The University Incubator Consortium (UNIIC) proudly announces the successful conclusion of the UNIIC Ideathon 2024, held on May 27-28, 2024, at the vibrant Citystate Asturias Hotel in Palawan, Philippines. This innovative event brought together 156 participants from ASEAN countries, India, and South Africa, providing a dynamic platform for early-stage startups to showcase their cutting-edge ideas.

Hosted by Palawan State University (PalawanSU), Western Philippines University (WPU), Mindoro State University (MinSU), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) MIMAROPA, the UNIIC Ideathon 2024 aimed to unlock additional resources for participants and foster connections that could elevate their ventures to new heights. Over two days, students and budding entrepreneurs had the unique opportunity to enhance their visibility, expand their networks, and engage with potential partners, accelerators, and forge meaningful relationships with participants from other universities, Leading up to the event, students from consortium partner universities underwent a rigorous selection process at their respective institutions. The selected teams participated in a series of online workshops designed to refine their ideation skills, culminating in a highly anticipated pitch at the physical event in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Day 1 (May 27): The first day featured insightful sessions focused on team management and pitching techniques. Dr. Venzon Limpiada, Vice President for Finance Administration, shared his expertise on building effective cross-functional teams, conflict resolution, team dynamics, and leadership in a startup environment. Professor Dr Murali Raman, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation, provided invaluable pitching techniques and strategies to help participants effectively present their ideas.

Day 2 (May 28): The second day marked the culmination of the participants’ efforts as they presented their innovative solutions across various verticals, including climate action, smart cities, health and wellness as well as food innovation and agriculture. A panel of judges evaluated the pitches, and participants had the opportunity to impress potential investors and partners.

The UNIIC Ideathon 2024 not only showcases the innovative potential of young entrepreneurs but also reinforces the commitment of UNIIC to support and nurture early-stage startups. The event’s success underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem across regions. Danielle Grace Dignadice, a third-year IT student at Palawan State University, shared her experience regarding the UNIIC Ideathon pitching competition. She described the Ideathon as a “fun experience” despite the competition being nerve-wracking. Daniel expressed happiness with the results her team received but highlighted that the most fulfilling aspect of the event was interacting with other competitors. She valued the exchange of ideas, cultures, and stories, which enriched her experience beyond the competitive element of the event.

“This Ideathon was a fun experience. The competition itself was nerve-wracking and our team is very happy with the results we received. However, interacting with other competitors, exchanging ideas, cultures and stories was the most fulfilling part of the event for me,” she said.

During the press release with local media, Dr. Ma. Josefina P. Abilay, regional director of DOST-MIMAROPA, highlighted the significance of the Department of Science and Technology-MIMAROPA in fostering a technopreneurial culture among universities in the region.

She mentioned that she initiated the involvement of Palawan State University (PalawanSU), followed by Western Philippines University (WPU) and Mindoro State University (MinSU), in the group to expose faculty researchers and students to various aspects of technopreneurship. “I brought PalawanSU first, and then WPU and then MinSU to the group to expose the universities, the faculty researchers, and the students to different kinds of technopreneurial culture. We would like to encourage the students to have an entrepreneurial thinking that is technology based. We would like to have more technopreneurs in the near future, instead of employees,” she said.

The aim is to encourage students to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset grounded in technology. Dr. Abilay emphasized the desire to cultivate more technopreneurs in the future. This reflects a broader vision of empowering students to innovate, create businesses, and drive technological advancements in the region.

“The bottom-line of all of this is relationships. If we are friends, everything else will flow naturally. I think all the endeavors that will come will benefit the society of every country and university,” she added.

Professor Dr Angelina Yee Seow Voon, the founder and key driver behind this consortium said “UNIIC is unique where friendships blossom through getting together in research collaborations and publications, as well as competing in annual Ideathon, Hackathon and Demo Day,” As the UNIIC Ideathon 2024 kicked off, participants have the chance to leave with enhanced skills, new connections, and a renewed drive to turn their ideas into reality. UNIIC looks forward to continuing its support for these promising startups and witnessing their future successes. The event aims to successfully bridge the gap between early-stage startups and investors, paving the way for future innovations and partnerships.