DAVAO CITY—Four universities in the Davao Region entered into partnerships with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the last two months to establish and professionalize their respective technology business incubators (TBIs).
The four universities were facilitated by the DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) to boost these TBIs, the DOST said.
The Philippine Women’s College of Davao and the University of Immaculate Concepcion would be receiving funds from the DOST-PCIEERD to officially operate their respective TBIs, the DOST added
The Ateneo de Davao University and the Davao Del Norte State College have also signed a memorandum of agreement for a two-year facilitation of their prospective TBIs through a series of capacity building activities.
DOST-PCIEERD allotted a total of P220 million in grant funding for the TBIs to utilize in their operations for two years.
The DOST said the provided support to qualified Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) was part of its “Handholding Starting Incubators from HEIs for Readiness towards Innovation and Technopreneurship Preparatory and Skills Acceleration for TBI Managers Optimizing Regional Start-up Ecosystem (HIHEIRIT PA MORE!) program of DOST.”
Through the program, HEIs are expected “to strengthen start-up ecosystem in the region by developing their business-related competencies, while also enhancing their skills in managing technology-related products and services, networking, and establishing a culture of technopreneurship for economic and industrial development.”
At present, DOST has assisted three established TBIs in the Davao Region namely, the UPGraDE program of UP Mindanao, the UMasenso Hub of the University of Mindanao, and AGILab by the University of Southeastern Philippines.