Ilocos Region’s local agri-food products, developed through research and development (R&D) of state colleges and universities (SUCs) in the region, were virtually pitched by trained technology transfer officers to potential investors and industry partners.
Potential investors and industry partners from various private food companies and local government officers such as Ilocos Norte Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Provincial Director, Dr. Rosario Q. Qoudala and Ilocos Norte Trade and Investment Promotions Center (INVEST) provincial head, Ms. Soya Bueno, also attended the pitch day.
Among the products pitched include the following: pickled native egg, seaweed cracker, and multi-fuel dryer of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU); NLPSTea and KAPI: 3-in-1 Coffee Drink of the North Luzon Philippines State College (NLPSC); mungbean cereal flakes, baked tupig, and electric plug cover of the Pangasinan State University (PSU); seaweed ice cream, breadfruit tart, and longganisaba of the University of Northern Philippines (UNP); and Nutri & Deli dragon fruit cupcake, D’Paltat meatloaf, Haishen sea cucumber dumplings, and Canistel steamed cake from Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College - Main Campus (ISPSC).
Pitch day as part of SUC’s capability training
The virtual pitching activity culminates the four-day virtual seminar writeshop on Technology Commercialization joined by the faculty and full-time researchers among the Intellectual Property and Technology Business Management (IP-TBM) offices of the Ilocos Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (ILAARRDEC). The virtual seminar-writeshop on technology commercialization and pitch day for faculty and full-time researchers among IP-TBM offices of ILAARRDEC’s member institutions was held on July 19-23 and 26, 2021.
The activity was supported by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) as part of the project, “Sustaining MMSUs IP-TBM Office and Enhancing IP-TBM Offices among member agencies of the Ilocos Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (ILAARRDEC),” funded by the Council.
IP-TBM staff and graduates of the Intellectual Property Master Class and Technology Commercialization Mentorship Series also served as resource speakers. Testimonials on successful technology business incubation and management were also shared.
The activity aims to capacitate faculty, full-time researchers, and all other research team members to strengthen technology commercialization in the region. At the end of the training program, the participants are expected to: 1) Prepare the marketing and business plans of their intellectual property (IP) protected technologies; 2) Calculate the value of their IP using the income method, cost method, and market method; and 3) Pitch their products/technologies and forge partnerships with potential investors during the Technology Pitch Day.
The virtual activity was headed and organized by the Region 1 mentor-agency, MMSU, in collaboration with the five mentee-agencies from the Ilocos Region - Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU), ISPSC, NLPSC, PSU, and UNP. Respective agency heads, officials, and staff of the six state colleges and universities (SUCs) supported and attended the program.
In his message, DOST PCAARRD’s Technology Transfer and Promotion Division (TTPD) Director Noel A. Catibog encouraged the participants to actively participate in the training program.
At the end of the activity, three best pitches and best posters were awarded as follows:
Pitch
1st Baked tupig: glutinous rice cake (PSU)
2nd Pickled native egg (MMSU)
3rd Canistel steamed cake (ISPSC)
Poster
1st D’Paltat loaf (ISPSC)
2nd Haishen sea cucumber dumplings (ISPSC)
3rd Canistel steamed cake (ISPSC)