Minette Navarrete

Minette Navarrete is Founder & Managing Partner of Kickstart Ventures, Inc., managing the Philippines’ largest technology venture capital funds, investing globally in early- and early-stage tech startups via three funds, including the Ayala Corporation Technology Innovation Venture Fund (“ACTIVE Fund”).   

Kickstart is the wholly owned corporate venture capital firm of Globe Telecom, the Philippines’ leading mobile operator. It is one of Southeast Asia’s 10 biggest and most active corporate venture capital firms. To date, the Kickstart portfolio consists of companies in nine countries around the world.  

Minette is also Senior Vice President at Globe Telecom, and a member of the Board of Directors of AdSpark, Globe’s digital advertising subsidiary. She is Vice-Chair of the Ayala Corporation Innovation Council.   

Prior to joining Globe, Minette held CEO/COO positions in various industries, ranging from scrappy Philippine startups to iconic global companies. She previously served as Levi Strauss & Company’s Country Manager for the Philippines and Guam; and President & CEO of Shangri-La Plaza Corporation.   

She cut her teeth in global FMCG giants such as Unilever and L’Oréal. Minette holds a Bachelor of Science degree, Major in Management Engineering, from the Ateneo de Manila University. She was recently included in Forbes “50 Over 50” for 2023.