The first Startup Weekend in Cagayan de Oro just concluded last July 13, 2014 after a 54 hours of brain grinding. Over 100 plus people in the region gathered at the Capitol University that compose of developers, designers, marketers, students, and also budding entrepreneurs. They pitched, developed, and launched their startup ideas over the whole weekend.
Startup Weekend is a global grassroots movement that started in Boulder, Colorado back in 2007. It brought together entrepreneurs who brainstormed and created a startup in 54 hours. It was acquired by Marc Nager and Clint Nelsen in 2010 and that was when it became a not-for-profit organization aimed at helping inspire and develop startups. Its headquarters is in Seattle, Washington. Last weekend’s Startup Weekend is the first in Cagayan de Oro, although over 1,000 events have already unfolded in different parts of the world. Previous Startup Weekends have been held in Manila, Cebu, Bohol, and Bacolod.
At the end of the weekend on sunday the judges decide the final winners. Aside from the top three winners, some teams were also given special prizes. Here are the list of winners including those who got special mentions:
Special Mentions/Special Prizes:
- Store2Door
- E Billution
- Fastlane
- Abroad Pinoy
- Idea Camp
SWCDO major winners are the following:
2nd Runner Up – Abroad Pinoy
The team compose of Junry delos Santos, Doridel Cahanap, Laurence de Dios, Ronel Bongga, Sittie Fahmiah Hassan, Johayra Macaronsing, and Analiah Ismael
1st Runner Up – Zayd
The team compose of Zein Eiryn Tolentino, Marie Danilene Bulosan, Queen Rachael Camel Megio
Champion – Idea Camp
The team compose of Marl Ian Dionaldo, Aaron Lee Yap, and Paul Ouano
AbroadPinoy is a one-stop site designed for Filipinos looking for a job abroad and for employers that will allow a video interview all within the site.
Zayd.com is an online shopping site uniquely designed for the Muslim community which offer to sell online hard to find Muslim items. Zayd is from a Muslim word that means “Abundance”.
Finally the winning team, Idea Camp is quite similar to Kickstarter where crowdfunding is the concept but is tailor fit for the Filipino people to make their dreams come true.
Judges and Mentors
The first Startup Weekend Cagayan de Oro had the support and participation of distinguished people. Teams were mentored by industry leaders and prime movers. Lionel Amarado (General Manager of Innovuze Solutions, Inc), Tina Amper (TechTalks.ph founder), Raymundo Reyes (Executive Vice President of COC-Phinma), Eric Clark Su (Co-founder & CEO of Twidl Inc), Jeedo Aquino (CFO of RedLemon Digital Media), Marvin Consuegra (Designer of Lighting Web Apps), Dan Albert A. Pacquiao (Vice President of Cleversoft Inc), and Ferdie Macatangay (Country Channels Manager of SWG at IBM) coached the SWCDO teams.
SWCDO’s distinguished panel of judges included developers, designers, directors, CEOs, and startup founders who are also considered prime movers in their fields. Robert Smith, Director for IT and Marketing of iZone Technologies, sat in the judges’ table with Calen Legaspi, CEO and co-founder of Orange and Bronze Software Labs; Alvin Gendrano, Director, Developer and Platform Evangelism of Microsoft Philippines; Todd Grannis, CEO of VISP Inc and President of Cleversoft Inc; Daisy Tiu, co-founder of Dataworld Computer Center; and the Local Economic Investment Promotions Officer of Cagayan de Oro, Ms. Eileen San Juan. Ms. San Juan delivered a message from Mayor Oscar Moreno, who vowed to continue supporting the IT community in Cagayan de Oro.
The 3-day event was facilitated by Dulce Rose Lada, co-founder, CEO, and Creative Head of Crea8tech Solutions; and DevCon’s (Developers Connect) Haifa Carina S. Baluyos.
Premier sponsors for the 54-hour event were Ideaspace and Capitol University. Platinum sponsors were Microsoft and Arriba Telecontact. Silver Sponsors included Bohemian Express Travel and Tours, InDinero, Firefox, Syntactics, RedLemon Digital Media, Airbnb, All I Want, Barato, Interpace, FBC Business Solutions, Centrio Mall, Ayala Malls, COC-Phinma, Foundersuite, and Universal Robina Corporation. Media sponsors were The Cagayan de Oro Times, Clix, Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce, Magic 89.3, CDO Bloggers, iNewMedia, and GMA Northern Mindanao.
Cagayan de Oro’s first Startup Weekend was organized by the CDO-ICT Business Council, Developers Connect, Ideaspace, TechTalks.ph, and the DOST-ICTO.
The success of the first Startup Weekend in Cagayan de Oro is a good sign of a thriving and promising IT community that may someday join the successful startups from around the world. I like to Congratulate the organizers, participants, and winners of the first Startup Weekend in Cagayan de Oro City.
