Startup Weekend CDO 2023: A Weekend of Innovation, Inspiration, and Entrepreneurial Excellence

The highly-anticipated Startup Weekend CDO returned this year, setting the city ablaze with entrepreneurial zeal from October 6th to 8th, 2023. This year’s event was a game-changer, offering innovators and aspiring entrepreneurs an exhilarating platform to breathe life into their groundbreaking ideas.

The event was packed with 54 hours of intense coding marathons to bring ideas to life. Participants had the opportunity to connect with brilliant minds and dive into a whirlwind of innovation.

One of the highlights of the event was the thrilling pitches and prizes for the winning teams. Participants had the chance to present their ideas in front of a panel of judges and compete for exciting prizes.

The event took place over three days at different venues. On Day 1 (October 6, 2023), it was held at USTP Gymnasium. The day started with the arrival of participants followed by dinner, opening remarks, fire pitch, voting for best ideas, team formation based on the best ideas, and team finalization and preparation for Day 2. Some of the standout ideas formulated during this phase included Axcel, Belly Bond, Paw Tah, Agzaar, Evac Now, Afds, Fanfare, Farmate, Pasahero, Cravin, and more.

On Day 2 (October 7, 2023), the event moved to Makerspace, LRC Bldg., USTP. The day began with a morning briefing with facilitators, followed by a hackathon, mentorship sessions, networking dinner, and recap and preparation for the next day. This day was particularly significant as mentors like Lionel Amarado, Mikko Anton Dagoc, Uma Roa, Keren Happuch Lacadin, Jonathan Agbayani, Wendel Nadela, Samantha Manales, LPT, Engr. Miriam Bergado, and Engr. John Raymund A. Mocorro guided the participants in shaping their ideas and projects.

On Day 3 (October 8, 2023), the event returned to the USTP Gymnasium. The day began with a morning briefing among facilitators, setting the tone for a day filled with innovation and excitement. The agenda included optional mentorship sessions with experienced mentors, final pitch dry runs, technical checks, and grand finale pitches. As the day unfolded, judges (Diogenes Pascua, Bimbo Gabor , Mark Nalupa) meticulously deliberated, considering the remarkable ideas and pitches put forth by the participating teams.

In the grand finale, the results were announced, and the winners emerged. Belly Bond – a Prenatal Monitoring Device for Rural Areas, was crowned the champion, led by its members: Mary Melody Gadiane, Engr. Allain Jessel Macas, Engr. Kristine Mae Dunque, Dr. Mycel Capilayan, Engr. Kristiane Pagurayan, and Jose Ederango Jr. Paw Tah secured the second position, and Axcel claimed the third spot, making it a truly memorable and successful event.

Startup Weekend CDO 2023 was indeed an electrifying event that brought together brilliant minds in a whirlwind of innovation. It provided a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality. We look forward to seeing what innovative ideas will come out of next year’s event!

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