COMMUNITY | Student ‘technopreneurs’ vie for innovation awards
Aspiring technopreneurs from various tertiary schools nationwide will soon get a chance to further develop their data analytics innovations and vie for over one million pesos worth of prizes. Smart Communications (Smart) has announced the Top 20 teams that will move on the semi-final round of the annual SWEEP Innovation and Excellence Awards.
Now on its 16th run, this year’s competition carries the theme #DrivenByData: Data Analytics In Action. Considered as the “modern oil” of different industries, data analytics involves the collection and processing of data to aid decision-makers in creating businesses, minimizing costs, improving service and productivity, and boosting revenues.
Representatives from the wireless services provider and its parent company PLDT, as well as partners from Philippine Development Foundation (PhilDev), Eskwelabs, and Timefree Innovations judged over a hundred entries submitted by colleges and universities nationwide where data analytics is applied to help address real-life problems.
The Top 20 entries included bids from Luzon schools such as Ateneo De Manila University, Bicol University – Polangui Campus, Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges, De La Salle Lipa, Malayan Colleges Laguna, Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Sto. Tomas Batangas, Technological University of the Philippines, and University of the Cordilleras.
Shortlisted entries from VisMin were from Asian College, Ateneo De Zamboanga University, La Salle University – Ozamiz, University of Immaculate Conception, University of San Jose – Recoletos, and University of Southeastern Philippines.
Team members behind the 20 shortlisted innovations will be trained further at a Boot Camp to be held in Metro Manila this March. After which, the semi-finalists will undergo a validation to trim down the selection to 10 grand finalists. Final judging and awarding of cash prizes amounting to over one million pesos will be held in May.
Launched in 2004, the SWEEP Awards is an annual competition that encourages innovation and excellence in wireless applications development among students of tertiary schools. It is open to students who are currently enrolled in Information Technology, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and other related courses. With a maximum of five members, team composition is highly suggested to represent various disciplines of Engineering, IT, Business, and Marketing, as each entry should have a supporting business plan.
Short for Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program, SWEEP is an industry-academe linkage program with a network of 36 colleges and universities all over the country that offer ECE and IT courses. For 17 years, Smart has partnered with these schools to help them produce industry-ready graduates or technopreneurs by leveraging on its network, infrastructure and technologies.
To-date, SWEEP has trained more than 36,000 students and teachers, with over 1,000 graduates directly hired by Smart.
For more information on SWEEP, visit facebook.com/sweepschools or facebook.com/smartcommunities.
