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Evidence That the Market Is Real and Growing

  1. Rapid Growth in B2B e-Commerce in APAC / SEA

    • The Asia Pacific B2B e-commerce market is projected at USD 8.43 billion in 2025, growing at ~22.9 % CAGR to ~USD 23.67 billion by 2030. source

    • In Southeast Asia specifically, there’s expected to be 40%+ growth in eB2B adoption — more businesses digitizing procurement and supply. Market Research SEA

    • The “eB2B landscape” (digital supplier–buyer platforms) is explicitly named as a growth vertical in SEA’s future. Market Research SEA

  2. Existing Players / Platforms in the Philippines

    • We're not alone — there are platforms doing parts of what we envision, which is good (market proof) but also warning (we need differentiation).

    • Shoppable Business — a B2B wholesale marketplace in PH that offers procurement tools, buyer policies, spend tracking, etc. Shoppable Business

    • B2BMAP Philippines — a directory + marketplace connecting buyers and suppliers locally. B2BMAP

    • TradeWheel Philippines — a B2B portal connecting Filipino suppliers with global buyers. TradeWheel

    • ExportHub Philippines — listing Filipino manufacturers / suppliers for export. ExportHub

    • There are 49 B2B e-commerce startups in PH (as of July 2025) by one directory listing. Tracxn

    • Filinvest’s internal B2B marketplace / procurement + marketplace case shows that big local companies are already pushing such models internally. uppler

Structural Drivers Favoring Your Idea​

  • Many supply chains in emerging markets like PH are fragmented, informal, and non-digitized. That creates friction your platform can solve. (McKinsey on B2B disruption in emerging Asia)McKinsey & Company

  • Governments and regulatory push (digital payments, e-invoicing) tend to nudge B2B transactions into formal digital channels. Mordor Intelligence

  • As SMEs adopt digital tools, platforms that simplify procurement, logistics, trust, and payments will be more attractive. Market Research Future

Challenges & Competitive Gaps You Must Watch​

  • Existing competition with foothold — some platforms like Shoppable already offer procurement features. We must ask: where are they weak? (verticals, geography, service, trust).

  • Trust & credibility — B2B buyers often prefer known suppliers, face-to-face relationships, and credit terms. Getting them to move onto a digital platform is hard.

  • Logistics, payments, and fulfillment complexity — matching suppliers and buyers isn’t enough; the “last mile,” trust, returns, payment terms, and reconciliation are big hurdles.

  • Differentiation is key — with several players in PH already, doing “another B2B directory” is not enough. You’ll need a strong moat (e.g. domain specialization, embedded financing, logistics integration, data/insights).

  • Regional & rural reach — many suppliers are small, remote, and disconnected. Getting them on your platform is costly (training, onboarding, trust-building).

  • Cash flow constraints — you’ll have to subsidize or underwrite operations until volume fills in; with only 4 months of runway, your timing is tight.