As part of the most-awaited pitching competition in the region, the DOST ISU Smart City Technology Business Incubator (Smart City TBI) officially onboarded the top 10 finalists for the iDeaTech Challenge through two days of online learning sessions, facilitated by UNLEASH, held via Zoom, September 25-26. These online learning sessions guided participants through topics ranging from design thinking to pitch preparation, aimed at enhancing their proposed ideas and exploring potential pivots.

The Smart City TBI’s role in tech commercialization of Smart City Solutions and Technologies, along with its services to aspiring homegrown startups in the region, was also presented during the sessions. Facilitators from the UNLEASH community were introduced, emphasizing the challenge’s integration of the UNLEASH methodology, which leverages best practices in human-centered design thinking.

The challengers are also required to attend UNLEASH Hacks, where they will be guided by UNLEASH facilitators from around the globe as they navigate the UNLEASH innovation process, including key stages such as problem framing, ideation, prototyping, and pitching.

In addition to panel discussions, startup Founders’ Fireside Chats, Tech Industry Talks, and Industry Exhibits, the iDeaTech Challenge 2024 will be one of the key highlights of Industry-Academe Congress on Technologies for Smart City (i-ACT4SmartCity). Student innovators from various Higher Education Institutions in the Cagayan Valley Region will pitch their innovative ideas utilizing Smart City Technologies.