TEN startups presented the contact tracing solutions they have developed to government officials and business owners in a pitch party organized by the Department of Trade and Industry Central Visayas (DTI 7) on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020.
As more digital solutions are developed to facilitate contact tracing for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, DTI 7 Assistant Regional Director Maria Elena Arbon said they will create a technical working group (TWG) that will promote these applications (apps) to the business community and local government units as well as answer questions about these.
"The contact tracing apps will be placed in a matrix and then will be showed to the businesses and the local government units," she told SunStar Cebu.
She said they hoped to form the TWG in the second week of October.
It will be composed of representatives from the DTI, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Information and Communication Technology, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Region 7, StartupIsland and The Company.
During the virtual pitch party on Sept. 25, 10 startups were each given five minutes to pitch their solutions and 10 minutes for panel discussion.
The panelists were from the office of Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, Cebu Mitsumi Inc., Philippine Retailers Association, Colliers International Philippines, PCCI and DICT.
The first app was presented by Ruby de Luzuriaga from Spring Valley Technology Corp. Their app, called Clear Pass, provides each enrolled facility with its own account management dashboard and a quick response (QR) code for every entrance. The app also sends a QR link to visitors in advance to lessen queuing.
RG Ong from BQ Megabyte Inc. presented CoScan, which features an online logbook, one-time registration per gate, unlimited scanning, among others.
Tzar Umang and Gerone Tolentino from TMDC IT Solutions presented the I Am Safe app, which enables businesses to identify visitors and determine those who were positive for Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
Mike Cubos from RideHero presented the OpenGov app, which integrates several systems including transportation, establishments and public spaces.
Connie Barientos-Carey from Creative Crest and Aleph Talent Solutions presented QR City, which can anonymously alert others of a coronavirus-positive individual. It can also conduct remote monitoring of high risk areas by foot traffic and recommended capacity.
Cupid Bercero from Travelpud, Inc. presented Radar, which offers specific systems for individuals, government and businesses.
Ryan Tan Yu and Kimson Wong from Koda Kollectiv presented TapTrace to protect businesses and customers with QR-enabled health declaration forms.
Maryanne Apale from Genii Hut Technologies Corp. presented WeScan, which can help businesses create scanners on every entry and exit to scan QR codes from their customers.
Gaudencio Tabinas Jr. from Zetta Solutions Inc. presented the ZTrace app, which can help government and businesses conduct contactless tracing of customers.
Paulo Uy from Cebu Digital presented KeepSafe, which features data analytics to contact trace aside from the QR code system.
Another pitch party has been scheduled for Oct. 9 to allow more startups to present their contact tracing solutions.
"Due to popular demand, we have some five to six startups waitlisted so we will have another pitch party on Oct 9. This will be done back to back with our Do-It-Yourself Workshop of establishing your own QR contact tracing (CT) code system. This will be the third in this CT webinar series," Arbon said.