UA&P alumni Martin Jose Gonzalez, Yroen Guaya Melgar, and David Dela Paz are among the 60+ movers and shakers in the startup industry identified by the online magazine Esquire Philippines. 

Gonzalez graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Major in Humanities degree with a Professional Certificate in Communication in 2005. Melgar acquired her Master of Science in Industrial Economics degree in 2013, the same year Dela Paz graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree.

Esquire wrote:

Martin Gonzalez plays a key role at Google, leading the development of AI research within the tech giant. Focused on the tech industry and AI, he collaborates across sectors—from startups to global leaders, helping “maverick innovators solve the people problems that are oftentimes the hardest issues they face.” With a decade at Google and a previous stint at Boston Consulting Group, Gonzalez discreetly tackles high-stakes issues, describing his work as the organizational equivalent of the CIA.

Martin Gonzalez

Mochi is essentially an automated invoicing solution for businesses. The platform simplifies billing and collections, helping reduce accounting errors so business owners can focus on the important stuff. Founders Yroen Guaya Melgar and Adrian Peterson Co both have solid backgrounds in finance and tech; Melgar co-founded insurance platform Vesl, spent time as a finance sector specialist with the World Bank, and was involved in new business development with Kaya Founders. Co, meanwhile, is an experienced software engineer, working with Logitech and other startups. Together, they built Mochi (which is derived from the Japanese word for “on hand”), which they envision to become an indispensable tool for Filipino businesses.

Guaya Melgar (right) with Adrian Peterson Co of Mochi

Gus Poston and David Dela Paz, the co-founders of NetBank, provide full banking services and infrastructure to fintech companies, which, in turn, allow them to serve Filipinos by granting access to things like payments and opening accounts. Founded in 2021, Netbank is a banking-as-a-service platform that provides a toolkit for fintech companies (as well as non-bank networks like pawnshops, microfinance institutions, employers, etc) so they can offer complete banking services to their clients. Earlier this year, Netbank announced a partnership with Sprout Solutions to introduce salary advance services to clients. Netbank was also chosen by online installment shopping platform Akulaku Philippines to expand its loan offerings in the country.

David Dela Paz (left) and Gus Poston, co-founders of NetBank

See the complete list of Esquire's startup trailblazers here.

Images from Esquire PH.