Creative innovators recognized in Benilde Alumni Technopreneur Awards

Entrepreneurs and innovators whose young businesses promise potential for growth and future success in their respective industries were recognized at the recently concluded Benilde Alumni Technopreneur (BeAT) Awards.

Established in 2019 by the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) through the Center for Partnership Advancement (CPA), the BeAT Awards began as a platform to guide and honor startups which utilize technology to bridge entrepreneurship and social transformation.

It has since drawn homegrown talents across various disciplines, to include IT and digital media, business and marketing, tourism and hospitality, human resource development, and the creative industries.

In collaboration with the Hub of Innovation for Inclusion (HiFi) and Center for Intellectual Property Management (CIPM) — with aid from the Department of Science and Technology and generosity of HiFi benefactor and patron, Peter D. Garrucho, Jr., OBE — the initiative has grown into a launchpad which offers cash grants, business development support, and mentorships to assist founders to scale their missions.

Led by the CPA, this year’s edition commenced with a peer-driven boot camp which challenged, equipped, and connected the finalists for the realities of startup life.

The judging adapted a Shark Tank–style format, wherein the finalists presented their ideas to a panel composed of CWC Interiors President Fred Yuson, Paragon Brokerage Corp. President and Federation of La Salle Alumni Associations of the Philippines Chairman Henry Atayde, and marketing and advertising expert and former Benilde Center for Institutional Communications (CIC) Director Adie Peña.

The entries were screened based on technological innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, economic sustainability, and social, environmental and community impact. Their Benilde X factor — their ability to do “ordinary things extraordinarily well” — was likewise commended.

Mary Grace Silverio, Career Development Program scholar and Business Administration graduate, nabbed the Grand Trailblazing Beat Award for her Tambanokano Aqua Farms, a social enterprise which aims to revolutionize the mud crab aquaculture through sustainable Crab Condominium technology and Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS).

Ms. Silverio aims to empower coastal communities with high-yield and eco-friendly farming solutions which bridge the gap between seafood demand and responsible production. Her goal is to ensure a quality seafood supply while enhancing fishermen’s livelihoods and to promote marine conservation.

The Trailblazing Tech-for-Good recognition was granted to Interior Design alumna Lalaine Almoro. With Gussy Design, Inc., she elevates home styling through a tech-powered platform which delivers professional, quick, affordable, and seamless design services.

Amy Nayve, a homegrown talent from the Industrial Design Program, was hailed as the Trailblazing Creative Disruptor. She is the founder of Pumapapel PopUp Design Studio, the country’s first and only studio dedicated to paper engineering — transforming stories and blank sheets into moving works of art and brands into interactive experiences.

Finally, the Trailblazing Social Impact Award was bestowed upon Hospitality Management major Diana Joyce Lorenzo from the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (SHRIM). Through Unit 605 Coffee, Ms. Lorenzo serves mindfully crafted cold brew which is gentler on the gut and friendlier to the acidic.