Clouted, OneLot among Asia’s rising startups

MANILA, Philippines — Two Philippine startups are among the companies considered the next big thing in Asia-Pacific.

Forbes Asia’s 100 to Watch list, which spotlights small companies and startups on the rise across the region, has included Filipino startups Clouted and OneLot in this year’s edition.

Clouted is a marketing platform founded in 2024 and is led by Justin Banusin as its chief executive officer.

The startup, headquartered in both Manila and Los Angeles, automates short-form video creation and distribution.

It claims to have run video distribution campaigns for brands such as music label Liquid State and insurance tech startup Corgi Insurance.

OneLot, meanwhile, provides working capital loans to used-car dealers in the Philippines, helping them expand.

The fintech, which uses artificial intelligence and in-person inspections to assess a dealer’s inventory before extending a credit line secured by the vehicles, was founded in 2023 and is led by CEO Harm-Julian Schumacher.

Last year, three Filipino startups – Enstack, Netbank and Xpress Super App – were named to Forbes Asia’s 100 to Watch list

Forbes said the 100 companies on this year’s list have raised a combined total of over $2.4 billion in funding to date, including almost $1 billion in 2026.

It said 16 countries and territories are represented on this year’s list, with India leading with 19 companies, followed by Singapore with 15 and China with 10.

The firms are grouped under 10 industry categories, with close to a quarter of the entries being enterprise technology firms offering artificial intelligence-related services, Forbes said.

Factors such as impact on and contribution to their industry and region, market fit, a promising business model, innovation, a track record of consistent revenue growth, and the ability to attract funding were assessed to make the list.

To qualify for consideration, Forbes said companies must have headquarters in Asia-Pacific, be privately owned for-profit ventures, and have no more than $50 million in annual revenue and no more than $100 million in total funding through Aug. 15.