Davao City, Philippines – Eleven UP Mindanao Department of Science and Technology (DOST) scholars bagged the Champion and 1st Runner-up titles at the Demo-Pitching Day of the DOST’s Scholars’ Technopreneurship Training Program (STTP) held on September 22, 2025, at The Ritz Hotel, Davao City.
Judilee Ranara and Jamaiya Hadji Acmad, both BS Applied Mathematics alumni, were named Grand Winner/Champion for “Inokatech,” their startup idea to address education-related issues in the Philippines by creating accessible and effective digital learning resources. They were recognized with multiple awards, including the Flores and Ofrin Award, the USeP Agilab Technology Business Incubator Award, and a Wadhwani Award.
Named as 1st Runner-up was EcoTech Solutions, a socially-driven environmental technology startup with its flagship product EcoKubeta, led by Chief Design and Sustainability Officer Donel Christian J. Burgos (BS Architecture). The team also received five awards: the DOST Region XI Grant-in-Aid Award, Path to Excellence Award, Louken Group Award, Bugsai Lawig Award, and a Wadhwani Award. EcoTech Solutions will also represent their innovation at the 2025 Hyper Interdisciplinary Conference this November at Quezon City University.
UP Mindanao constituents also won Special Awards. Keisha Lorejo, Michelle Magallanes, and Eric Cagay (BS Applied Mathematics alumni) with “AlertNet,” won the Wadhwani Award for Best Poster. Yasmien Iroy (BS Architecture student) with “EduKada,” won the Wadhwani Award: Knowledge Bridging Award. Gessfer Dorado (BS Applied Mathematics alumnus) and Christal Capadosa (BS Architecture student), and their “Qpeed” won the Flores and Ofrin Award, Quest Ventures Award, and a Wadhwani Award.
The STTP was a six-month program held from April 12 to September 24, 2025, designed and organized by the DOST’s Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) in collaboration with Leave a Nest Philippines, to transform scholars into technopreneurs who can identify social problems and create science- and technology-based solutions.
“STTP taught me that technopreneurship is not only about creating and marketing products,” said Burgos. “It is about listening to people, engaging with institutions, and acting with both heart and science. From classrooms to underserved communities, from brainstorming tables to government offices, we now see ourselves not just as scholars but as builders of solutions,” he said.
