A pivotal component of thriving innovation ecosystems is the availability of early stage financing for startups. Angel investors play a critical role in unlocking innovation opportunities, deriving private financial returns and enabling positive social outcomes. This event is organized by MAIN to help women business leaders understand the significance of angel investing through practitioners like Jillian Manus.

Jillian Manus is an experienced banking and media executive, a technology investor and entrepreneur. She is Managing Partner of an early stage Silicon Valley venture fund, Structure Capital. Branded “Architects of the Zero Waste Economy”, they invest in underutilized assets and excess capacity. Ms. Manus serves on numerous boards including: Stanford University Digital Health Board, Stanford University School of Medicine Board of Fellows, Advisory Board of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, NASDAQ Entrepreneurial Center Board of Directors, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and Communities in Schools. Prior to Structure Capital, Ms. Manus was Founder of Broad Strategy, Manus Media and Global Goal Sports Management. She served as Co- Director of TMT for Credit Suisse Zurich, and Director of Development for Universal and Warner Bros and Associate Publisher of the national publication Upside, reporting on the financial strategies of the technology industry. As a frequent global public speaker, Ms. Manus provides business and political commentary in the media, primarily on CNBC’s Squawk Alley and Bloomberg Business news. She also co-hosts Spotify’s Media’s business podcast “The Pitch”. Ms. Manus attended The University of Oxford & NYU, where she served on the Board of Trustees. Throughout her careers, she has been a strong advocate for inclusion and diversity, frequently speaking on the topic of “Investing in Values, not Just Valuations”.

MAIN is the largest committed private investors network in the Philippines that was formed to support the country’s startup ecosystem by connecting investors with promising early-stage companies. Apart from providing capital funding, it also mentors entrepreneurs, provides expertise support, and opens networking opportunities. This innovative startup ecosystem will benefit both MAIN members’ portfolio and overall growth of Filipino startups.

Gender lens investing (GLI) is the practice of investing for financial return while also considering the benefits to women, both through improving economic opportunities and social wellbeing for girls and women.