Tier One Entertainment tops LinkedIn list of PHL startups

PROFESSIONAL networking platform LinkedIn has announced its inaugural top 10 startups list in the Philippines, which looked at employee growth, jobseeker interest, attraction of top talent, and engagement.

Released on Wednesday, LinkedIn said that its first startup ranking in the Philippines is led by e-sports, gaming and entertainment firm Tier One Entertainment.

Tier One is followed by community selling platform SariSuki, livestream shopping network Shoppertainment Live, livestreaming application Kumu, parenting e-commerce platform Edamama, sari-sari store platform GrowSari, digital asset exchange Philippine Digital Asset Exchange,  education technology platform Edukasyon.ph, smart point of sale (POS) app for micro and small businesses Peddlr, and e-commerce software Prosperna.

“In the Philippines, we see a diverse mix in sectors such as e-commerce, education, and entertainment, which continue to lead the way in the future of skills by embracing innovation and attracting top talent with their robust cultures,” LinkedIn News Senior Managing Editor Satoshi Ebitani said.

“In an uncertain financial climate, what has proven resilient time and time again is the enterprising spirit that startups embody, especially those on this year’s LinkedIn Top Startups list,” he added.

According to the networking platform, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic accelerated the growth of the Filipino micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) sector.

“Investing in automation, the right people, and experienced leadership who are open to feedback and the ever-changing status quo of our industry was key for surviving and growing during the pandemic. Pivoting quickly through setbacks is vital to survival in these times,” Tier One Entertainment Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Tryke Gutierrez said.

LinkedIn said that the methodology time frame for the data used in the list was from July 1 last year to June 30 this year.

The platform said employee growth is determined via a minimum of 10% increase in headcount during the time frame; engagement refers to non-employee views; job interest looks at the rate at which people view and apply for jobs at the firm; and attraction of top talent refers to how many employees has the startup recruited away from top companies.

“To be eligible, companies must be independent and privately held, have 30 or more country-based employees, be seven years old or younger, and be headquartered in the country on whose list they appear,” LinkedIn said.

“We exclude all staffing firms, think tanks, venture capital firms, management and IT consulting firms, nonprofits and philanthropy, accelerators, and government-owned entities. Startups that have laid off 20% or more of their workforce within the methodology time frame are also ineligible,” it added. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave