Who is Kat Borlongan, the Filipina tech leader knighted with Order of Merit in France?

MANILA, Philippines – Kat Borlongan arrived in France as a wide-eyed 20-year-old seeking better opportunities. Over two decades later, she received one of the country’s highest honors as she stands as one of the leading voices in tech in Europe.

The 43-year-old Filipina was named Knight of the National Order of Merit for her significant contributions in shaping France’s startup and tech ecosystems.

According to the Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia, the National Order of Merit is a distinction granted by the French government to individuals — both citizens and foreign nationals — who have “rendered outstanding service.” 

For Borlongan, it highlight what she calls the “French Dream.” 

“This isn’t the ‘American Dream.’ That is the story of the ‘self-made’ individual, starting from nothing and succeeding alone. My experience was different: it was the French Dream — a journey built on solidarity, community, and the chance to give back to the country that welcomed me as a teenager. The American Dream asks what you can achieve, the French Dream asks what you can contribute,” Borlongan wrote on her LinkedIn account.

Borlongan moved to France in 2003 — a major life decision that nearly did not materialize as she almost saw her visa application denied. 

“I was just really lucky because I cried at the embassy, at the French Embassy in the Philippines, and the cultural attaché made an exception and he wrote me a letter of recommendation and so it passed and I was able to get my visa and come in 2003,” Borlongan recalled in a 2014 interview with Radio Television Malacañang.

Migrating to France was just the first of many challenges Borlongan faced. 

“When I came here, I was really, really scared. I was crying on my first days. I couldn’t speak any French at all,” Borlongan said. 

But over time, things fell into place for Borlongan.

She enrolled at the Sciences Po Bordeaux in 2004 and graduated with a degree in political science with a specialization in government administration in 2007 under a scholarship from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

After graduation, she served as managing director of the Reporters Without Borders in Canada for two years and as communication adviser of the International Civil Aviation Organization, also in Canada, for a year. 

During her time in Canada, Borlongan earned her master’s degree in communication studies from McGill University. 

She returned to France in 2011 and focused on open data and technology and later co-founded Five By Five, a consultancy agency that specializes in digital transformation and startup engagement strategies, in 2013. 

Her work was noticed by the French government, with Borlongan tapped by the administration of President Emmanuel Macron to serve as director of the French Tech Mission, a public agency tasked with supporting the structuring and growth of the French startup ecosystem.

When Borlongan ended her stint as French Tech Mission director in 2021, Macron recognized her efforts. 

“It is my wish that you continue to put your talent, your energy, and your way of looking at the world at the service of our country. That you continue to invest in France, its image abroad, and in all we have left to accomplish for its future,” said Macron in French. 

Borlongan has worn various hats since her time at the French Tech Mission. 

She became the chief impact officer of user experience analytics startup Contentsquare, served as board member of the European Innovation Council, and got selected for the leaders program of the Obama Foundation.

“I think that a lot of Filipinos sometimes, they put a barrier for themselves, that they think they can’t overcome, so it hinders them from making that big first step. My message to them is just make it. Make it, be brave about it, because the chances are that if you put your heart in the right place, it’s really going to work out,” Borlongan told Radio Television Malacañang. 

Borlongan, who is now an ambassador of the European Innovation Council, is also a mother of two. 

“France was the country that once welcomed me; today, it is where my daughters will grow up,” Borlongan wrote on LinkedIn. “My hope is to help keep the French Dream alive for them, and for all those who follow.” – Rappler.com