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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider The Stock Market devider Philippine startups Clouted, OneLot land on Forbes Asia's 100 to Watch list

Philippine startups Clouted, OneLot land on Forbes Asia's 100 to Watch list

Published Aug 25, 2026 11:24 am
The 100 to Watch list can be found at www.forbes.com/100toWatch and in the September issue of Forbes Asia.
The 100 to Watch list can be found at www.forbes.com/100toWatch and in the September issue of Forbes Asia.
The 100 to Watch list can be found at www.forbes.com/100toWatch and in the September issue of Forbes Asia.
The 100 to Watch list can be found at www.forbes.com/100toWatch and in the September issue of Forbes Asia.

Two Philippine companies were included in Forbes Asia’s sixth annual edition of the 100 to Watch list, which spotlights small companies and startups on the rise across the Asia-Pacific region.

Among those on the list released on Tuesday, Aug. 25, which was dominated by India, Singapore, and China, is Clouted, an enterprise technology company founded in 2024 and led by chief executive officer (CEO) Justin Banusing. It has headquarters in both Manila and Los Angeles.

Clouted is a marketing platform that automates short-form video creation and distribution. It combines a network of over 100,000 freelance video editors and AI to optimize where and how videos are promoted across social media.

The startup claims to have run video distribution campaigns for brands such as music label Liquid State and insurance tech startup Corgi Insurance. In May, it raised $7 million in seed funding from investors led by Slow Ventures. Its backers also include AppWorks, a16z Speedrun, and Peak XV’s Surge.

Also on the list is finance company OneLot, which was founded in 2023 and lists Harm-Julian Schumacher as its CEO. The company provides working capital loans to used-car dealers in the Philippines, helping them expand in what research firm Mordor Intelligence estimates to be a $6.3-billion market.

OneLot uses AI and in-person inspections to assess a dealer’s inventory before extending a credit line secured by the vehicles.

The financial technology (fintech) firm has so far raised $3.3 million in seed funding from investors co-led by Accion Ventures and 468 Capital. Crestone Venture Capital and Everywhere Ventures also pitched in.

The 100 to Watch list is available on Forbes’ website and in the September issue of Forbes Asia.

“Forbes Asia’s sixth annual 100 to Watch list continues to highlight startups and small businesses leading the region’s next wave of innovation, mostly powered by AI,” said Forbes Asia editorial director Rana Wehbe Watson.

Some of these firms are providing enterprise technology to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) embed automation into their operations, while others are developing cutting-edge robotics to transform sectors such as eldercare and scientific research.

“Reflecting investor confidence, the 100 companies on the list have raised a combined total of over $2.4 billion in funding to date, including almost $1 billion in 2026,” Watson said.

There are 16 countries and territories represented on this year’s 100 to Watch list. India leads with 19 companies, followed by Singapore with 15; China with 10; Japan and South Korea with nine each; and Indonesia and Australia with eight each.

Companies on the list are grouped under 10 industry categories, with close to a quarter of the entries being enterprise technology firms offering artificial intelligence (AI)-related services. Another sector rapidly picking up speed is robotics, with 10 companies making the cut.

To select candidates for the 100 to Watch list, Forbes Asia solicited online submissions and invited accelerators, incubators, universities, venture capitalists, and others to nominate companies.

To qualify for consideration, companies must have headquarters in the Asia-Pacific region, be privately owned for-profit ventures, and have no more than $50 million in annual revenue and no more than $100 million in total funding through Aug. 15.

Forbes Asia editors evaluated each submission, weighing factors such as impact on and contribution to their industry and region, market fit, promising business model, innovation, track record of consistent revenue growth, and the ability to attract funding. - James A. Loyola

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