When I was first invited to a meeting for this small startup, it wasn’t even clear if I’d be involved long-term. A friend and colleague brought me in, mostly to share some advice and maybe act as a mentor to the student developers who had been commissioned to build a platform for youth and MSMEs.
But as we sat down and talked through the vision, things took an unexpected turn. Suddenly, we were no longer just advisors—we were part of the team. Over the course of several meetings that followed, responsibilities shifted, expectations evolved, and I eventually found myself being appointed as the project’s CTO.
It wasn’t a planned move. It just felt like a natural response to what the project needed—and how much I believed in what it could become.
The Vision: Building a Platform for Youth and MSMEs
The startup’s mission was ambitious: create a platform for youth and MSMEs—specifically out-of-school youth and small businesses—designed to help bridge service gaps and promote digital access. The goal was to make services more accessible, affordable, and localized. It wasn’t an entirely new concept—but it was aiming for a deeply underserved audience. That’s what made it worth pursuing.
We went through several pivots to find the right shape for the idea. Along the way, I found myself leading efforts in areas like:
- UI/UX Design – creating a user experience that was simple, accessible, and meaningful to our users
- Project Management – working closely with three talented student developers from UP Diliman who brought great energy and ideas, even while juggling their studies
- Strategic Alignment – helping the team stay focused on user needs rather than getting lost in feature creep
The Reality Check: Startups Are Hard
One thing I’ve learned: no matter how noble the mission, the work is still messy. Startups are a constant balancing act—between idealism and feasibility, between pushing forward and knowing when to pull back.
- Working with student developers meant being flexible around class schedules and academic workload, while still keeping momentum.
- Designing iteratively based on feedback required us to change course multiple times—sometimes just when we thought we had it.
- Technical limitations made us question what to build ourselves versus what we could leverage from existing tools.
There were no perfect answers—just decisions made one day at a time.
What I Took With Me
This project stretched me in ways I didn’t expect. I had to wear multiple hats—not out of ambition, but out of necessity. And while I later stepped back to make room for new leadership, the lessons stayed with me.
- Roles are fluid in early-stage projects. You fill in where the team needs you most.
- Focus is everything. The best feature might be the one you decide not to build.
- Empathy matters. Designing for users who’ve often been overlooked required us to really listen, test, and learn.
One of the biggest takeaways from working on a platform for youth and MSMEs was the reminder that purpose-driven tech needs more than just good design—it needs clarity, adaptability, and heart.
Looking Ahead
While my chapter in that startup has closed, I remain grateful for the opportunity to work on something that aimed to uplift others. It sharpened my skills in design, strategy, and leadership—and reminded me that a platform for youth and MSMEs, built with the right intention, can create real-world impact.
If anything, that experience helped shape the kind of creative and collaborative work I continue to pursue today.
About Me
I’m JP Bantigue—a designer, developer, and strategist who thrives in the intersection of creativity, technology, and purpose-driven projects. With a background spanning UI/UX design, front-end development, and digital strategy, I’ve worked with startups, agencies, and enterprise clients to bring meaningful experiences to life.
Whether mentoring student teams or helping companies rethink their digital platforms, I believe in design that serves, builds trust, and brings clarity. You can explore more of my work across:
Note: All views and reflections are based on my personal experience during my time with the project. I claim no ownership over the platform or its current direction.
