Priya came to Manila in 2017 to set up Villgro Philippines and has since powered on building the incubator from the ground up. Her role as CEO at Villgro PH keeps her engaged in formulating the organization’s strategy and long – term direction. This entails mentoring and inspiring her team, building partnerships, designing incubation programs and ultimately carving out Villgro’s path in helping create successful Impact Enterprises in the Philippines.

A strong-willed collaborator, Priya believes in the power of simple ideas that can solve big challenges. She made Villgro her life’s mission and hopes one day to be an investor for impact-driven startups all over Asia. Priya’s ability to spot talent, focus to build coalitions, her penchant to stay positive even in the worst times, and passion to improve people’s lives, make her good at what she does at Villgro Philippines.

A voracious reader and avid traveller with a passion for learning, Priya is an energetic, people’s person who is either exploring the pristine beaches of Philippines or having deep political discussions with friends and new acquaintances alike.

Prabh’s role is to challenge entrepreneurs to think through their business model and develop focused strategies for growth. This includes working with them on tactical customer acquisition, creating detailed and robust financial models and implementing scalable operational processes to support growth.

Prabh is inspired by the energy and resilience of impact entrepreneurs. He is passionate about helping businesses articulate and execute their growth strategy. Be it in the early stages of achieving product-market fit or in a turnaround where rapid, decisive action with limited information is called for. Prabh has led diverse teams in multiple locations and is a firm believer in leveraging technology solutions to support rapid organizational growth.

Exploring new places and learning about the culture and history of his destinations is what keeps Prabh dreaming of time off work. He is also a Technologist (early-adopter) and spends time scouring for the next big thing. Prabh brings to the table clarity of thought and precise direction, especially to strategy games.

Kath currently dons an advisory role with Villgro Philippines. She is deeply committed to growing and nurturing the Impact ecosystem in the Philippines and continues to Mentor and Support ventures to grow their business and scale their impact.

Kath’s strength lies in her ability to build lasting relationships with individuals and partners. She is passionate about innovation and its power to transform communities and impact the base of the pyramid. Kath’s can-do attitude and knack for connecting people is what makes her great at supporting impact entrepreneurs to deliver more value to their customers and amplify their impact.

If she’s not reading on her Kindle or watching a new indie film, Kath is probably whipping up delicious things in the kitchen. Kath loves learning about what makes people tick and is usually out chatting up friends, old and new alike, over a good cup of coffee and thinking of new ways to create change in whatever way she can.

AC is the brains and the brawn behind our climate action initiatives at Villgro Philippines. She manages end-to-end incubation and acceleration programs for SUP Challenge (Plastic-Free Philippines) and Ways4Waste (in partnership with The Incubation Network). AC also serves as a portfolio manager and supports the climate space and the cohorts in the programs through linkages, mentorship, and tailored assistance.

AC is the young blood that fires up her programs with passion and dedication. She brings a rare maturity to her duties and aspires to be on the frontier of making an impact in addressing climate change and gender inequality. She strongly believes that she has what it takes to make a change, one small ripple at a time.

AC is an animal person. Her love for animals has led her to keep and adopt several birds, dogs, cats, rabbits, hedgehogs, geckos, and even ants! When she’s not at work, you can find her amongst her furry and not-so-furry friends. She claims to hate dolls and finds them creepy but…has a collection of around 50 Precious Moments figurines, go figure!

Denise is responsible for the end-to-end program management and delivery of Villgro’s gender programs such as the WE Rise Accelerator. She handles community management of women entrepreneurs, gender lens investing-focused investors and funders, technical and sector experts in the network. Denise also manages Villgro’s relationships with grantors, funders, and program partners.

With her penchant to learn and being open to new experiences, Denise enjoys tackling work in different industries. Her advocacies include gender equality, good governance, and community health and she volunteers for NGOs Make-A-Wish Philippines and Ladies Wine & Design Manila. A budding entrepreneur herself, she launched two small fashion businesses during the pandemic.

Carbs are Denise’s best friend! She claims that she ‘eats (not bakes) bread’. Also, she is a budding mixologist who tries (and often fails at, but refuses to stop) making cocktails. Denise enjoys reading about fashion history and is a big advocate of secondhand, vintage clothing.

Luan is responsible for the end-to-end daily finance operations, people operations, legal support, and office management and administration at Villgro Philippines. She runs this joint!

A finance professional all her life, Luan has a penchant for keeping things in order. We call it a lifesaving talent. A stickler for detail and a thorough person, Luan is the one who makes sure our accounts, operations, and general admin is smooth sailing.

Luan is a curious and adventurous lifelong learner who loves to explore new ideas and experiences. She is always seeking to challenge herself, whether it’s through studying languages, taking up random courses, or immersing herself in a good book. During her brain breaks, she is either gaming or spending quality time with her dog.

As a Gender and Inclusion Associate at Villgro Philippines Char works extensively with programs, events, and initiatives of the Gender team. Her drive and passion to level the playing field for women entrepreneurs and create a safe and inclusive space for all genders are reflected in her commitment to her role as an enabler for good.

Char always feels inspired to be involved in any way toward social impact but her number one advocacy is education. She believes that education is the pathway towards better decision-making as individuals and the community as a whole.

Char believes in balancing work and life by staying true to her passion which is food. A foodie at heart she often documents her outings on Instagram. She is also a singer part of the Philippine Vocal Ensemble and has participated in both local and international competitions.

As the Executive Assistant to the Co-founder of Villgro Philippines, Melvin is essentially the go-to person for all things related to high-level management. His expert handling of complex timelines, expert skills at multitasking, and uncanny ability to adapt to an insanely fast-paced growth environment make him a valuable asset to all of us.

Melvin is an advocate for community mental health, bridging individual well-being and the social aspects that affect it such as economic security, social justice, accessibility of resources, and human rights. He brings to the table a deep understanding and great empathy for the marginalized and contributes to our efforts to build an equitable society for all.

Melvin is a spicy food enthusiast who braves buffalo wings and loves exploring movies and music. He used to write film reviews and post them on Twitter and some of them made it to his college publication SINAG where he served as a features writer, dissecting movies and their themes or featuring a piece of media that provides insight to a timely sociopolitical issue.

As the Communications Manager at Villgro Philippines, she develops gender-smart multimedia campaigns to support the organization’s mission to nurture impact entrepreneurs. Her interdisciplinary experience in writing, film production, and communications strategy makes for experiential and empathetic storytelling.

Curiosity is a catalyst for her as she seeks to deeply understand narratives and data rooted in local and global concerns. The innovation and ingenuity of the impact ecosystem inspires her to build communications with the same degree of dedication.

Mariah indulges in searching for new music and used clothes. She also fulfills her duties as a servant to her cats.

As the Comms Associate at Villgro Philippines Martha is the creative force that adds fuel to all of Villgro’s communications efforts. From social media to developing content that conveys our impact, Martha is fiercely adept at making us look as good as we are.

Whether it’s developing visually impactful content, designing strategic campaigns, or drawing out compelling stories, Martha’s exceptional skill in creative communications adds a dynamic touch that resonates with audiences and elevates the impact of her projects.

When she’s taking a break, Martha can be found scrolling through amusing TikTok videos, delving into intricate movie analyses and critiques on YouTube, or engrossed in a captivating crime podcast for hours on end – a real digital native if you will.

As a Community Programs Manager, Loiz is proactively engaged in implementing Villgro Philippines’ programs under the climate vertical. She is fully equipped with all the fundamental tools and expertise in delivering incubation support to exceptional entrepreneurs that help scale their impact and lead them to success.

Loiz is a rockstar at end-to-end project management and delivery of assigned programs but more importantly her vibrant personality shines the most when cultivating upbeat and advantageous connections with entrepreneurs, mentors, and partners.

Outside of work, Loiz maintains her passion for teaching, channeling her inner educator every weekend. She adeptly balances her professional and personal life, upholding her roles as a devoted daughter, caring sister, and steadfast friend to her loved ones.

As a Community Associate at Villgro Philippines, Fhia dedicates herself to fostering an inclusive ecosystem leveling the entrepreneurial playing field for women and underrepresented gender minorities.

Fhia’s university journey fuels her mission to make a positive societal impact. While her academic path amplified her awareness of crucial issues – with a particular focus on environmental preservation and women’s and gender studies – her vibrant personality makes her perfect for the role of Community Associate.

Outside of work, Fhia enjoys a blend of relaxed activities, indulging in reading and playing games like Mobile Legends and Monopoly Go. She values quality time with her loved ones and family, leaning towards a more home-oriented lifestyle during her free time.

Gaby is deeply involved in Villgro’s incubation programs and is an integral part of the team responsible for implementing the regional AI4Health Asia Accelerator program. Her ability to work across verticals and collaborative mindset make her a valued asset to the team.

Gaby’s keen interest in development studies, coupled with her hands-on experience managing projects single-handedly, uniquely equips her for the role of Program Associate, often demonstrating her ability to navigate complexities with insight and precision.

Gaby enjoys typical routines like eating, sleeping, and watching TV—preferring sitcoms and crime dramas. She loves creating and editing videos on her burner account and reviews Korean dramas in her journal. She’s an avid reader and cherishes Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women”.

As the Admin and Finance Associate at Villgro Philippines, Aurea is at the epicenter of managing administrative tasks and supporting financial operations, ensuring the smooth functioning of the organization.

Aurea’s insatiable appetite for learning positions her as a valuable asset to the our ever-busy Admin team. Her exceptional organizational skills and unwavering commitment to overseeing operations ensure efficiency and precision in all tasks she undertakes.

When she has time, Aurea finds joy in the vibrant world of K-pop, eagerly staying updated on her favorite groups and immersing herself in related content. Apart from that, she enjoys reading romance or fiction novels, savoring baking ASMR videos, watching house tours, and diving into anime, K-dramas, and movies. 

As a Venture Associate at Villgro Philippines, AJ plays a crucial role in sourcing, and funding promising startups and social enterprises. He leverages his strategic insights and investment acumen to support entrepreneurs in scaling their impact-driven ventures. AJ is committed to fostering innovation and sustainable growth, ensuring that the enterprises they work with can achieve their full potential and create meaningful change and social impact at scale in their communities.

AJ’s intellectual curiosity and passion for supporting businesses are deeply rooted in his own entrepreneurial journey. Having navigated the challenges of starting and growing a business, he brings a unique perspective to his role. This firsthand experience, combined with his strategic thinking and deep understanding of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, enables AJ to effectively find impact enterprises and help them grow to become investments ready. His dedication to their success and his ability to anticipate and address their needs make him an invaluable asset to Villgro Philippines.

Outside of his professional endeavors, AJ leads a vibrant and active lifestyle. He enjoys hitting the gym to stay fit and energized. Traveling is one of his passions, as it allows him to explore new cultures and gain fresh perspectives. AJ is also a food enthusiast, always on the lookout for new culinary experiences. Additionally, he has a keen interest in K-pop and P-pop music, which adds a dynamic and entertaining dimension to his leisure time.