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GTBI supports local start-ups IT industry ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY: ROEYNA MAY FAMISARAN
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ILOILO City – The Green Technology Business Incubation (GTBI) at the West Visayas State University (WVSU) in La Paz district is pushing for a more booming information technology sector in the province.
GTBI, a brainchild of the government which also seeks to fuel the growth of technology in the region, supports local start-ups that are venturing into herbal and natural products, organic agriculture, branding, software and hardware provisions, and bioinformatics, among others.
The organization’s services available at its P17-million building inside the WVSU campus include security and maintenance; shared meeting, training, and conference facilities; high-speed internet; data center services; business and professional assistance; support services; business, professional, technical consultancy services; mentoring and coaching; technology forecasting and matching; laboratory and production; and research and development funding assistance and others.
In an interview with WVSU College of Information and Communications Technology president Joel T. de Castro, he said the major problem on the technology in Iloilo is the lack of systems.
“The problem in Iloilo is whenever you ask, ‘Are we ready for technology?’ ‘yes’ ang sabat sang tawo. Pero the system, magbaligya ka sang system, wala ka pa kahatag, gamahal na katama,” he said. “So we would like to educate people on what IT really is.”
The following are GTBI’s incubatees:
*First Bastion Tech Solutions is an Iloilo-based systems integration company that caters to background music systems and pro audio, IT and Wi-Fi systems, CCTV systems and security solutions, signage and hotel displays, and PABX and telephony systems.
*Govesmart is a provider of fully customized system software for schools, local government units, government firms and private agencies.
*Mulave Studio is a multimedia, visual effects, mobile app and game development start-up company that offers graphic design for digital and print, logo design and enhancement, character design, motion and web graphics, digital painting, photography and videography, and branding consultancy, among others.
*Persimonne Creatives specializes in “creating identity through a holistic creative campaign.”
*Trestek IT Solutions offers qualified professional information technology services to micro, small and medium enterprises.
*Jalco Herbal Products was established to focus on personal defense to the effects of stress in one’s everyday activities.
*Rey Ley Fish and Farm Haven specializes in production of wine, prunes, tea, jam, juice concentrate, candies, and organic rice, among others.
The incubatees should be Iloilo-based as a reflection of the organization’s thrust to support local start-ups. They are scrutinized by a 7-member committee including representatives from the public and private sector and the academe.
IS ILOILO READY FOR TECHNOLOGY?
According to de Castro, gone are the days when Iloilo-based companies need to contact IT firms from other parts of the country because Iloilo is now producing its own software.
During GTBI’s pitching event on Nov. 29 at Westown Hotel, Mandurriao district, WVSU president Dr. Luis M. Sorolla underscored that Iloilo has a lot of talents in the IT sector. But the challenge, he said, is how to make these talents’ ideas work for the betterment of the city.
“The IT ideas are there … the challenge is how we translate these ideas to be productive and profitable contributions to development … that is another thing,” Sorilla noted.
He furthermore noted that the IT industry can help expedite progress in the city and contribute to its booming economy especially with the presence of business process outsourcing firms.
“We recognize that business is one of the important factors in development and progress. As we can see, Iloilo City is fast tracking progress … The IT industry can help speed up the development. Its contributions are vast,” he said.
As Iloilo is eventually becoming the country’s next big city – with its thriving business sector powered by its massively talented workforce – GTBI promises to help this city carve its name in the Philippines’ IT industry./PN
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