MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Making his highly-anticipated return, Uniquecorn Strategies Founder and CEO Dean Bernales joins a prestigious roster of mentors for CNN Philippines‘ critically-acclaimed business reality TV show, The Final Pitch, the Philippines’ equivalent to Shark Tank and Dragon’s Den, in its ninth season. Leveraging his public relations expertise in Startup PR, Dean’s mentorship is poised to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators, setting a path for the Philippines to be recognized as a startup hub in Asia.
Returning for the second time after his first appearance in Season 7 (2021), Dean holds the unique distinction of being the youngest mentor in the show’s seven-year history, having first graced the show at the young age of 26. This time, he will focus on key aspects such as defining the right PR objectives, crafting a powerful personal brand, understanding media relations, and leveraging data for strategic advantages. His aim is to elucidate the pivotal role of PR in growing successful businesses and navigating the challenging waters of entrepreneurship.
“Being a mentor on The Final Pitch twice is a privilege that allows me to instill the significance of strategic PR in entrepreneurs,” said Dean. “I am thrilled to help these bright minds comprehend how effectively shaping their brand’s narrative can dramatically elevate their entrepreneurial journey.”
Since its establishment in 2021, Uniquecorn Strategies has made its mark, recently earning recognition as a Rising Star by The Business Manual, the premier business platform of the Philippines’ largest magazine publisher, One Mega Group. The said award, which has Pickup Coffee, SariSuki, Colourette, and GrowSari as among its esteemed honorees, acknowledged those demonstrating extraordinary growth through innovative strategies and cultivating positive influences in their industries.
With a robust 180% YoY growth in revenue and workforce, Uniquecorn Strategies has forged impactful partnerships with Philippine startup movers like The Final Pitch, LaunchGarage, Startup QC, The Philippine Blockchain Week, The Blockchain Council of the Philippines, and Archipelago Labs, underlining its commitment to nurturing the Philippine startup landscape. On top of that, the PR agency served top venture-backed startups, including Great Deals E-commerce Corp., Ampverse, Tier One Entertainment, PDAX, and Packworks, as well as US-based billion-dollar companies, Instructure and Riot Games.
In 2023, Dean initiated Uniquecorn’s global expansion, establishing Uniquecorn Worldwide Limited in London. This global reach, representing startups like Tevent and Butter, further strengthens Uniquecorn’s dedication to supporting startups on a global scale.
Joining Bernales in the mentorship program is a distinguished group of mentors: Chris Peralta, Founder of Silicon Valley HQ; Vince Golangco, CEO & Founder of When in Manila; Atty. Marlon Valderama, founder and CEO of LexMeet; Joel Santos, President of Thames International Business School, and Paolo Rentero, Co-Founder of TechShake.
The Final Pitch Season 9 mentorship episode premieres on August 6, 2023, at 8:30 pm on CNN Philippines, with replays every Friday, 10:00 pm, and Saturday, 5:30 pm.
