
- Buko Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed stages.
- What is Buko Ventures's typical check size?
- Buko Ventures typically writes checks of $4.5K β $9K.
- What sectors does Buko Ventures focus on?
- Buko Ventures focuses on Creator Economy, E-commerce, Gaming, Healthtech, SaaS, Sector Agnostic, Social.
- Where is Buko Ventures located?
- Buko Ventures is headquartered in Lehi, PH.
- Who does Buko Ventures co-invest with?
- Buko Ventures most often shares deals with Ideaspace Ventures, ITERATIVE, Techstars, among 11 tracked co-investors.
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