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| (From left) UPD College of Engineering Dean Dr. Rizaline De Leon, UPD Office of the Vice Chancellor for R&D Dr. Fidel Nemenzo, UP Vice President for Planning and Finance Joselito Florendo, DOST Undersecretary for R&D Dr. Rowena Cristina Guevara, UPD Chancellor Dr. Michael Tan, Project Leader for UPSCALE Innovation Hub Dr. Luis Sison, Center Managers Anabelle Blanco and Jhaze Asuncion, and UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Cynthia Bautista. (Photo from PCIEERD Website) |
The surge of Technology Startups in the country since 2014 has garnered the attention of government agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
It is evident that the country’s tech startups need to go up to another level and make its own breakthrough so as to bring vibrancy to the country’s economy.
The DOST, together with the Innovation Council and DOST- Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) recently inaugurated UPSCALE (Sustaining Collaboration in an Advanced Learning Environment) Innovation Hub located at the National Engineering Center in UP Diliman.
Tech Startups can have access to physical facilities that have tools and resources that will enable them to “turn ideas into reality” that will be much needed for these tech startups to advance to the next level. These tech startups can then have a sustainable business model after their Minimum Viable Product (MVP) be commercially viable.
The new facility has conference rooms, business incubation areas, technology – equipped platforms, knowledge-based references, access to subject matter experts and relevant market validation on their products.
There are two programs offered. These are the Industry-Government Network for Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship (UP Ignite) which aligns the technical expertise from the academe with the requirements that industry needs. This will then result in technologies developed by researchers to be used in the market and industry.
The second one is the DOST-UP Enterprise Center for Technopreneurship which is a Technology Incubator that will assist tech startups through workshops, assistance in Grants Applications and business support tailored for the requirements of startups.
This will enable the tech startups to become financially viable with the use of the Hub’s facilities, resources and services with the objective of being commercially competitive.
The UPSCALE Innovation hub is also in collaboration with 11 universities located in the National Capital Region (NCR) that have their own technology centers.
For more information about the UPSCALE Innovation Hub, contact Project Leader Dr. Luis Sison or Center Manager Anabelle Blanco at lgsison@up.edu.ph or belle@enterprise.upd.edu.ph or call at 981-8500 loc. 3045.
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