Technopreneurship training program prepares DOST scholars for nation-building

Alabang City, Muntinlupa— Sixty DOST scholars from Western Visayas and Negros Occidental participated in the national kick-off activity and first bootcamp installation of the DOST Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) Scholars’ Technopreneurship Training Program (STTP+), marking the nationwide launch of the enhanced program designed to nurture science-driven innovators and future technology entrepreneurs.

For the first time, the STTP is being implemented on a national scale, bringing together DOST scholars who aspire to transform scientific knowledge and innovative ideas into solutions that address real-world challenges. The program aims to cultivate a new generation of technopreneurs capable of creating impactful, science-based enterprises that contribute to national development.

The training program is divided into two phases. Phase 1 serves as the foundation stage, where scholars are equipped with guided learning on problem identification, ideation, design thinking, and project selection. This phase seeks to establish a strong grounding in technopreneurship and science-to-society innovations. Scholars who demonstrate promising concepts will advance to Phase 2, which focuses on start-up development and provides support through incubation, licensing, mentoring, and other mechanisms that will further refine and develop their start-up projects.

Anchored on the theme “Agham na Ramdam,” the Phase 1 training underscores the role of science and technology in improving lives and responding to the needs of communities.

In his keynote message, DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. encouraged the participants to pursue innovations that address meaningful societal concerns.
“The real pathway to success is simple. You need to fall in love with the problem and the solution that you will develop. Learn to understand the real-world problem so that you can offer a real-world solution. Solve problems that matter and allow your ideas to become opportunities not only for you but, most importantly, for others. So, join us in bringing science that impacts the lives of people within your community and beyond,” Secretary Solidum said. DOST Secretary also highlighted the strategic pillars of the DOST in realizing the aspirations of every Filipino through science, technology, and innovation.

Participants of the STTP+ were selected from a competitive pool of approximately 500 applicants nationwide. Representing Western Visayas and Negros Occidental are Nicole Tatad and Lean Vince Cabales of West Visayas State University; Aron Job Molo and Eurecka Yzabel Vergara of Aklan State University; Carl Jedric Suan of the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod; and Angelica Muñoz of the Technological University of the Philippines Visayas.

Throughout the initial bootcamp, participants engaged in societal problem-solving workshops, design thinking sessions, and fireside chats with successful Filipino startup founders, providing them with valuable insights into the entrepreneurial journey and innovation ecosystem.

In the coming months, the scholars will participate in a series of online bootcamps focusing on stakeholder identification, idea prototyping, ideation processes, and concept development. The culmination of STTP+ Phase 1 will be the Demo Day, during the National Science, Technology and Innovation Week (NSTW) in November 2026, where participants will showcase their solutions and innovative concepts. (RMJabian/STHRDS)

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 (𝘋𝘖𝘚𝘛) 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘺’𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘴, 𝘋𝘖𝘚𝘛 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘚&𝘛 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵—𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘍𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘰.

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