ACCENTURE has awarded P80 million in grants to 10 universities and academic institutions in the Philippines to help accelerate technology innovation.
Each of the schools will receive a grant to help them conceptualize, run and implement innovative initiatives in three focus areas—emerging technologies, sustainability and inclusion and diversity.
“By continuing our collaboration with leading universities and academic institutions in the Philippines, we are helping to boost the local innovation ecosystem. By supporting on-campus labs and incubators that are embarking on initiatives to accelerate the use of new technologies, develop more sustainable business practices, and foster a more inclusive culture in the technology field, we are helping to nurture the next generation of Filipino technologists that will solve complex business and social challenges in the future,” said Ambe Tierro, Accenture’s Technology lead in the Philippines, Africa and Asia Pacific, during the virtual launcing.
3 focus areas
For emerging technologies, Accenture will sponsor work related to advancing innovation and solutions using blockchain, 5G, cloud, cybersecurity and other emerging technologies within universities, and their technology business incubators, that are dedicated to fostering future entrepreneurs and startups.
These include Adamson University Technology Business Incubator for Neo-Environmental Science and Technology; Asian Institute of Management Dado Banatao Incubator; Ateneo de Manila University (Ateneo Innovation Center and Ateneo Blockchain Labs); Far Eastern UNiversity Institute of Technology; Technological Institute of the Philippines – Nurture Innovation Technology Revolution Office; University of Santo Tomas (UST DOST-TOMASInno Center and College of Information and Computing Sciences); and University of the Philippines Engineering Research and Development Foundation Inc. with University of the Philippines Sustaining Collaboration in an Advanced Learning Environment.
As for sustainability, Accenture will support programs that aim to create cross-industry platforms that use advanced technologies to support sustainability in the Philippines and developing countries at De La Salle University Animo Labs Foundation Inc.
For inclusion and diversity, Accenture will help support the development of female-led technology entrepreneurs and startups by the Miriam College Technology Business Incubator program, specifically through program support that encourages STEM education among female high school students.
It will also support De La Salle College of Saint Benilde Hub of Innovation for Inclusion in the development of user experience design and delivery solutions for people with disabilities.
“This grant program helps build the foundation on which our universities and academic institutions can further develop Filipino technology talent to look ahead to the future and solve pressing challenges using advanced technologies. With the accelerated pace of innovation today, we’re proud to help inspire and motivate our youth to take on this opportunity to learn, experiment and test ideas, and support them as they do it over and over again,” said Arvin Yason, Innovation lead for Accenture Technology in the Philippines.
Yason said this recent initiative is a multi-year program which they will soon introduce to other academic institutions in the country, including Cebu. (KOC)