The Technological Institute of the Philippines (T.I.P.) and partner Wadhwani Foundation concluded the 4-month virtual incubation program of T.I.P.’s technology startups last February 20, 2021. Incubated under the Department of Science and Technology-funded (DOST) T.I.P. Nurture Innovation Technology Revolution Office (NITRO) program, the incubation program cohorts were composed of T.I.P. undergraduate students, alumni, and industry professionals.
Dubbed the T.I.P. NITRO Cohort 2 Demo Day, the event saw the six teams pitching to judges from esteemed organizations based locally and abroad.
The six cohorts’ technology startups cover a wide variety of industries and applications. They include:
- Cleenvent – a startup that aims to provide better air quality inside homes
- Dalipay – a contactless payment option utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain security, and palm vein biometrics
- Fine – a social networking platform dedicated to mental health support and services
- Juanify – an AI-powered food delivery services aggregator for small and medium enterprises
- LabaGo – a mobile application for laundry pickup and delivery services
- Space-saver Furniture – a developer of various types of multi-functional and space-saving furniture designed for small living spaces
On top of receiving valuable feedback and insights from the judges, the T.I.P. NITRO Cohort 2 Demo Day also served as an opportunity for the cohorts to network with guests and partners to further grow their respective businesses.
“We would like to thank all our partners and mentors for going through this journey with us. Enabling and empowering such innovative ventures is one of the core mantras of our new T.I.P. TechnoCoRe thrust. On top of active applied research collaborations with industry, T.I.P. TechnoCoRe develops technopreneurs who can identify societal problems, ideate possible answers, develop real-world solutions, and bring these out to market,” said T.I.P. president Dr. Elizabeth Quirino-Lahoz.
T.I.P. NITRO is one of 32 technology business incubators (TBI) to be established by the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) nationwide as of 2020. As part of the T.I.P. TechnoCoRe ecosystem, T.I.P. NITRO serves as the school’s incubation arm focused on bolstering, optimizing, and readying disruptive ideas into market-ready businesses.
“DOST-PCIEERD supports T.I.P. NITRO’s initiative in building an enabling innovation ecosystem to nurture tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups from conception to commercialization. I hope NITRO becomes a rallying point for all the innovative initiatives that are coming from T.I.P. by way of the creativity and resourcefulness of the school’s students and faculty members,” said DOST-PCIEERD executive director Dr. Enrico Paringit.
The event’s judges included Paula Mills, CEO of Australia-based Academy of Entrepreneurs; Christopher Peralta, CEO & founder of US-based Silicon Valley HQ; Johnson Lam, founder and owner of Malaysia-based Kakidiy.com; Dr. Luis Sison, director of the University of the Philippines Technology Transfer and Business Development Office; Mona Yap, officer-in-charge of the Quezon City Small Business Cooperatives Development Promotions Office; and Alwyn Rosel, head of the Startup Development Program of IdeaSpace & QBo Philippines.
Also present during the event were Ankit Macchar, Program Head of the Wadhwani Foundation’s National Entrepreneur Network; Cris Delgado, program manager of Wadhwani Foundation Philippines; Engr. Edward Paul Apigo, Senior Science Research Specialist of DOST-PCIEERD; Atty. William Bierce, managing attorney and co-founder of Bierce and Kenerson, PC; Engr. Armand Ursal vice president of Engineering of Quest Broadcasting, Inc and former vice president for External Affairs of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of the Philippines (IECEP); Engrs. Romulo Agatep and Ornan Vicente, both former presidents of IECEP; Jhaze Asuncion, CMO and co-founder of Blackbook Solutions Inc.; and Marrione Pol Camacho, academy manager of Draper Startup House Manila.
For more information on T.I.P. and T.I.P. TechnoCoRe, visit T.I.P.’s official social media accounts through @TIP1962official for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You may also visit technocore.tip.edu.ph or email [email protected].