With a population nearing 120 million and a median age of just 25, the Philippines is often hailed as Southeast Asia's next economic powerhouse. Yet, despite its promising demographics, the country's startup ecosystem remains underdeveloped—lagging behind its regional peers in funding access, technological depth, and ecosystem maturity.
As Western nations ramp up defense spending, Taiwan-based S-Tech Corp, a manufacturer of high-performance alloy materials, is seeing over 50% of its revenue now generated in Europe, primarily through the supply of specialty steels. With European defense policies moving from rhetoric to implementation, the company anticipates growing momentum for its defense-related businesses.