The Japanese company will make the investments with IP Ventures, the Philippine corporate venturing unit in which it holds a 10% stake.

Japan-based telecommunications company Softbank plans to invest more than $20m in Phlippines-based startup companies, Tech in Asia reported today.

The funds will be deployed through a new unit that is being established with IP Ventures, the corporate venturing subsidiary of Philippine IT company IPVG. Softbank took a 10% stake in IP Ventures (IPVI) in 2011 through the Bodhi Investments fund it manages.

IPVI chief executive Enrique Gonzalez will lead the new fund together with Kabir Misra, Katsumasa Niki, Teddy Himler,…