PH CONSULATE IN SAN FRANCISCO MEETS ENGINEERING AND INNOVATION LEADERS AT UP AND AI STARTUP AMINI
DILIMAN, QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES – Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Ferrer recently met with engineering and innovation leaders at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Sustaining Collaboration in an Advanced Learning Environment (UPSCALE Innovation Hub) at the National Engineering Center of the University of the Philippines (UP), to discuss potential collaboration especially in fostering innovation in the areas of startup development and artificial intelligence.
“We look forward to cooperating with UPSCALE Innovation Hub and other stakeholders in fostering innovation and AI advancements that can contribute to national development,” said Consul General Ferrer.
UPSCALE Project Lead Dr. Luis Sison presented the work of UPSCALE and its current cooperation with other innovation hubs in the country. He also welcomed collaboration with the Consulate General in San Francisco.
The discussions focused on various areas for collaboration, such as facilitating and providing opportunities for Philippine startups and innovators, including in terms of mentoring, access to global markets, among others.
Among those who attended the meetings and welcomed Consul General Ferrer and Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona were: UP Diliman College of Engineering Dean Dr. Maria Antonia Tanchuling; UP Engineering Research and Development Foundation Inc. (UP ERDFI) Executive Director Alfonso Aliga Jr.; UP ERDFI Chairman Alex Sy Sun Eng; UPERDFI Co-Chair of the Innovation Committee and UPSCALE Senior Partner Chico Mantaring; UP Department of Computer Science’s Computer Vision and Machine Intelligence Group Professor Dr. Prospero Naval; UP Marine Science Institute’s Dr. Deo Florence Onda; Dr. Miguel Francisco Remolona; innovation and leadership coach Jimbo Reverente; UP System’s Technology Transfer and Business Development Office’s Aubrey Diane Francisco; DOST Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development’s (PCIEERD) Technology Transfer Officer Engr. Mark Joshua Halili; and UP NEC Deputy Director Dr. Czar Jakiri Sarmiento.
On 17 July 2024, AI-native startup Amini, represented by Founder and CEO Kate Kallot and Head of Platforms Zoe Cayetano, also met with key members of UP’s AI program leaders. They discussed potential areas for Global South collaboration. Amini has collaborations with the Government of Barbados, and several technology companies and universities, among others. Nairobi-based Amini is a deeptech company that harnesses space technology and AI to address data scarcity and revolutionize sustainable agriculture and foster climate resilience, among other use cases.
Among the groups that presented in the meeting were UP SikLab (Saliksik Lab), which is a professional development center for Filipino researchers and faculty members.
The DOST PCIEERD and the UP ERDFI supports the studies and work of students towards innovation. UP ERDFI also grants aids in prototyping research and development as well as capstone projects by students that offer societal benefits. END
From left to right (seated) : Dr. Luis Sison Project Lead at UPSCALE Innovation Hub, Dr. Maria Antonia N. Tanchuling, Dean of UP Diliman College of Engineering, Consul General Neil R. Ferrer, Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona, UP ERDFI Chairman Alex Sy Sun Eng.
From left to right (standing): Ms. Aubrey Diane Francisco, UP System – Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, Ms. Sab Sabido from UPSCALE, UPSCALE Senior Partner Chico Mantaring, Ms. Margarita Caparas of UPSCALE, Dr. Prospero Naval, Professor of Computer Vision and Machine Intelligence Group, Department of Computer Science, Dr. Deo Florence Onda from UP’s Marine Science Institute, Dr. Miguel Francisco Remolona, Innovation and Leadership Coach Jose Emmanuel Reverente, UPERDFI Executive Director Alfonso Aliga Jr., Ms. Aubrey Diane Francisco, UP System – Technology Transfer and Business Development Office, Engr. Mark Joshua Halili, Technology Transfer Officer, DOST PCIEERD, Ms. Norika Ishikawa, UP ERDFI Deputy Executive Director.
From left to right : Dr. Luis Sison Project Lead at UPSCALE Innovation Hub, UP ERDFI Chairman Alex Sy Sun Eng, UPERDFI Executive Director Alfonso Aliga Jr., General Neil R. Ferrer, Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona, Dr. Maria Antonia N. Tanchuling, Dean of UP Diliman College of Engineering.
From left to right: Ms. Norika Ishikawa, UP ERDFI Deputy Executive Director, Dr. Miguel Francisco Remolona, Consul Vanessa Bago-Llona, UPERDFI Executive Director Alfonso Aliga Jr., Amini Head of Platforms Ms. Zoe Cayetano, Amini CEO and founder Ms. Kate Kallot, UPSCALE Senior Partner Chico Mantaring, Dr. Prospero Naval, Professor of Computer Vision and Machine Intelligence Group from the Department of Computer Science, and UP National Engineering Center Deputy Director Dr. Czar Jakiri Sarmiento