Mindanao State University-Marawi Campus won the first Enactus Philippines Business Innovation Idea Challenge besting four other finalists including De La Salle University-Manila (1st runner-up), Ateneo De Zamboanga University (2nd runner-up), University of the Philippines Mindanao and Technological Institute of the Philippines.
Eleven teams initially submitted project proposals, which were trimmed down to five.
The five finalists presented their projects or innovation ideas before a panel of esteemed judges at the recently concluded Enactus National Finals on July 27 at the SMX Convention Center-Manila.
The MSU team’s winning project is “Lily Compost: A Fertilizer from Water Hyacinth”, which addresses the issue in Lake Lanao about the abundance of water hyacinths invading big parts of its coastal areas and clogging the waterways of the NAPOCOR’s hydroelectric plant. The project aims to turn water hyacinths into an organic compost that local farmers can use as fertilizer. This is also an advocacy project to help the Marawi Seige survivors find ways to organize themselves back to society by utilizing resources that are abundant in the area.
“This competition marks the transition of the Enactus organization to not only focus on business and entrepreneurship as a powerful tool to improve the lives of the communities and people, but to incorporate science, technology, and innovation as an integral part of how we do things,” said Enactus Chairman Jose P. Leviste.
Enactus Philippines Country Leader Atty. Leo Dominguez said that this competition was introduced to align with Enactus International’s objective of highlighting projects that use technology or innovation. This first Idea and Innovation Challenge aims to provide an avenue for new or existing teams to pitch their viable business innovation ideas that demonstrate entrepreneurial leadership and provide innovative solutions to pressing economic, social, and environmental problems.
The Enactus National Finals is made possible by EEI Corporation (Red Diamond Sponsor), Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (Blue Diamond Sponsor), OceanaGold (Philippines), Inc. and AG&P (Diamond Sponsors), Unilever and Philippine Airlines (Platinum Sponsors), Sindicatum Renewable Energy Holdings Philippines (Silver Sponsor). KPMG R.G. Manabat & Co., Quisumbing Torres (Member Firm of Baker & McKenzie International) and the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) are institutional partners.