The local government of Marikina City inaugurated the Philippine Innovation Hub, a facility established to centralize support services for entrepreneurs.
The new facility, located at the Marikina Enterprise Center, is a joint initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Development Company (NDC), championed by Marikina Rep. Stella Quimbo.
It aims to provide centralized support for entrepreneurs and realize the vision of a “Marikina Startup Valley.”
Quimbo, a former shoe entrepreneur, pushed for the initiative to address the challenges faced by small businesses and creatives, envisioning a unified space for government, industry and innovation to foster growth.
“What if we could bring government, industry, and innovation under one roof?” she said during the launch, envisioning a space where ideas can thrive and scale.
Located in a city once known primarily for shoemaking, the innovation hub offers integrated services including technical assistance, startup incubation, streamlined regulations, digital onboarding and investor matching—all in one place. The goal is to help Filipino businesses formalize, innovate and compete globally without leaving Marikina.
Apart from DTI and NDC, the initiative is backed by agencies such like Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) , and Social Security System (SSS), and private sector partners. The launch drew support from Senator Koko Pimentel, national agency heads, local leaders and business groups.
NDC general manager Saturnino Mejia called the hub a model of cross-sector collaboration.
