“Grand Demo Day: Milestone in Innovation, Gateways to Impact,” organized by the University of the Philippines Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, was held Oct. 14-15 at Richmonde Hotel, Quezon City.
It was the capstone of the UP programs, University Innovation Fellowship and Business Modelling Product-Market Fit, and served as a venue for team-scholars from different Philippine research institutions to seek collaboration and support.
Teams showcased their innovative projects to obtain possible funding from either the university, through its UP System Bridge Fund Academic Award, or from the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development, through its Funding Assistance for Spin-offs and Translation of Research in Advancing Commercialization Lite Program. Both grants support projects that are focused on validation, scaling, and real-world deployment.
According to TTBDO’s primer, UIF is a program intended to push quality research to market adoption through licensing or spin-off companies. This program is a series of training workshops that change mindsets to an appreciation of technology transfer and its impact on academia and the community.
The BMPMF is part of the UP Saliksik Laboratory-UP National Engineering Center collaboration, Support for R&D for Philippine S&T-based Innovations and Technology program. The program, in partnership with DOST-PCIEERD, trains researchers, assesses the commercial viability of their work, and engages industry partners for licensing, manufacturing, and investment opportunities.
In his opening remarks, TTBDO Director Luis Sison reminded the venture teams that they were the few chosen from a long list of R&D technologists in the Philippines. “You are the ones closest to the market …. and that is the goal of UP and DOST — to bring you closer and closer to making an impact on your customer industries and communities.”
The industry panel was composed of business leaders, government representatives, and members of the innovation ecosystem. They evaluated the technologies and provided guidance to the teams during the discussion and exchange sessions. The panelists were
Fred Chua, CEO, Magellan Solutions; Anniver Ryan Lapuz, Supervising Science Research Specialist and Internship Supervisor, DOST-Forest Products Research and Development Institute; Shoraliah Macalbe, Head of Startup Development, QBO; Kristine Mae Magtubo, Senior Partner, UP Sustaining Collaboration in an Advanced Learning Environment Innovation Hub; Kristina Paula Ratio, DOST-PCIEERD; Gonzalo Serafica, President, Center for Integrated STEM Education; and Magdaleno Vasquez, Director, UP Diliman TTBDO.
Below is the list of technologies presented at the Grand Demo Day, courtesy of Danes Britney Jimenez of UP SikLab.
Or download the list here.
