STUDIES show that nearly 90 percent of startups eventually fail, leaving only 10 percent surviving to continue their journey. Startups' success depends on their ability to innovate, and transforming their ideas and scaling up operations require not just luck but proper mentoring and the right network.

Eight startups received a P500,000 equity-free grant from Makati City after the qualifying pitching competition held on April 8 to sustain their development, while the founders attended a 12-week training program that will prepare them to pitch to qualified investors properly.