The College of Engineering and Agro-industrial Technology (CEAT) finished off the 2021 Faculty Training on Mentoring and Technopreneurship on Nov. 26, 2021 with the presentation of final pitches.
The participants, composed mainly of CEAT faculty, were divided into 7 teams, and tasked to propose a marketable product for their chosen technology. The pitched products range from self-contained gardens and automatic problem-solving checkers to mobile apps for hospital locators and fresh goods shopping.
The teams worked with program mentors — Mr. Christopher Lomboy of Shared Services Group, Dr. Diana Marie De Silva of the Department of Industrial Engineering, and Dr. Kevin Yaptenco of the Institute of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering— to create pretotypes and test the feasibility of pitch ideas.
The polished product ideas were presented by each group to a panel of experts in the industry in an investor pitch mock-up. This culminating activity allowed the participants to experience having their work evaluated by individuals or corporations that may want to invest in their product. The pitch panel members were the following: Prof. Glenn N. Baticados and Dr. Gian Carlo De Jesus, Professors at the at the UPLB College of Economics and Management; Ms. Pamela Isabelle Belen, President and Co-Founder of Umpisa, Inc.; Mr. David Alberto Lobo, President and Global Plantation Business Head of Sumitomo Chemical Philippines, Inc.; and Mr. Michael Viccil Junsay of the UPLB Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO).
The Faculty Training on Mentoring and Technopreneurship aimed to help CEAT faculty members develop their capabilities and learn new tools in mentoring who will take the innovationeering track offered by the college. The 4-day training program was held every Friday of the month of November 2021.
Dr. Marion Lux Castro, CEAT Associate Dean, gave the closing remarks and encouraged the participants to face the challenges of the new track implementation with “a happy heart, an entrepreneurial mindset, and a firm purpose”.
The training was organized by the CEAT Innovation and Entrepreneurship Committee composed of Dr. Diana Marie R. De Silva (Chair), Asst. Prof. Kathleen L. Baldoz (Co-chair), Dr. Kevin F. Yaptenco, Dr. Myra G. Borines, Dr. Ma. Bernadeth B. Lim, Asst. Prof. Maricris C. Cunanan, Engr. Allan Marco S. Mercado, Dr. Anton Domini C. Sta. Cruz and Engr. Frederic James V. Espiritu. (Aidrean Opaco and Frederic James V. Espiritu)