A new chapter in innovation and “technopreneurship” has recently made its mark in General Santos City with the grand launch of ICEBOX Technology Business Incubator (TBI) at the ICEBOX Event Space, H-Building of Mindanao State University (MSU)-General Santos.
ICEBOX, which stands for Innovation Center for Enterprises and Business Opportunities, aims to provide startups with the necessary support mechanisms and resources so they can transform their ideas into a “prototype”, leading to a fruitful techno-entrepreneurial venture. The “X”, on the other hand, represents infinite opportunities and potential in innovations that startups can do.
MSU General Santos City Dean of Engineering Noel Gunay (middle in white) with participants of Gensan Innovation Week held at Mindanao State University (MSU). During the event, the ICEBOX project, led by MSU and assisted by DOST PCIEERD, was launched with the goal of providing support to startup businesses, known as technology business incubators, engaged in science and technology endeavors. (Photo courtesy of DOST Region XII)
Dr. Noel Gunay, the project leader of ICEBOX and the MSU’s Dean of the College of Engineering, laid out the roadmap for the TBI project, highlighting it as an encouragement “for local constituents, entrepreneurs, and companies who have the need to create innovative technology-enabled and enterprising solutions.”
Gunay described the university-based platform as “one of its kind in Region XII” that is expected to usher in growth, especially for information, communications, and technology (ICT) business endeavors and other technological solutions initiatives in Soccsksargen.
With funding from the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST PCIEERD), MSU-Gensan is in charge of the ICEBOX operations which aim to foster innovation and technopreneurship in the region.
DOST XII, representing the DOST PCIEERD, has committed to support the innovative project of MSU in order “to boost startup growths among businesses and enterprises towards a stronger, more resilient, and economically-abled Soccsksargen Region.”
“We will be your partners in gathering market players towards the implementation and creation of harmonized initiatives for economic growth,” DOST XII Regional Director Sammy Malawan said in a speech read by DOST XII’s Senior Science Research Specialist Giselle Eve Ortega-Siladan.
Malawan also pledged to facilitate “access to capital for our business pioneers and maximizing our resources, talents, and, of course, our support for infrastructure.”
Earlier, the DOST and MSU-Gensan inaugurated the P5 million-worth Intelligent Systems Laboratory, the latter’s first engagement with PCIEERD, to serve not only the faculty and students of the university in their research and development but also as a support facility for TBI.
Since the launch was timed with Gensan Innovation Week, participants, mostly key players whose collective mission is to nurture and empower the growth of startups, took time to listen to the lectures on Business Compliance and Licensing, including Cultural Expressions and Copyright presented by the local government’s City Economic Management and Cooperative Development Office and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines – Bureau of Copyrights and other Related Rights, respectively.
MSU General Santos City Chancellor Usman Aragasi encouraged startup entrepreneurs to push their dreams in technology innovations as he thanked the DOST PCIEERD for providing assistance to MSU initiatives, especially in ensuring the necessary support to enable startup businesses in General Santos to bloom. (Photo courtesy of ICEBOX: A DOST-assisted TBI for Smart Systems Innovations Facebook page.)
Taking pride in MSU-General Santos’s innovation project, Chancellor Usman Aragasi also provided words of encouragement as he commended all participating startups for featuring their unique ideas and designs with gusto and for pushing to make their dreams come true.
Among the ICEBOX project portfolio were five incubating or startup ventures, namely Pastille Studios, Seerbees, Legalease, Funnel for BIZ, and Eva. Four of them made sure to present their project designs during the event.
Pastille Studios intricately weaves local narratives into captivating games, drawing from the rich stories of the local authors, while Seerbees is a database platform to fulfill clients’ varied needs, from cuisine to couture to healthcare, all accessible within a client-specified timetable and completed with in-app payment options.
For legal support, Legalease delivers crucial legal advice through mobile application technology, focusing primarily on the underserved indigenous peoples in remote areas. Payment for the services will be borne by the concerned barangay local government.
And lastly, Funnel for BIZ is a vital website for online businesses that promises to sell products and services within seven days, streamlining people’s shopping experience to enhance profit potential.
The event was also marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Intent, a document sealing the commitment of different leaders and stakeholders in the region and cementing a partnership that aims to nurture the seeds of innovation into full-bodied enterprises.
Meanwhile, Department of Information and Communications Technology for Region 12 and Mainland BARMM Regional Director Mario Cuñado told participants that DICT envisions a world where startups are able to catalyze advanced technological progress.
“Together, we can create an environment where innovation thrives and startups prosper,” he said, motivating startup businesses to work harder and improve for their own good.
The launch of ICEBOX TBI has undoubtedly sown the seeds for a better business landscape, one where General Santos City’s technological innovation is sure to bloom, promising a prosperous future for both aspiring and established entrepreneurs. (HJPF – PIA SarGen)
