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AHG Lab is an independent venture studio based in Makati City, Philippines, that co-creates, incubates, and scales early-stage technology startups by providing capital alongside shared operational services. The firm focuses primarily on the domestic Philippine market, targeting sectors such as property technology, health tech, and B2B wholesale marketplaces through dedicated software engineering, marketing, and legal teams. To support its venture building operations and accelerator programs, the organization has secured $4 million in Pre-Series A funding and currently manages a portfolio of more than ten early-stage startups. The studio is backed by prominent institutional and angel investors including Seaborne Capital and Imagine If Partners. Its active portfolio features emerging companies like B2B marketplace Shoppable Business, fitness technology platform GoGym, and peer-to-peer car-sharing service DOON. AHG Lab was founded in 2020 by Rene Cuartero and Bjorn Pardo.
AHG Lab has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round.
AHG Lab has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
AHG Lab has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $1.0M Seed in May 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2021 | $1M Seed | — | Foxmont Capital Partners | Announced |
AHG Lab has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
AHG Lab's investors include Foxmont Capital Partners.
AHG Lab is an independent, sector‑agnostic venture studio and early‑stage investor that builds and supports startups through capital, operating resources, and shared infrastructure—positioning itself as a revenue‑generating ecosystem enabler in the Philippines and Southeast Asia[3][2].
High-Level Overview
AHG Lab’s mission is to empower entrepreneurs and enrich startup ecosystems by combining venture building, acceleration, and early‑stage investment with a portfolio of operating businesses that support portfolio companies[3][2]. Their investment philosophy is studio‑first and founder‑friendly: they co‑build or partner with early and idea‑stage teams, provide capital and hands‑on operational support (often acting as fractional functions such as CFO/back‑office), and retain a sector‑agnostic stance to find product‑market fit across industries[2][3]. Key sectors are not limited to one vertical—AHG Lab began with proptech roots but expanded to a broader set of digital services and technology ventures across fintech, marketplaces, SaaS and other consumer and enterprise opportunities[2][3]. Its impact on the startup ecosystem is twofold: direct (by launching and scaling startups) and structural (by running revenue‑generating service arms—co‑working, talent, finance back‑office, marketing, dev shop—that fill capability gaps for founders and reduce operational friction for early ventures)[2][3].
Origin Story
AHG Lab was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Makati City, Philippines[1][3]. The studio was started by co‑founders who had previous exits and operating experience; publicly available interviews identify Rene Cuartero alongside co‑founders Mark Kooijman and Marcel Visser as key leaders in shaping the studio’s approach and evolution[2]. The idea emerged during a period of rapid digital adoption (notably during the pandemic), when the founders leveraged their real‑estate and startup experience to launch a venture‑building vehicle that could both create new startups and provide shared operational infrastructure to accelerate scaling[2][3]. Early traction included successful studio launches, the development of revenue‑generating service businesses to support portfolio companies, and the ability to raise institutional seed capital (CB Insights lists total funds raised of about $5.1M with a recent raise of $4M two years prior)[1][2].
Core Differentiators
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
AHG Lab is riding the trend toward venture studios and platform builders that reduce startup formation friction by bundling capital, talent and repeatable operational capabilities; timing matters because increasing digital adoption in Southeast Asia creates many opportunistic product gaps that fast, well‑resourced studios can exploit[2][3]. Market forces working in their favor include under‑served early‑stage operational support in the Philippines, growing local investor interest in scalable tech ventures, and the cost‑efficiency benefits of shared services for nascent startups[2][3]. By professionalizing studio operations and running supporting businesses, AHG Lab influences the ecosystem by lowering the operational and capital barriers for founders and by demonstrating a model where studios can be self‑sustaining contributors rather than pure cost centers[2][3].
Quick Take & Future Outlook
What’s next: expect AHG Lab to continue scaling its operating arms, launching more studios‑built startups, and partnering with external funds to plug funding gaps—while maintaining a sector‑agnostic pipeline that can pivot into high‑growth verticals as opportunities arise[3][2]. Trends that will shape their journey include Southeast Asia’s continued digitalization, growing institutional interest in studio models, and increasing competition from both local accelerators and international studios seeking SEA exposure. If AHG Lab sustains deal flow and expands its revenue‑generating services, its influence may evolve from a national leader to a regional platform that both builds exits and supplies operator‑level resources to the next wave of SEA founders[2][3].
Quick reminder: facts about founding year, fundraising and the studio’s business model are drawn from AHG Lab’s website and recent interviews and datasets about the firm[3][2][1]. If you want, I can: (a) list AHG Lab’s known portfolio companies and performance signals; (b) map how their operating businesses generate revenue; or (c) prepare a short investor‑style risk/opportunity memo. Which would you prefer?
