Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao students John Lloyd Gumahad, Cyrus Mari Lopez, and Therese Rose Lao (Team ExceRel), together with Mentor Mr. Lindy Paul Aldaba, competed in the Grand Finals of the Cintana-ASU International Competition held in NorthCap University last February 20 to 23, 2023, in New Delhi, India.
The International Student Start-Up Idea Competition is a Cintana Education initiative with NorthCap University and Universitas Esa Unggul, Indonesia. Participants pitch their startup ideas around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at development with the improved economic welfare of the community.
This contest is part of the exposure students can experience with their schools’ collaboration with ASU. The International Student Start-Up Idea Competition is a great opportunity that students have when they enroll in programs that are in collaboration with Cintanu-ASU. With this partnership, Mapúa MCM wishes to continue to build professionals, and mold the future leaders of our industry by providing unique opportunities to the students.
Various student teams from the Philippines, Indonesia, Ecuador, Montenegro, and India presented their most innovative, impactful, and action-oriented start-up ideas to the jury.
The jury consisted of Rick Shangraw, President of Cintana Education; Dr. Vijay Arora, Chief Executive Officer, IGDTUW Anveshan Foundation; Mr. Kavindra Taliyan, Chief Executive Officer, Atal Incubation Centre, JNUFI; and Vishal Chadha, Former AVP & Head Net New Business, HCL Technologies.
One of the program’s highlights was the three masterclass sessions conducted by industry CEOs who taught the participants about networking opportunities, how to help them nurture entrepreneurial skills, and refine their prototypes and ideas.
“The most valuable experiences at NCU were the industry masterclass and cultural immersion in India. It made us more knowledgeable about their culture, which probably compares to what we have here in our institution or the system,” commented Mr. Aldaba.
Team ExceRel’s entrepreneurial proposal entitled “Foodiety” is a software application providing consumers with sustainable supply options, real-time data, and information regarding the goods and materials of the stores around the locality. It revolves around six features: Market Availability Accessibility, Supplier to Market Connection, Real-time Supply Updates, Price Comparisons, Flexible Accessibility, and Quality Control.
The team entered the competition through a series of eliminations—first, a screening among all the Mapúa MCM college students. Then, after winning the first round, they underwent another elimination among all the Mapúa schools.
As for future developments of their Foodiety proposal, the team aims to have an actual product to showcase as it is an advantage. The team is also looking forward to eventually catering to the public on a larger scale with their idea.
John Lloyd Gumahad remarked that the opportunity to represent the school and the Philippines was one of the driving forces that allowed them to persevere and find a way. The team also recognizes the additional help they received from other Mapúa MCM staff and faculty such as Ms. Kara Braga and Mr. Leopoldo Aquino from the Office of Corporate Partnerships (OCP) in helping secure the requirements and venues for their practices.
They also recognize the support the team received from Mr. Roger James Plasabas, Head of the Institute of Credentialing Excellence and Lifelong Learning (ICELL), and Dr. Jose Paolo Y. Mack, Dean of the Alfonso T. Yuchengco College of Business (ATYCB) in finalizing their proposal.
Although Therese was not able to join her team in India, she still did her part while presenting in the Global Classroom. “The global classroom actually looked a lot similar to the classrooms that they have in NCU,” she shared.
Therese added that the different facilities present in the Global Classroom made it easier for her to present during the pitch, and how this helped to project her ideas to the panel on the other side of the screen.
As part of their immersion, the students went on a cultural and social trip to India’s most famous landmarks, such as the Taj Mahal and Historical Delhi. The members agreed that this was one of the highlights of their trip.
“This Cintana competition was so wonderful that it left us with the impression that we should strive harder and prepare more for the next competitions,” shared Mr. Lindy Paul Aldaba, the team’s mentor. “It was a great experience because it helped us to collaborate and network with other institutions, leaving us with a remarkable moment.”
John Lloyd Gumahad added that the Cintana experience widened his perspective on how big the world is, with the different types of cultures they experienced during their collaboration with Cintana Education and NorthCap University.
With Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao collaborating with Arizona State University for its College of Health Sciences and Alfonso T. Yuchengco College of Business, students can access short-term immersive programs, semester exchanges, pathways, and summer programs that expose them to other countries. Locations for immersion and exchange programs will include not only ASU but also all colleges and universities affiliated with the ASU-Cintana Alliance.