February 22, 2025
A Sustainable Journey Filled with Life and Culture: CNN’s The Journey Matters highlights what’s to love about the Philippines
July 3, 2023
‘The Final Pitch’ Season 9: Open Edition to start airing on CNN Philippines this July 9
The Final Pitch, the Philippines’ groundbreaking business reality TV show, is set to premiere its ninth season exclusively on CNN Philippines starting July 9, and will air every Sunday at 8:30 pm with replays every Friday at 10:00 pm and Saturday at 5:30 pm.
Hosted by the show creator John Aguilar, the 10-episode series themed
“Open Edition” will feature aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and tech
start-ups across all industries to share their creative and unconventional
business concepts and vie to secure funding and mentorship from the
distinguished investor-judges.
In its new season, the show took a bolder step in emphasizing the
importance of inclusivity and diversity in the business world and beyond tech
start-ups, allowing non-technology entrepreneurs to take their businesses to
the next level. The show has captured the imagination of audiences since its
first season and served as a launchpad for promising entrepreneurs, providing
them a platform for fostering innovation and propelling business ideas into
successful ventures.
"We decided to embrace
the 'Open Edition' approach, recognizing the vast pool of talented
entrepreneurs across diverse industries beyond the technology sector. By doing
so, we provided them with a valuable platform to interact, negotiate, and engage
in discussion with the judges.” said Aguilar
The show will feature a roster of judges meticulously evaluating
entrepreneur contestants’ business proposals and determining the most promising
ventures equipped with insightful feedback, expert guidance, and engaging
discussions. This season’s exceptional panel of investor-judges includes Rico
Bautista, President and CEO of Etiqa Life & General Assurance Philippines;
Brian Poe Llamanzares, President of Pantheon Holdings; Henry Aguda, President
and CEO of UnionDigital Bank and Convenor of GoDigital Pilipinas; Robert Scott,
Vice President-Hotel Operations of Okada Manila; Israeli Ambassador to the
Philippines His Excellency Ilan Fluss; and the British Ambassador to the
Philippines Her Excellency Laure Beaufils.
In addition, this season will also showcase an episode of ‘Open House
Mentorship Sessions’ on August 6. The mentorship sessions involve insights and
expertise of outstanding mentors on diverse topics such as business strategy,
social media and influencer marketing, and pitching.
The episode’s esteemed mentors include Joel Santos, the founder of
Thames International Business School; Vince Golangco of When in Manila; Dean
Bernales of Uniquecorn Strategies; Paolo Rentero of TechShake; Atty. Marlon
Valderama of LexMeet; and Chris Peralta of Silicon Valley HQ.
Mark your calendars for July 9, 2023, and tune in to CNN Philippines to
witness the thrilling premiere of The Final Pitch Season 9: Open Edition,
showcasing the bright spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation, and the
extraordinary potential of Filipino entrepreneurs.
--------------------------------------
ABOUT THE FINAL PITCH
The Final Pitch is a reality TV show where viewers see the coming together of the best and brightest startup entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders searching to back and support their enterprises. The idea was spawned to create a platform to not just serve as a guide and inspiration to those who will trek the long and winding road of entrepreneurship, but for investors to find and invest in the ones they are willing to back. The Final Pitch is produced by independent television production company Streetpark Productions Inc.
For more
information, visit www.thefinalpitch.ph.
May 12, 2023
‘The Final Pitch’ invites entrepreneurs across all industries with the launch of its 9th edition
The ‘Open Edition’ aims to promote inclusivity and democratize access to opportunities for entrepreneurs beyond tech startups
The Final Pitch, the Philippines' premier business reality TV show, is back for its ninth season on CNN Philippines, with the theme "Open Edition." The new season provides opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators, and startups from all industries to present their innovative business solutions catering to a diverse panel of investor-judges looking to fund and back their initiatives.
The show's creator and host, John Aguilar, stated that the Open Edition is poised to be a breakout season for the series as it emphasizes the significance of inclusivity and diversity in the business world, particularly for non-technology startups seeking investment and partnership opportunities and aiming to take their businesses to the next level.
"We have decided to make this an 'Open Edition' to be able to give a chance to entrepreneurs of different sizes, industries, and verticals to be able to participate in both the fundraising, mentoring and market reach that The Final Pitch has been able to give the entrepreneurs who have pitched their enterprises on the show. This is also a way for us to democratize access to everything that show stands for, to go beyond tech startups, which have traditionally been the majority," said Aguilar.
This season's roster of judges also hail from different industries, bringing diverse perspectives and valuable insights to aspiring entrepreneurs. The panel of investor-judges includes Rico Bautista, President and CEO of Etiqa Life & General Assurance Philippines; Brian Poe-Llamanzares, President of Pantheon Holdings; Henry Aguda, President and CEO of UnionDigital Bank and Member-convenor of GoDigital Pilipinas; and Robert Scott, Vice President-Hotel Operations of Okada Manila. For the first time, the show will involve judges from the diplomatic corps with the participation of the Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Ilan Fluss, and the British Ambassador to the Philippines Her Excellency Laure Beaufils. According to Aguilar, the judges will serve as not just potential investors, but as strategic partners to the future contestants.
In a virtual press launch on May 9th, Rico Bautista expressed his desire to collaborate with entrepreneurs who have strategic, feasible, and technological ideas with clear business opportunities.
Bautista stated, "I am personally looking for startups who can help expand our business in Etiqa, especially when it relates to insurance, customer service, and distribution. I am also looking for an entrepreneurial and passionate leader and a strong business team with the ability to combine art with technology. Their passion in starting up and innovating, to come up with something so simple and yet very relevant, both to the market they're playing in and to the company that they will be helping. Lastly, future potential and clear commercial teams resulting in early Return of Investment (ROI).”
According to Brian Poe-Llamanzares, he is seeking business solutions that directly address significant problems in the country and are both usable and accessible to the public.
"As an investor and entrepreneur, I am always on the lookout for innovative solutions that address real problems and benefit the general public. Simultaneously, I am also keen on identifying opportunities that align with our family business at Pantheon Holdings. However, my ultimate belief is investing in the entrepreneurs themselves. In the Philippines, entrepreneurship is the driving force behind many successful companies, particularly at the startup level, and the person behind the venture is what ultimately makes it successful. I am thrilled to engage with entrepreneurs who possess a clear vision of what their company requires to grow and thrive, whether it be a technological solution, marketing assistance, or networking opportunities," expressed Llamanzares.
Expressing his enthusiasm for finding the next big thing in the Philippine startup scene, Henry Aguda said, "Our main focus in UnionDigital Bank is to provide banking service to the under-banked, unbanked and SMEs, that is why we have an open mind coming into this show to find the ‘diamond in the rough’, an SME that will become a unicorn one of these days. My excitement is here also looking for solutions that we can take to the government and be the ones to scale up. Maybe an entrepreneur or a startup can solve a problem that the government is trying to solve and the government becomes the accelerator to make them a unicorn." Aguda is looking for game-changing ideas that can transform the industry and provide solutions to the government's problems.
Aguilar also announced that this season's mentoring sessions, previously exclusive to the contestants of the show, will be open for the first time to participants outside of the program. The Final Pitch will invite the show’s contestants, students, startups, and other organizations to come together for a one-day learning experience during the filming of the Open House Mentoring Day episode on May 23 at Thames International Business School.
The mentorship program will involve a diversified group of business mentors who will guide the participants. These mentors include Dean Bernales, Founder & CEO of Uniquecorn Strategies; Chris Peralta, Founder of Silicon Valley HQ; Vince Golangco, CEO & Founder of When in Manila; Atty. Marlon Valderama, founder and CEO of LexMeet; Joel Santos, President of Thames International Business School; and Paolo Rentero, Co-Founder of TechShake. Aguilar will likewise give a pitching masterclass based on his best-selling book The Art and Science of the Pitch.
"We are excited to offer opportunities to a varied range of entrepreneurs and startups to take advantage of the fundraising, mentoring, and market reach that The Final Pitch Open Edition can provide. This is our way of promoting inclusivity and diversity on the show, and we're eagerly anticipating the incredible concepts and companies that will emerge from this season," Aguilar added.
To join The Final Pitch, interested applicants will be required to fill out and submit an online entry form through the link: TheFinalPitch.ph/application via its official website TheFinalPitch.ph. The deadline for submission of applications is until May 13, 2023. Participants who wish to join the May 23 Open House Mentoring Day can register through https://TheFinalPitchOpenMentorship.eventbrite.co.uk or visit the The Final Pitch Facebook and LinkedIn pages.
ABOUT THE FINAL PITCH
The Final Pitch is a reality TV show where viewers see the coming together of the best and brightest startup entrepreneurs, and investors and business leaders searching to back and support their enterprises. The idea was spawned to create a platform to not just serve as a guide and inspiration to those who will trek the long and winding road of entrepreneurship, but for investors to find and invest in the ones they are willing to back. The Final Pitch is produced by independent television production company Streetpark Productions Inc.
For more information, visit www.thefinalpitch.ph.
November 3, 2019
The Final Pitch Season 5: Real Estate and Livable Cities
January 30, 2015
Kariton Klasrum Program goes nationwide
August 16, 2014
Efren Peñaflorida and URC rejoiced with Kariton Revolution kids as DTC opens Red-buil, the newest educational floor
![]() |
Efren Peñaflorida |