Developing a pipeline of bankable blue SMEs in the Philippines
Project Lead: Asian Development Bank
Supporting Partners: United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme
Location: Southern Leyte-Siargao and the Davao Gulf-Pujada Bay, Philippines
Project Timeline/Status: February 2025 – March 2026
Project Summary
SME BlueImpact Asia is a regional finance platform that supports blue small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Asia and the Pacific. With ORRAA’s support, the project delivers capacity building and technical assistance to strengthen the impact and investment readiness of SMEs. It focuses on key marine biodiversity corridors in the Philippines, specifically Southern Leyte–Siargao and Davao Gulf–Pujada Bay. The initiative aims to create scalable models that can be replicated across the region.
Challenge
Despite being essential to ocean health and local livelihoods, blue economy SMEs face a USD$2 trillion funding gap across Asia. These enterprises are often caught in the “missing middle” – seen as too small, risky, or overlooked compared to large infrastructure projects, limiting their growth and impact.
Solution
SME BlueImpact Asia is a pilot regional blended finance platform targeting SMEs in the regenerative and sustainable blue economy with investment needs between USD$100,000 and USD$10 million. Through four pillars – pipeline development, impact and investment readiness, investor engagement, and tailored financing – the platform creates a new pathway to scale innovation and sustainability.
Scaling and Next Steps
The project will identify and support promising SMEs in the biodiversity corridors of Southern Leyte-Siargao and Davao Gulf-Pujada Bay through consultations with local governments, communities, and sector stakeholders. Business plans will be developed, validated, and presented to catalytic funders and scalable, successful models will be replicated across Asia and the Pacific.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have a critical role to play in restoring ocean health as they represent 70% of employment and 90% of total enterprises in developing countries across all sectors of the Blue Economy. SME BlueImpact Asia focuses on small and medium enterprises helping them access finance in support of Ocean health.