As the country’s leading fiber broadband and technology provider, Converge ICT Solutions Inc. recognizes that supporting Filipino talent and nurturing aspiring innovators are essential to driving growth in the local tech industry.
Converge CEO and Co-Founder Dennis Anthony Uy has long championed this cause as he maintains a personal commitment to cultivating homegrown talent.
This year, the company is making an even stronger push to this by actively engaging with academic institutions to empower students pursuing careers in technology. Last June 19-20, Converge launched its first Byte Forward Hackathon in Balanga, Bataan during the North Luzon leg of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (PCCI) regional business conference.
It is a 24-hour innovation marathon that challenged student developers to create practical solutions for real-world business problems.
In collaboration with the PCCI and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Converge hosted the hackathon as part of a broader initiative to bridge enterprises with next-gen thinkers, who are tech-savvy and possess the natural edge in creating bold, out-of-the-box solutions.
Five participating universities from North Luzon sent two teams each to compete in a high-stakes environment that tested their creativity, and technical skills.
“When I was young, I shared the same passion for technology, for innovation, and now, increasingly, for AI. It’s inspiring to see young talents rise to the challenge. That’s why we’re investing in infrastructure and building technology hubs, especially in Pampanga, to ensure these bright minds have access to opportunities and can thrive,” Uy shared in his message.
“To all the young visionaries, believe in your passion, stay proud of your purpose, and know that you have a place in building our nation’s future,” he added.
Converge subsidiary Rev21 Labs Inc. played a key role in facilitating the competition, from scouting teams, providing mentorship, and equipping the participants with its custom-built Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool.
The 10 groups were presented with themes grounded in real operational hurdles of businesses, identified through prior consultations with actual owners. This enabled participants to address issues that directly impact companies and develop solutions with tangible business value.
“We’re doing this because we aim for two things. First, the students will be presented with real-world problems outlined by businesses in the North Luzon area. We’ll see if they can come up with a solution in 24 hours. We’re not expecting perfection but at least a minimum viable product. We want to see how they think, how they create, and how fast they can build something. Second, we’re looking for high-caliber talent. And by virtue of being here, they already are,” said Rev21 Labs Inc. CEO Ron Puno.
Over the 24-hour competition, teams raced against the clock to turn their ideas into working prototypes. Their mentors from Rev21 offered technical guidance and strategic advice, while the AI tool gave participants a competitive edge in accelerating their development process.
By the end of the presentations and judging on Day 2, three standout teams were declared winners for their innovative ideas, and potential for real business impact.
GG Well Code from EXACT College of Asia was crowned as the champion for their Smart Marketing and Business Finder Tool. BPSU1 from Bataan Peninsula State University secured second place with their Smart Talent Sourcing solution, while third place was awarded to LetranKnights1 from Colegio de San Juan de Letran – Bataan for their innovative Citizen Reporting for Quality Assurance solution.
The winning teams were awarded cash prizes worth P50,000; P30,000; and P20,000, respectively.
“What we saw was innovation, which is one of the things that we have been emphasizing throughout this hackathon. We wanted to see something new, and these teams were able to showcase that from the ideation, to the solution, to the technical,” said Rev21 Enterprise Portfolio Manager Adrian Tiu.
“To students who are interested in joining our future hackathons, this was a very good experience to put your knowledge, the things that you learned from your classes, to practical use. These problem statements were based on real actual problems so this will definitely be a practical learning experience,” Tiu noted.
The Byte Forward Hackathon takes place concurrently with PCCI’s regional business conferences. Future dates include the Visayas on July 24-25, National Capital Region on August 7-8, Mindanao on August 27-29, and South Luzon on September 25-26.
The champions from the Regional Hackathons will compete against each other in a final tournament during PCCI’s 51st Philippine Business Conference and Expo, scheduled for October 20-21 at the SMX Convention Center in Manila, offering prizes up to P500,000.
