MANILA, Philippines — A citizen-science diving enterprise. A digital food aggregator. A tech-enabled tilapia hatchery. A circular solution to ocean plastic pollution. A nature-positive aquaculture venture.
While their business models differ, these enterprises share a common ambition: building a more sustainable and resilient blue economy.
They are among the five organizations selected for Blue Economy Investment Philippines (BEIP), a first-of-its-kind investment readiness program that equips coastal and marine enterprises with the tools, networks, and financing pathways to grow their businesses while advancing positive outcomes for people and nature.
Implemented by Rare, an international conservation NGO, and with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Canadian government, BEIP supports enterprises demonstrating how viable businesses can contribute to healthy oceans and thriving coastal communities.
“Through this program, we are helping enterprises get as close as possible to investment by clarifying what capital they need, identifying the right financing pathways, and preparing them for meaningful conversations with investors,” said Noreen Bautista, senior manager of innovative finance with Rare. “Along the way, we strengthen the governance, gender equality, and social inclusion, and Nature-based Solutions practices that increasingly define resilient and investable businesses.
The five selected enterprises represent a diverse cross-section of the country’s emerging blue economy:
- Malapascua Scuba Diving Eco-Adventures, led by Paula Alcoseba, integrates citizen science and marine education into dive tourism, contributing to the conservation of thresher sharks, reefs, and marine habitats.
- Agro-DigitalPH, led by Henry Sison and Sonia Gonzales, connects smallholder producers to larger markets, creating incentives to protect the ecosystems sustaining food production and livelihoods.
- Pure Oceans, led by Pia Ocampo and Xilca Alvarez Protacio, recovers and diverts plastic waste while developing plastic credits and circular products that support livelihoods and marine conservation.
- Kaizen AquaVentures Inc., led by Hector Abes, operates a technology-enabled tilapia hatchery that aims to scale production while using groundwater and energy more efficiently.
- FishTech Aquaculture, led by Neil Pancipanci, combines integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, improved farming structures, and mangrove restoration in Maqueda Bay.
The five selected enterprises were chosen from a pool of 79 applicants. Rare and UNDP Philippines pored through applications, interviews, and supporting documents to understand how each enterprise creates value, and how it would use investment to further its environmental and social impact.
Over the next four months, the enterprises will participate in a structured investment readiness journey designed around their individual priorities and aligned with investor expectations. Participants will receive technical assistance, one-on-one mentorship from investors and finance experts, peer-learning opportunities, and support to strengthen governance, financial management, risk management, and impact measurement.
The program will culminate in an investor showcase connecting enterprises with potential funders, investors, and strategic partners.
The Philippines’ blue economy contributed approximately ₱943 billion to the country’s GDP in 2023, yet many coastal and marine enterprises continue to face significant barriers in accessing growth capital. By helping enterprises improve governance, strengthen business fundamentals, and clearly articulate their environmental and social value, the program aims to bridge the gap between promising blue economy businesses and investors seeking measurable impact.
“The program is about more than preparing enterprises to raise capital. We’re helping them strengthen the governance, impact, and investment fundamentals needed to engage investors with confidence, while demonstrating how Nature-based Solutions can create lasting value for businesses, coastal communities, and the environment,” said Bautista.