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PASAY CITY, November 26, 2018 - Just this November 24-26, the DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) in partnership with the CIOF (Chief Information Officers Forum) Foundation Inc. held Hack4PH: The 1st Philippine eGovernment Innovation Challenge at the Heritage Hotel, Pasay City, Manila.
Kezar Innovations Pte. Ltd was one of the major event sponsors pooling in a total of Php 400,000 worth in cash prizes. Twenty-nine teams had competed for four (4) major categories; Hack2Play - enriching travel experience, Hack2Work - allowing telecommuting to work, Hack2Learn - digitizing public information, and lastly, Hack2Live - achieving zero hunger, where each winning team received Php 100,000. The competing teams were comprised of a mix of students, developers, educators, and even professionals with minimal IT backgrounds. The winners are Team Beeyahe for Hack2Play, Team Sapantaha for Hack2Work, Team openAPI.gov.ph for Hack2Learn, and Team Agriculturice for Hack2Live. Alongside these grand winners, there were two groups given special prizes, Team DYIPers from Provisional Team 2A was awarded an iPad from MDI, and the Team One Pinas received Php 15,000 from Sagesoft.
Edward Solicito, the CEO of Kezar Innovations, talked about the nature of the Filipino innovations firm, and how they focused on design and development. Kezar Innovations is a Filipino venture builder startup that currently manages businesses; Kezar 3D - deals with 3D printing, designing and prototyping, it is the largest 3D printing facilities in South Luzon as of present, StudyPlay - a Filipino educational toy company, Trakaro - the first sustainability rating platform for establishments and attractions, and Kezar Atlas - a mobile app and web design and development company that can launch said products in just 60 days. Kezar Innovation’s CFO and co-founder, Paul Galacan, CMO, Sean Lacar, COO, Katherine Chua, and Director of Sales, Jo Anne Paril were all present during this event to meet the attending young Filipino innovators.
The guiding framework for the hackathon was Ambisyon Natin 2040 where Ms. Nerrisa Esguerra stated that the theme is that “the participants of Hack4PH are to be tested on their ability to come up without of the box solutions, to make long term visions into a reality.” It is competitions like this that challenge people to become more innovative and transformative in work and in the community.
Two weeks before the competition, Kezar Innovations’ Trakaro General Manager, Paul Galacan, conducted a workshop and breakout session for the participants of Hack4PH on “How to Startup”. The workshop encompassed everything from ideation, problem-solving, scouting possible competition, pitching to investors for funding, finding a network, creating a revenue model, choosing your team, up to the final steps of execution.
Alongside Kezar Innovations, Unionbank, ISI Icomteq, SMS Global technologies Inc, Hitachi and Cisco are also major sponsors of the event. The following companies partnered with the DICT for the event: Outsystems, Nokia, Microsoft, Curiosity, Pondr, Asian Institute of Management, Kickfire Kitchen, Globe, American Technologies Inc., and Micro D International. The following organizations are challenge-owners: NEDA, PCOO-FOI, National Nutrition Council, TIEZA, Institute for Labor Studies.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Kezar Innovations Pte. Ltd. is a Filipino design and development firm that transforms innovative ideas into profitable businesses through its strong network of innovators, designers, engineers, businessmen, and investors. Kezar Innovations was founded by graduates of Asian Institute of Management’s Master of Science in Innovation and Business program and was incorporated in Singapore on March 26, 2018.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) shall be the primary policy, planning, coordinating, implementing, and administrative entity of the Executive Branch of the government that will plan, develop and promote the national ICT development agenda. (RA 10844)
MEDIA CONTACT
Kezar Innovations Pte. Ltd
Sean Sigfred A. Lacar
Chief Marketing Officer
+63 915 715 8082