Raising capital is one of the most critical steps in turning a promising idea into a viable business in the Philippines. While some founders may be able to bootstrap their operations in the early stages, most will eventually require outside funding to scale meaningfully. Capital fuels everything—from hiring and product development to marketing and operational expansion—and without it, even the best ideas can stall before they can get off the ground.
Today’s startups have more funding options to choose from than ever, but navigating this landscape successfully requires more than enthusiasm. It takes a clear understanding of your business’s needs, a strong case for investment, and a deliberate approach to every step of the process. Don’t think of the process of securing capital as just a bid to secure cash; it’s ultimately about laying the foundations for your business to grow long-term.
Here's a comprehensive checklist to guide you through the process of preparing for and securing funding for your startup.
Lay the Groundwork with Solid Business Banking
Before any investor puts money into your business, they’ll want to see that you can manage it well. That starts with having a reliable banking infrastructure in place. A smart business banking solution helps you earn more from your funds, manage disbursements efficiently, and streamline financial reporting. It can be far more than just a place to store your money, provided you choose the right SME business banking platform.
Maya Business Deposit is designed to take all the stress out of doing your small business banking online. It’s a high-interest digital account that offers 2.5% interest p.a. with no minimum balance required. Features like bulk payments and role-based controls can support disbursements to suppliers or payroll while maintaining security. As you prepare for fundraising, having a trusted system like this in place speaks to your business’s professionalism, transparency, and operational readiness—qualities that help inspire confidence in investors from the outset.
Determine Your Funding Needs
Too little funding can leave your startup unable to execute key initiatives, while too much can dilute your ownership unnecessarily or create pressure to grow before you're ready. It’s best to have a clear idea of how much capital you actually need—and why—before you start looking into your financing options in earnest.
Start by breaking your needs into categories: staffing, product development, marketing, overhead, and contingency. Then estimate the costs associated with each and project how long the capital will last. This helps you define your ask with precision and demonstrates to investors that you’ve put thought into how you’ll use their money. A well-supported figure grounded in your business plan will always carry more weight than a rough guess.
Know Your Valuation
Your valuation plays a major role in determining how much equity you’ll need to give up in exchange for funding, so it’s not just a number you can pull out of thin air. An unrealistic valuation can turn investors away, while one that’s too low could mean giving up more ownership than necessary.
Look at comparable startups in your space and stage, assess your current traction, and consider the strength of your intellectual property, team, and market opportunity. If needed, seek advice from financial advisors or experienced founders to validate your approach. It’s far more persuasive to defend your valuation with logic and data instead of simply hoping an investor agrees with your estimate.
Evaluate Potential Investors and Funding Sources
The people you take money from can shape the future of your business just as much as the actual amount you raise. Investors come with different expectations, risk appetites, and levels of involvement. Some offer strategic guidance, access to networks, or operational expertise—while others may be more hands-off but expect faster returns.
Take the time to research your options thoroughly. Look into grants and competitions, venture capital and angel investor funding, Philippine government programs, SME loans and credit lines, or even alternative financing like crowdfunding and revenue-based loans. Consider what each type of funding means for your business in the short and long term. At the end of the day, you want to be taking capital from investors who are well-aligned with your goals and values.
Create Persuasive Pitch Materials
Investors hear dozens of pitches every week, so yours needs to stand out for the right reasons. Don’t depend on flashy gimmicks; you’ll get farther if you prioritize clarity, relevance, and confident delivery. Your pitch deck should quickly convey what problem you're solving, how your solution works, why now is the right time, and why you're the team to make it happen.
Don’t stop at visuals. Supplement your deck with a concise executive summary and a robust financial model. If you’ve already launched a product or have early traction, use that data to validate your growth potential. A compelling pitch reassures instead of simply providing information. It helps investors see a viable, investable opportunity behind the initial vision.
Position Your Startup for Success with Maya Business Solutions
While it can definitely be daunting to launch a business of your own, the challenges ahead don’t have to feel insurmountable. Sign up for Maya Business today to take advantage of our cutting-edge business banking, payment, and disbursement solutions, all of which can take your operations to the next level.
Where to start? Set up a Maya Business Deposit account and use it as your settlement account. With an industry-leading 2.5% per annum interest rate, you’ll earn PHP 25,000 in interest per year on a PHP 1 million deposit. You’ll also get to send money to your partners and suppliers for free via InstaPay and PESONet, which will save you a good amount over time.
Signing up also qualifies you for a no-collateral Maya Flexi Loan offer of up to PHP 2 million in just 3 months—that’s another useful funding source you can use to develop your business in the early stages. Just use Maya as your primary processor for all wallet and card payments. The more you use our solutions, the better the loan offer will be.
With Maya Business, your first steps down the road to long-term success will be smooth and stress-free. Sign on with us today!
