Tech
Slingshot Startup and Innovation Summit panelists
share updates on government efforts and studies in
support of the Philippine startup ecosystem. From
left: Dr. Cyrille Schwob, Head of Technology for Asia
Pacific at Airbus; Prim Paypon, AIM-Dado Banatao
Incubator Executive Director; Dr. Richard Abedan,
USAID STRIDE Chief of Party; DTI-TIPG Usec. Nora
Terrado; and Ayala Corporation Head of Innovation
Vincent Tobias, panel moderator.
DTI
empowers
emerging
startups
anew with
Slingshot 4.0
“The DTI has been very eager to intensify its efforts in supporting Philippine startups, connecting
our local ecosystem to the global ecosystems,” Terrado said. “We genuinely aim to inspire Filipino
startups to take the global stage, by sending Slingshot startup delegations all over the world for
pitching competitions, exhibits, business matching and networking.”
T
HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in
partnership with the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST), has conducted the fourth
edition of “Slingshot: Startup and Innovation
Summit” on October 3, 2018 at the Sofitel Philippine
Plaza Manila, to connect local startup participants
with potential investors and to empower them
to take part in building the Philippine startup
ecosystem.
Under the watch of DTI-Trade and Investments
Promotion Group Undersecretary Nora Terrado, Slingshot has been
recognizing how startups could effectively find new markets, customers,
revenues, profits, business models, and other means of scaling up.
Slingshot also seeks to provide a platform for startups who look for access
to scalability opportunities.
Themed: “Startups Born Global,” this year’s Slingshot included a plenary
session called “Startup Session,” which allowed startups to showcase
innovative products and services.
During the summit, Terrado took the stage to present the significant
insights into the Startup Ecosystem Development Program or Startup
Pilipinas. She later shared with the participants the highlights of the 2018
Global Startup Ecosystem Report on the Philippine ecosystem.
“The DTI has been very eager to intensify its efforts in supporting
Philippine startups, connecting our local ecosystem to the global
ecosystems,” Terrado said. “We genuinely aim to inspire Filipino startups
to take the global stage, by sending Slingshot startup delegations all over
the world for pitching competitions, exhibits, business matching and
networking.”
According to Terrado, the Philippines has sent Filipino startups to
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Silicon Valley, Germany, Israel, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. She
noted that the government, on the other hand, had also witnessed how
startups unveiled their own potentials in utilizing innovative technologies
and business models.
“We wish and aim to participate within the global ecosystem, knowing
that the Philippines has a huge potential. We have researched and
identified outcomes, and now, we may address these gaps and work with
you [startups],” she added.
Meanwhile, the Global Startup Ecosystem Report, or GSER, revealed
that the Philippines is currently in the activation phase.
“During the activation phase, ecosystem resources grow at an organic
rate, local resources grow and become activated to participate in its
nascent tech sector,” Terrado clarified.
Formally opened by Raul C. Sabularse, Deputy Executive Director of
the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology,
Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD), the summit featured
promising technologies ready for commercialization funded by DOST. It
was followed by the presentation of five QBO Startups in the summit’s
business matching and networking session.
Also, a group of panelists shared updates on government-private efforts
and studies in support of the Philippine startup ecosystem’s next Filipino
scaleups.
The panel—moderated by Vince Tobias, Head of Innovation at Ayala
Corporation—included Usec Terrado; Prim Paypon, Executive Director
at AIM-Dado Banatao Incubator; Cyrille Schwob, Head of Technology,
APAC Airbus; and Richard Abedan, Chief of Party at USAID STRIDE. They
addressed participant’s queries on the status of the Philippine startup
ecosystem, the challenges faced by the country’s startups, and the
measures needed for its improvement.
www.dti.gov.ph