by admin | Aug 9, 2017 | Tech Talk
In its fifth year, the annual Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) international tech and startup confab encourages more corporates to connect with the local startup and technology community and jumpstart their digital innovation.
Connect with PH startup community
“Our bigger goal is to bring the right minds together to connect and initiate value-centric conversations,” said Robert Cristobal, TechTalks.ph Chief Content Officer and Singapore-based Frame316.com Founder.
Cristobal explains that events like GOAB brings together corporates, technical experts (geeks), and startups, with the merging of these unique environments contributing to programs that compels institutions to adopt digital and innovative insights that increase value of their bottom line.
Innovators and startups, also called tech entrepreneurs, are also challenged to create products and services that serve today’s business and societal needs while improving enterprises and livelihoods for the future.
Under the “tech for good” mindset, GOAB also aims to highlight creative ways to address environmental concerns due to this year’s venue in Palawan.
A non-profit, independent community of business, tech, and startup enthusiasts, TechTalks.ph aims to offer valuable programs to help startups or innovation-driven enterprises to succeed and increase the number of tech professionals in the country.
GOAB is expected to draw an estimated 500 participants along with some of the biggest names of the tech, design, and startup world from across the world in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines on August 24-25, 2017.
“For corporates and traditional businesses, GOAB can mean access to as much resources as they can in terms of innovation in tech and design, an area that their existing infrastructures may have challenges acquiring,” said Cristobal.
He cites examples of those that may benefit from GOAB, including a giant transnational corporation seeking a breakthrough in virtual reality technology or a healthcare company planning to build a mobile app that makes diagnosis accessible real-time.
“Opportunities are endless if corporate decision makers would have access to designers, developers and investors. GOAB amplifies that connection, streamlines the process and humanizes the effort to collaborate,” said Cristobal.
Jumpstart digital innovation
TechTalks founder Tina Amper said this year’s GOAB will feature a special series of talks just for corporates and businesses wishing to jumpstart their digital innovation.
She said this is for businesses that want to incorporate automated processes and tools, use software to reach out to new customers and expand profits, harness the power of social media and digital marketing techniques to increase revenue and boost their branding, and partner with experienced and trusted digital experts.
Amper explained that a special track entitled “Corporate Digital Transformation” workshop that could potentially be useful in their respective industries.
Specific topics will include digital literacy for CEOs and decision makers, social media for business, finding your unique brand system (UBS), updating business models and branding in a digital world, and a corporate-startup encounter.
“Corporates should not miss this chance to get instant results and added-value at GOAB. Join us in Palawan,” said Amper.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), which has expressed interest in investing in startups will also have one of its directors, Engr. Ramon D. Escueta, grace Geeks on a Beach in Palawan as a keynote speaker. Engr. Escueta is the President of Asia-Pacific Business and Industrial System and Founder/President of APSYS Solutions Technology, Inc.
PLDT, Smart, Voyager, PayMaya, ePLDT, Smart DevNet, PLDT Enterprise, and PLDT Innolab, and Ideaspace are supporting GOAB as co-presenters while ASPACE Philippines is co-producer. GOAB is held in partnership with the City Government of Puerto Princesa, Palaweño ICT Association, and DOST-PCIEERD. The official airline partner is Philippines Airasia and the official ticketing partner is Ticketbase. The silver sponsors include Payoneer, Zalora, PouchNATION, Istorya.net, Synergy 88 Digital, Uniform Solutions, Temasys, and AtoX Solutions. The bronze sponsors are NXTLVL Academy, LabPH, Spring Valley Corporation, North Ridge Partners, Amazon Web Services, Eastern Communications, Startechup, and Gobi Partners.
The media partners are e27, Tech in Asia, Bohol News Daily by Auza.net, InnoPub Media, Geeks in Cambodia, Asian Journal Publications, Balikbayan Magazine, Mobile Ecosystem Forum, ConnectedWomen.co, QueenCityCebu.com, GMA News Online, and MyTV Channel Network. The organizational partners are the Philippine Software Industry Association, National ICT Confederation of the Philippines, UP CeBuinIT, Digital Commerce Association of the Philippines, Developers Connect, Science and Technology Advisory Council – Silicon Valley, Mynimo, Teradoor, Israel Chamber of Commerce Philippines, and the Cloud Security Alliance Philippines. GOAB is supported by Purple Cow, Orange Hub and iSkwelahan.com.
GOAB is organized by TechTalks.ph, powered by Sym.ph, branding by Happy Garaje, and pr by PRWorks. For registration or partnership information or further details, visit www.GeeksOnABeach.com, follow on Twitter/Facebook Geeks On A Beach, or contact hello@GeeksOnABeach.com.
by admin | Jul 29, 2017 | Tech Talk
A nascent mobile game producer from Bohol has released a new title: Tarsier A CUTE!, now available on Google Play.
Its casual puzzle gameplay was designed around the concept of conservation, the aim being to increase the population of the endangered Philippine Tarsier. In the game the male tarsier must avoid dangers to reach the female; if successful a baby is produced. This makes the scoring revolve around the count of babies, critters that can be viewed jumping around in the title screen.
Notably, 50% of in-app purchases from the Game will be donated to the Philippine Tarsier Foundation Inc.. They run a successful eight hectare sanctuary in Corella, Bohol.
The concept of the game was first brought into being at a two day Game Development workshop held by BCITC, BIPC and Techtalks.ph in June. The instructors, Ben and Mariel, with help from with the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary, polished the resulting game. The game devs hope to commercialize their work under the brand ‘Two Reelers’. In addition to producing original titles they offer game development services to clients who have a concept but need help with making it a reality. They can be contacted at
info@tworeelers.com.
The Game can be downloaded free from Google Play for Android and will be available for the iPhone sometime in August.
by admin | Jul 20, 2017 | Tech Talk
Tech startups from around the world are invited to join the 3rd Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) international pitchfest and submit their online applications on or before the contest deadline on July 31, 2017.
The startup competition focused on innovative tech ideas, which has become an annual fixture at the GOAB confab, will be giving out US$1,000 micro fund and a GOAB designer trophy to the winner.
The GOAB 2017 international pitchfest will be held on August 25, 2017 as part of this year’s GOAB international tech and startup conference that will be held for the first time in Palawan, Philippines.
“The GOAB pitchfest is open to all early stage tech startups with revenue and traction. Submit your applications and get the chance to pitch your product to potential investors on the GOAB stage,” said Tina Amper, TechTalks founder and GOAB lead organizer.
The pitchfest is open to all startups less than 3 years old and at the early stage with revenue for at least 6 months. However, only startups with a functional prototype or production-level products for demonstration are eligible to participate.
The announcement of the top 5 startups, which will be invited to pitch in person during the GOAB confab, will be on August 4. The winning teams must be able to attend in person in order to pitch at GOAB.
“While it’s true that pitching does not guarantee that your startup will get funded. The act of pitching in a public venue is a step forward in getting you publicity, support, and feedback from the community,” said Amper.
She said GOAB pitchfest is the best venue to build a relationship with the right mentor or investor who understands a startup’s niche or boost its chances to make it big by ensuring that their product meets rigorous public expectations.
GOAB conference ticket discounts will also apply to the first 20 teams who will apply for the pitchfest. They will receive the promo code when they complete your application. However, all startups are responsible for their own airfare and accommodation.
PLDT, Smart, Voyager, PayMaya, ePLDT, Smart DevNet, PLDT Enterprise, and PLDT Innolab are supporting GOAB as co-presenters while ASPACE Philippines is co-producer. GOAB is held in partnership with the City Government of Puerto Princesa and Palaweño ICT Association. The official airline partner is Philippines Airasia and the official ticketing partner is Ticketbase. The silver sponsors include Payoneer, Zalora, PouchNATION, Istorya.net, Synergy 88 Digital, Uniform Solutions, and AtoX Solutions. The bronze sponsors are NXTLVL Academy, LabPH, Spring Valley Corporation, NorthRidge Partners, and Amazon Web Services.
The media partners are e27, Tech in Asia, Bohol News Daily by Auza.net, Innopub Media, Geeks in Cambodia, Asian Journal Publications, Balikbayan Magazine, Mobile Ecosystem Forum, ConnectedWomen.co and QueenCityCebu.com, The organizational partners are the Philippine Software Industry Association, the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines, UP CeBuinIT, Digital Commerce Association of the Philippines, Developers Connect, Science and Technology Advisory Council – Silicon Valley, Mynimo, Teradoor, Israel Chamber of Commerce Philippines, and the Cloud Security Alliance Philippines. GOAB is supported by Orange Hub and iSkwelahan.com.
GOAB is organized by TechTalks.ph, powered by Sym.ph, branding by Happy Garaje, and pr by PRWorks. For registration or partnernship information or further details, visit www.GeeksOnABeach.com, follow on Twitter/Facebook Geeks On A Beach, or contact hello@GeeksOnABeach.com.
by admin | Jul 4, 2017 | Tech Talk
JCentre Convention Hall was fully booked and action packed as more than 1000 students, developers, tech enthusiasts attended this year’s Google I/O Extended.
Remembering Google I/O Extended 2015 with 50 attendees and Google I/O Extended 2016 that multiplied to 500 participants, this year’s Google I/O Extended did not just match its previous count but also doubled the population with a total of 1036 participants.
The whole day event was composed of a series of keynotes, talks, breakout sessions, and workshops on topics such as Internet of Things, Firebase, Progressive Web Apps, AR and VR, Machine Learning and TensorFlow, Android: Kotlin, Accelerated Mobile Pages, Polymer and 2017’s Web Trends.
The event was organized by Google Developers Group Cebu (GDG Cebu), a non-profit group of amateurs and professionals in Cebu’s developer community who are passionate about Google technologies. The I/O Extended Roadshow is made possible by its General Sponsor: Google, Event Partners: ASUS & ZenFone AR and Accenture, In-Cooperation with Kyocera Document Solutions Development Philippines Inc., with support from Symph, event’s Official Internet Provider, Globe – GoWiFi, and its Official Media Partner, PR Works.
There was also a part of the program where the sponsors also had a chance to share their latest products and company culture with the participants such as ASUS introducing ZenFone AR and Accenture talking about opportunities at their company. Sponsors also setted up a booth for attendees to get to see and try their exhibits.
The I/O Extended Roadshow kicked off in Cebu, while there is a plan for GDG Cebu to go to other areas such as Bohol, Dumagete and Tacloban. For more information about I/O Extended Cebu 2017 and other upcoming events of GDG Cebu, you can go to their website at gdgcebu.org or the event site at ioextended.gdgcebu.org. You may also follow their social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ under GDGCebu.
by admin | Jun 16, 2017 | Tech Talk
Helping raise roughly $40 million for a Silicon Valley company before it produced its first intelligent wearable headset is just one of several feats for this Filipino-American for a serial entrepreneur and “World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer” awardee.
Yobie Benjamin can talk about several amazing things during the 5th Geeks on a Beach (GOAB 5) in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on August 24-25, said Tina Amper of TechTalks.ph and organizer of this annual tech startup event in the Philippines.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is GOAB co-organizer. TechTalks.ph members Happy Garaje is responsible for branding; PRworks for media and public relations; and Sym.ph for web development of Geeks on a Beach.
“We hope the presence of Benjamin will inspire local startups and M SMEs. But more important, we are looking forward to having this global technology leader to interact with industry leaders and the startup community to drive action for the betterment of the Philippines and the world. GOAB continues to aim for measurable impact by facilitating potential projects and business deals not only for individual companies but also for the Philippine startup ecosystem,” Amper said.
For starters, Amper pointed out that this former political prisoner during the Marcos dictatorship days raised $40 million for Avegant, the company that makes and sells the Avegant virtual reality video headset and Skully, an intelligent motorcycle helmet that helps you see what is happening at the back, receive and make calls, and communicate with nearby vehicles.
Benjamin recently raised $18.5 million for Token that provides software to banks that enables them to issue a new payment type designed specifically for use in the digital era.
According to Amper, Geeks on a Beach gathers hundreds of technology entrepreneurs and professionals along with concerned government agencies to also look at ways of leveraging technology to help address Philippine social and environmental problems.
Amper said, this former political prisoner’s social concerns can be seen in his involvement in yet another company that is developing the ability to perform 50 diagnostic tests using only a drop of blood. This service, he said in a talk at Stanford University in Silicon Valley, will soon be given for free to whole populations in return for big data.
In Kenya, Benjamin is involved in Wildlife Works that sells carbon credits for protecting the rainforest and wildlife from poachers. The poachers, he said, included Al Shabbab terrorists. In Brazil, Benjamin’s company applied the same business model to mobilize the coastal population to protect mangrove forests.
Geeks on a Beach has partnered with the City of Puerto Princesa in Palawan. Known for its environmental advocacy, the city is the location of the world-famous underground river. The Tubbataha Reef, one of the world’s biggest ecosystem, is located some 92 nautical miles southeast of Puerto Princesa.
PLDT Innolab is supporting GOAB 5 as co-presenter while A Space is co-producer. The sponsors include Payoneer, Zalora, PouchNATION, Istorya.net, Synergy 88 Digital, Uniform Solutions, and NXTLVL Academy.
The media partners are e27, Tech in Asia, Auza.net, Innopub Media, Geeks in
Cambodia, Asian Journal Publications, Balikbayan Magazine, Mobile Ecosystem Forum, QueenCityCebu.com, and ConnectedWomen.co.
The organizational partners are the Philippine Software Industry Association, the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines, UP CebuINIT, Digital Commerce Association of the Philippines, Developers Connect, Science and Technology Advisory Council – Silicon Valley, Mynimo, Teradoor, Israel Chamber of Commerce Philippines, and the Cloud Security Alliance Philippines.
GOAB is organized by TechTalks.ph, powered by Sym.ph, branding by Happy Garaje, and pr by PRWorks.
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by admin | Jun 13, 2017 | DTI Updates, Tech Talk
The fabrication laboratory (FabLab), a design co-creation platform in Bohol supporting Philippine micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) was cited among the top winners in an annual competition for start-up businesses using science and technology for innovative ideas.
Bohol FabLab won 200,000 yen prize money from THK, a Japanese-listed company in the Tokyo Stock Exchange who will then collaborate with FabLab for a development project involving the latter’s upcycling facility.
The award was among those given in the Tech Planter competition organized by a venture firm based in Japan Leave A Nest Co. Ltd meant for hardware makers that leverage science and technology for innovative business ideas. Same competitions are also held in countries like Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Aside from FabLab’s upcycling project, other winning teams introduced innovations such as using light pigmented ube (purple yam) for commercial use, a mind-based alert system for paralysed patients, and a vending machine for over-the-counter medicines or first aid.
“Winning the competition gives Bohol Fablab and its beneficiaries the opportunity to partner with other companies and scale up its operations,” said Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV) Shiro Takaki who mentored and coordinated the Bohol FabLab participation in the competition.
The contest saw the potential of Bohol FabLab’s heat press machine, an upcycling equipment developed by Takaki to form new products from waste materials like plastic.
Global luxury brand Louis Vuitton already expressed interest to source materials for the interior designs of their boutique from the FabLab.
Established in 2014, the Bohol FabLab began as a development cooperation initiative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) JOCV Program, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Bohol, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and Bohol Island State University (BISU).
About 135 manufacturers in Bohol initially became part of FabLab who benefited from the platform by enabling them to make product prototypes faster, create scale models, illustrate graphic designs, combine local materials, and even mass produce products.
“The award gives FabLab Bohol opportunity to use technology in helping the community and environment through our plastic upcycling project,” said Alfred Vicere, staff of Bohol FabLab.
FabLab technical manager and BISU instructor Jerome Manatad added that ‘the prize will give chance to also commercialize the heat press to benefit more MSMEs and communities.’
Already, a women’s group in Barangay Cogon, Bohol are using the heat press machine to create souvenir items from recycled plastic, a livelihood project supported by another JOCV.
FabLab is a concept that began in Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to help grassroots communities translate their design ideas into physical forms with help of computers. The concept was such a success that it already has a global network including USA, Kenya, and Afghanistan.
The Bohol FabLab encouraged the Philippine government through DTI to set up more of its kind in other parts of the country as part of MSME development.
(From left to right) Shohei Maekawa, President of Leave a Nest UK; Kihoko Tokue, President of Leave a Nest Singapore; Yukihiro Maru, Founder and CEO Leave a Nest Co., Ltd.; Jerome Manatad, Fablab Bohol Technical Manager; Shiro Takaki, JICA volunteer; Makiko Deguchi, JICA volunteer; and Katrina Rausa Chan, Director QBO Innovation Hub during the awarding ceremony at the Tech Planter competition
