Six teams from the Computer Studies Cluster of Ateneo de Davao have been shortlisted in the top 20 contenders of the Philippine Startup Challenge.
The Philippine Startup Challenge is a nationwide startup competition geared towards college students from all over the country. The contest aims to promote entrepreneurship using innovative technology ideas. It is a joint project of the Department of Sciecne and Technology-Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICT) and the Philippine Software Industry Assocition (PSIA).
Each team consisted of four members — three students and one faculty adviser. The top 20 teams were selected on the basis of video pitches in which they discussed their technology concept and business model. Judges for this part of the contest came from startup incubators, venture capital accelerators, and investment houses.
The top 20, including the Ateneo teams, are:
Team WiseGeeks – Escape Plan (Davao) (Ateneo de Davao University) – Arlene Adrienne Go, Maxwell Macua, Joseph Jeorge Bayya, and Adulfo Emmanuel Respecia
Team Gecko – CareStarter (Davao) (Ateneo de Davao University)- Chanly Kaye Basa, Justine Lim Yu, Jon Von Louie Dagaang
Team Boneless – Q (Davao) (Ateneo de Davao University)- Riddick Ditan, Kevin Abian, Raphael Valencia
Team GAP – Tick-It! (Davao) (Ateneo de Davao University)- Belga, Tamayo, de Leon – (Bernie)
Team Fantastic Four – IDA (Davao) (Ateneo de Davao University) – Ian Val Pinansilo, Miguel Antonio Novera, Henry Villaber, Regie Angelo Aba
Team NoSemicolon – POD (Davao) (Ateneo de Davao University) – Marielle Banawan, Justin Symon Mearns, and Noel Magulta
Team Kiphodan – TouristGuider (Ifugao)
Team Slammers – Emanager (Legaspi)
Team Anonymous – Pick’nDrive (Cebu)
Team Dauntless – VidLet (Cebu)
Team Conzulato 1 – OpenAral (Bacolod)
Team Durian Jam – R U Legit (Davao)
Team BITMAP – BTMS (Davao)
Team PHMLL – InternShip (Manila)
Team Kickout – Impress.me (Manila)
Team ThreeBlazers – Moodifyer (Cebu)
Team Fortified – SPOT (Cebu)
Team Mica – Foodie (Manila)
Team Technovators – Tweeva (Cebu)
Team Solomo – HushTones (Cebu)
Coaches for the teams were computer studies faculty Bernie Jereza, Nap Joseph Calub, Adrian Ablazao, Paolo Villanueva, and Dom Cimafranca. The shortlisted teams were also students of the Technopreneurship course taught by Novie Joy Pelobello.
The next phase of the contest is a pitching event set in Davao on November 18, 2014.