The Rise of Bicolano Tech Talents and Start-ups
The region hosted a series of technology meet-ups that showcased its local tech enablers and builders.
Every time we hear the place called Bicol, Philippines, our minds are filled with thoughts about the famous Mayon Volcano (Albay), whale sharks (Sorsogon), the Peñafrancia Festival (Camarines Sur), and other tourist destinations and activities. But little did we know that Bicol is emerging as one of the active places in the Philippines in terms of start-up growth and technological innovation.
Despite the occasional angry spurts of the volcanos in the area and being battered by strong typhoons, Bicolano tech enablers and builders persevere in their passion to create innovative solutions for the Filipino community using different emerging technologies.
Now, Bicol is taking the spotlight as it showcased the rise of its talents and start-ups through a series of tech meet-ups.
Bicol Web3 Meet-up
The first event in the series, the Bicol Web3 Meet-up was conducted at The Avenue Plaza Hotel in Naga City, Camarines Sur on August 26, 2022. It was an assembly of blockchain technology and web3 enthusiasts, artists, gamers, and entrepreneurs. There were also representatives from the academe and the local government unit of Naga City.
The meet-up also hosted a panel discussion about relevant topics about blockchain and web3. The panel members were Jen Bilango (Corporate Strategy & Growth Lead, BlockchainSpace), Maria Kristine Joy Ibañez (Chief Operating Officer, SparkPoint Technologies), Kyle Jay Naron (Marketing Specialist, Ownly), Leslie Apongol (Chief Marketing Officer, MetaGaming Guild), and Melissa Mesias (Chief Executive Officer, SparkLearn EdTech).
Buildr Dinner
Daraga, Albay was the location of the second leg of the series. The Buildr Dinner was hosted at the Casa Lorenzo Food and Culture on August 27, 2022. The event started with a presentation on Internet Computer Protocol. Moreover, local tech start-ups in attendance were Argon Software and Nueca Technologies. Doormie and Quarta, both student-led start-ups from Bicol University, also joined the dinner event to gain insights from other founders and mentors.
The Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) Region V and Divine Word College of Legazpi (DWCL) were also present at the gathering of like-minded individuals in technology.
BlockchainSpace was the main organizer of the first two get-togethers with the Bicolano tech start-ups SparkPoint Technologies, Ownly, MetaGaming Guild, and SparkLearn EdTech as co-organizers. Internet Computer Protocol and PDAX supported the events as well.
BicolIT Tech Meet-up
After the strict COVID-19 lockdowns and virtual events, BicolIT is back to conducting real-life gatherings for its members of IT professionals, students, and enthusiasts on September 3, 2022.
The topics discussed were BicolIT Certification, membership perks, and upcoming events of the organization.
BicolIT is the biggest and the most active IT education advocacy organization in the Bicol region with 5000+ members. It aims to transform Bicol into a globally competitive Information Technology hub through education and technopreneurship.
Blockchain Developer Bootcamp Cohort 2
The second cohort of the Blockchain Developer Bootcamp started on September 5, 2022. The cohort members were welcomed through the Virtual Opening Program on the same date.
Ms. Emmy Lou Delfin, Director of ICT Industry Development Bureau of DICT, gave the opening remarks. She shared the plans of the Philippine Government when it comes to emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain Technology, Cloud Computing, and many more.
Blockchain Developer Bootcamp (BDB) is a 12-week online bootcamp focused on teaching the fundamental concepts and key tools in smart contract and decentralized application (dapp) development.
The bootcamp offers live office hours with mentors and multi-modal content, interactive exercises, and hands-on projects created by industry experts in blockchain technology.
The four tech meet-ups that spanned from August to September 2022 are just the beginning of transforming Bicol into a globally competitive hub for information technology (IT) and other emerging technologies through community building and mentorship.
Learn more about SparkLearn EdTech from the following links:
Official MOOC: lrn.ac
Twitter: lrn.ac/twitter
Facebook: lrn.ac/facebook
GitHub: lrn.ac/github
Instagram: lrn.ac/instagram
LinkedIn: lrn.ac/linkedin
YouTube: lrn.ac/youtube
