Earl Martin Valencia is president and co-founder of IdeaSpace Foundation, a nonprofit incubator that aims to promote economic development through technology and entrepreneurship.

Believing that the world’s next big innovation can come from the Philippines, Valencia left Cisco — and Silicon Valley — to co-found IdeaSpace. His mission is twofold: find the top 10 science and technology ideas in the country and create one of the biggest business incubators in the Philippines for technology startups.

“My passion is to make the Philippines a destination for business and technology,” Valencia shared to Devex. He believes Filipinos have one of the greatest minds in the world and is positive that the next Google or Facebook can come from the Philippines.

Valencia co-led the creation of IdeaSpace’s structure and program, and fundraising for the startup incubator. Hundreds of teams have submitted proposals, from which IdeaSpace will select the best 10 to support and incubate. Among the assistance the foundation will provide is P500 million ($12.5 million) funding for investment, administrative and legal paperwork, and office space.

Valencia concurrently serves as head of corporate development at Smart Communications.