Category: News

  • DOST-Funded TBIs in Davao Eye to Establish the First Mindanao Startup Consortium

    Technology business incubators (TBIs) from different Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Davao Region, spearheaded by UP Mindanao Growing and Developing Enterprises (UPGRADE), recently concluded the Region XI Startup Community Dialogue on January 14, 2022, via Zoom platform.

    The Innovation and Development Accelerators Consortium for Startups in Davao or IDEAS Davao aims to establish the first Startup Consortium in Mindanao and provide an avenue for incubators, accelerators, government agencies, private sector, investors, and community-based organizations to discuss pertinent issues and address challenges that will shape the landscape of the region’s startup ecosystem.

    The dialogue was graced by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) XI Regional Director Dr. Anthony C. Sales, CESO III, Department of Information and Communications Technology XI Regional Director Alimbzar P. Asum, CESO V, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) XI Maria Belenda Q. Ambi, Davao City Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc. (DCCCI), Belinda Torres, and United States Agency for International Development-Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (USAID-STRIDE) / Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International Convergence Specialist Adrienne  Cacho, and attended by 26 other startup founders and enablers from private and public sectors.

    “We witnessed many of our Davao-based startups flourish in Davao’s diverse and demanding economic landscape. With the hard work of our stakeholders, we are gaining traction in many other aspects of business and entrepreneurship, such as in software, data, fintech, and many more”, UP Mindanao Chancellor Dr. Larry N. Digal said while highlighting Davao Region’s startup ecosystem rankings: fourth nationwide, 19th in Southeast Asia, and 786th internationally.

    IDEAS-Davao intends to facilitate collaborative initiatives to improve incubation programs, mentoring, networking, fundraising, and media exposure of TBIs for startups, funded by the DOST under the Higher Education Institution Readiness for Innovation and Technopreneurship (HeIRIT) Program.

    With the help of IDEAS-Davao, support for startups will be strengthened by aligning programs of implementing agencies under the Philippine Innovative Startup Act, providing opportunities and access for government funding, and acquiring investments from private entities to increase job opportunities and economic development.

    Read the full news article on the DOST RXI website here.

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    Candice Lleses

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  • IDEAS-DAVAO Holds First Annual Strategic Planning

    The Innovation and Development Accelerators Consortium for Start-ups in Davao Region (IDEAS-Davao) recently held its annual strategic planning for 2022 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Lanang from January 17-21, 2022. Hosted and organized by UPGRADE TBI, the event aims to prepare IDEAS-Davao’s project management team in their implementation of their regional program.

    Together with valued stakeholders from different TBIs and startups, the IDEAS-Davao team brainstormed ideas and planned how they will be navigating through current challenges in the startup ecosystem of Region 11. The event was attended by leading management personnel in TBIs from different HEIs in Davao, namely, Vanesa Balayo of UMasenso Hub, Filmann Simpao of USeP AgiLab, and Jason Occidental of AdDU TechnoHub. To represent non-HEI stakeholders, CEO and founder of international award-winning Coffee for Peace, Joji Pantoja was also in attendance.

    The planning also pinpointed specific threats present in the startup ecosystem such as threats towards indigenous people’s resources, challenges in bureaucratic processes for startups, lack of access and information regarding programs, services, registration and incentives for smaller businesses, and the slow technology adoption of businesses in the region.

    Aside from threats, current opportunities in startup trends were also discussed, such as the rise of more inclusive startups lead by younger generations, the enabling of laws related to startups innovation, and the availability of government and private grants for investment and support.

    The establishment of the Innovation and Development Accelerators Consortium for Start-ups (IDEAS) in the Davao Region aims to synergize the programs of incubators, accelerators, government agencies, private sector, investors, and other start-up enablers to achieve a stronger, inclusive, and conducive start-up ecosystem in Region XI.

    The 5-day face-to-face strategic planning was done in cooperation with two other national programs, Higher Education Institutions Preparatory Training for Starting Technology Business Incubators (HEIRIT) and Women-Helping-Women Innovating Social Enterprise (WHWise: i B L E n D N I C E 4WomEn).

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    Candice Lleses

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