BIZ BUZZ: From heels to high-tech

Marikina, the city that put Filipino shoemaking on the map, is stepping into a whole new kind of hustle—and this time, it’s not about leather soles, but Silicon Valley goals.

Enter the Philippine Innovation Hub-Marikina Enterprise Center, or iHub-MEC.

This five-story powerhouse in the NACIDA Compound is set to be launched later this month, and let’s just say it’s giving “startup chic” vibes.

Backed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and its investment arm, the National Development Co. (NDC), this isn’t just another government building with bland lighting and even blander coffee.

Nope, this is the Philippines’ fresh new flex in the innovation scene.

Think coworking spaces, funding support, mentorship and all the resources a scrappy founder could ever dream of.

For the longest time, if you wanted to build the next big app or pitch to a VC in a hoodie, you had to hustle your way to Makati or BGC.

But now? Marikina is sliding into the chat, and it’s coming in hot.

The iHub-MEC is the government’s big bet that the next tech unicorn can come from the same streets that once produced the finest handmade shoes in Asia.

And honestly, the timing couldn’t be better.

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The hub was born from two big-deal policies: the Innovative Startup Act, aka Republic Act (RA) No. 11337, and the Philippine Creative Industries Act, or RA 11904.

The government’s not just giving good vibes with the hub—they’re actually giving venture capital.

Through their P500-million Startup Venture Fund, the DTI and NDC are putting actual pesos where their mouth is, investing in local startups that could be the country’s next breakout story.

Soon, somewhere in Marikina, a fresh founder will be able to pitch their app to a room full of mentors.

Once known for crafting the perfect pair of heels, Marikina’s now lacing up for the startup race, and it’s not planning to trip.