SILLIMAN University (SU) and Ubix Corporation inked on February 17 a deed of donation and acceptance for a 1.5-hectare lot and P100-million for the construction of Technopreneur Center in Dumaguete City.

Lawyer Edilberto Bravo, proprietor of Ubix Corporation, partnered with SU to establish the center, a facility that will be used for the SU Technology Business Incubation (TBI) program.

This is in response to the need for a facility in the province that can help develop ideas of aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators.

"The establishment of the Technopreneur Center would primarily benefit aspirants who do not have access to resources in becoming full-fledged entrepreneurs," said Dr. Dave Marcial, SU TBI project lead and dean of College of Computer Studies.

The center aims to be a hub of incubating science and technology-based startups, not only in the province and in the region, but also in the entire country.

Marcial said the center aims to be an incubation facility for developing ideas into startups and will act as an "accelerator" for startups as they look for investors and enter the market.

"As an incubation facility, the center will host and assist innovators, scientists and aspiring entrepreneurs in developing an idea, testing and vetting an idea, and developing a prototype," he added.

The center will be operated by SU as an accelerator and will facilitate conversation with venture capital corporations.

SU TBI, which currently operates at the main campus, was launched in December 2019 to help students and professionals develop their early-stage technologies into market-ready products by providing them with a range of resources, services and facilities.

When the Technopreneurship Center opens, Marcial said SU TBI will offer a "higher level of incubation" in the center as it will include services for both incubation and acceleration of startups that will be made available to more people outside the Silliman community. (PIA)