APU's Triumph at UNIIC's Reverse Ideathon 2024 by Championing Innovative Entrepreneurial Skills

The University Incubator Consortium (UNIIC), co-founded by the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), concluded its Reverse Ideathon 2024 on May 27-28 in Palawan, Philippines.

This event, hosted by Palawan State University (PSU), Western Philippines University (WPU), Mindoro State University (MinSU), and DOST-MIMAROPA, drew 156 participants from ASEAN countries, India, and South Africa.

The Reverse Ideathon 2024 aimed to unlock additional resources for participants and foster connections that could elevate their ventures to new heights. It provided a platform for early-stage startups to present their ideas while offering investors opportunities to discover new ventures.

Participants left the event with enhanced skills, new connections, and a renewed drive to turn their ideas into reality.

APU's Team Gryffindor Shines

APU sent four students to the event: Amirah Atiqah Binti Muhammad Nizam, a BSc (Hons) in Computer Science student specialising in Data Analytics, and her coursemates Nuha Mardhiyyah Binti Headir, Fatiya Dhiya Shaumi, and Kee Gene.

Representing "Enterprise @APU," the university's entrepreneurship formation unit, they named themselves "Team Gryffindor" for the Ideathon challenge. They were accompanied by Professor Dr Murali Raman, APU Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and Professor Dr Angelina Yee Seow Voon, the Director of Research and Enterprise.

Team Gryffindor emerged as champions in the Climate Action vertical, beating three other contestants with their Ride Share App. This app allows users to plan their trips earlier, enjoy safer and more economical fare trips, and help resolve traffic congestion issues. Their innovative idea and compelling presentation won over the judges and secured their victory.

Enhancing Pitching Skills and Building Confidence

To help participants strengthen their pitching techniques, effectively present their ideas, handle questions from judges, manage their time while pitching, and build confidence in public speaking, Prof Dr Murali Raman was invited to give a talk. His insights and advice enlightened participants in various ways.

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Strengthening Collaboration and Future Prospects

On the sidelines of the event, UNIIC members signed a joint Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to signify the collaboration between 17 universities and DOST-MIMAROPA.

Prof Angelina, the founder and key driver behind this consortium, emphasised the significance of the MoA: “The MoA signifies the close collaboration between universities from ASEAN, South Africa, and India. APU is the founder of UNIIC and has benefited from its aims to build capacity in supporting start-ups, exchange knowledge and skills, and provide a platform for networking.”

UNIIC encourages students to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset grounded in technology, aiming to cultivate more technopreneurs in the future. “UNIIC is unique where friendships blossom through research collaborations, publications, and competing in annual Ideathon, Hackathon, and Demo Day,” added Prof Angelina.

Complementing Prof Angelina's role, Prof Murali remarked, “Under the leadership of Prof Angelina, our APU students are privileged to become part of the University Incubator Consortium, providing them the opportunity to sharpen their entrepreneurial traits by participating in a very competitive pitching event.”

“Naturally, our students have benefited in terms of articulation, business strategy, innovation, and leadership competencies by participating in UNIIC. UNIIC is also progressing well in terms of other joint research outcomes for APU working with member institutions across ASEAN, South Africa, and India,” he concluded.

The Reverse Ideathon 2024 stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation, driving the entrepreneurial spirit of young minds across the globe.