TWO Cebuano startups will join in the upcoming largest technology conference in Asia this month.
Hoy* and Tudlo Innovations Solutions have been chosen to be part of the Philippine delegation for this year’s Rise Conference in Hong Kong. Majority of the selected startups were from Manila and another one in the Visayas.
“The community is thrilled because at least there are startups from Cebu that can participate in this big conference,” said *Hoy co-founder Seph Mayol.
The 2019 edition of Rise will take place in the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre from July 8 to 11, 2019. It expects to draw more than 16,000 attendees ranging from startups to investors, exhibitors and tech leaders.
Min-Liang Tan of Razer, Tony Fernandes of AirAsia and Kevin Lin of Twitch are just some of the highly anticipated speakers for this year’s conference.
“For Hoy*, we get perks like free booth, access to all events, meet potential partners and investors,” said Mayol.
He said their participation in the Rise is sponsored by the Philippine government through the programs of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development, Department of Information and Communications Technology and Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau.
According to Mayol, the conference will provide them with exposure and a network. He said they look forward to the opportunities in terms of mentorship, investment and partnerships.
The local startup scene, according to Mayol, has improved a lot compared to the previous years. He cited the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) strong support to the community, which allowed founders to come out in the open.
“Some stakeholders are starting to open up and invest in technology,” he said.
Change of mindset
One issue though that needs to be fixed is the entrepreneurial mindset of Filipinos.
Mayol said startup founders are still afraid to go full-time in the industry, the reason they are doing the projects still on the side. He also cited the mindset of investors wherein their investment study looks only into the numbers and is not based on the capacity and capabilities of the founders, especially if they are talking about angel or seed stage investment.
Mayol said the Hoy* startup business is currently in private mode in preparation for the transition from few to high volume number of rewards per campaign.
Hoy* is a brand engagement mobile app that boosts brand awareness. It was created by two Cebuano mobile application developers, Mayol and Royce Dy of Hoy Technology Asia Corp.
Unlike the traditional product sampling which costs companies a huge investment, Mayol said Hoy* offers an innovative way to get brands to distribute their products anywhere in the country by just making use of the reach and the mobility of interconnected phones.
For first-time brand user, the reward will serve as a product sampling, while for existing users the reward will serve as a treat for their continued patronage.
Tudlo Innovations Solutions, on the other hand, is the developer of Batingaw app, a disaster app that turns mobile phones into safety tools during disasters. The app was shortlisted in the GSMA Global Mobile Awards. KOC