ONE of the country’s most innovative technology entrepreneurs has explored the information and communications technology (ICT) potentials of Bacolod City, especially on the creative industry, to help spur more growth in the countryside.
Johndie Abenaza, founder and chief executive officer of Zenooh Inc., conducted a two-day mentoring session with various startups housed by the Technology Business Incubation Center (TBIC) at the Negros First Cyber Centre in Bacolod City until Tuesday, July 11.
Abenaza, a board member of the Games Developers Association of the Philippines, said he wants to observe and assess the current situation of the local startups, particularly the talents.
“This is my initiative to support the industry by reaching out to the countryside to see the potentials because the market of creative industry is really huge,” he said, adding that “everyone from the countryside needs to be part of it.”
Zenooh is an entertainment software company based in Manila doing mostly creative content generation primarily focused on developing original intellectual property games, animation, and software application.
In 2016, the firm was cited as best innovative small and medium enterprise (SME) during the Asean Business Award in Vientiane, Laos.
Abenaza said that the workforce in the countryside has more potential, especially having more eagerness to learn, than those in Metro Manila. There is an abundance of talents, but there is a pressing challenge because most of them have “laziness to excel.”
Abenaza, who is also part of the Asean Group Mentors, said startups in Manila are mostly comprised of technical persons, who are into management, but do not have a background on information technology.
“Startups in the countryside, including here in Bacolod City, have solid foundation in terms of technical expertise, but they need to develop further especially on the entrepreneurial aspect,” he said.
After “exploring” the potentials of the city, the technology entrepreneur said it would now be easier for him to “connect the dots” in finding possible areas that will help the local industry grow.
These may include linkages and more mentorship on how to further improve the product, and how to efficiently market it.
In a meeting with personnel of the Department of Education Division of Bacolod on Tuesday, Abenaza underscored the importance of promoting entrepreneurship and creativity among the students under the K to 12 program.
“Embedding these skills in the education program would surely prepare earlier the students who will be the future industry workforce,” he added.