Monday, June 23, 2008 School, foundation set to open technology incubation facility
RECOGNIZING the importance of giving Filipino information technology (IT) professionals the opportunity to stay and work in the country, a state university in Cebu provides a venue where emerging technology solutions can be developed.
The Technology Business Incubator (TBI) at the University of the Philippines Visayas–Cebu Campus (UPVCC) will soon open its doors to potential “incubatees” or locators as UPVCC signed a memorandum of agreement with the Ayala Foundation Inc. (AFI) last Friday.
Ralph Leviste, incubator manager, said all that is needed is for the final guidelines to be approved by the school chancellor and the TBI will start operations very soon.
He added that a number of interested people have already inquired about the facility and want to locate although there is no shortlist of clients yet.
Pauline Wade, a member of the UPVCC faculty and the designated facility manager, also said the school is looking for clients who are going to develop new or unique solutions to existing technology problems.
“They should also be willing to utilize UP’s resources,” she added.
Guillermo Luz, executive vice president of AFI, said that the UPVCC-TBI is also meant to support the local business community in Cebu, considering that the country is short on science and technology services.
Robert Go, governor of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCC), said the establishment of the TBI will be a good area for businessmen to invest in.
Go was one of the witnesses during the MOA signing. He is also a member of UPVCC’s advisory council.
He said he will urge members of the local chamber to “do business” with “incubates.” “The business (industry) can look at it as something new to be (invested in),” he added.
The UPVCC-TBI will house 10 units, each having a minimum floor area of 35 square meters, with monthly lease rates ranging between P200 to P250 per square meters.
There will also be common use facilities like the lounge and pantry.
The UPVCC-TBI will also offer security, power, Internet connection, business machines and parking space for its locators.
As its competitive advantage, the UPVCC-TBI will also offer multi-disciplinary services from the different departments of the university, Wade said.
TBI locators can tap the services of UPVCC’s computer science, management, mass communications, fine arts, biology
and mathematics departments. (DME)
