Mindanao TECH PLANTER 2025 unveils Local and Foreign Partners and Judges to Propel Regional Innovation

LOCAL PARTNERS

ARQCapital Partners 

Department of Science and Technology - Region 11

GLOBAL PARTNERS

Director
Leave a Nest Philippines

Engr. Ronezza "Ezza" Delos Santos is a licensed Chemical Engineer who graduated from the University of the Philippines. After getting inspired in her internship for Leave a Nest's TECH PLANTER in the Philippines 2021, she took the challenge to be one of the pioneer members of the company's Philippine subsidiary. She became one of the Directors of Leave a Nest Philippines in March 2023 and is currently pursuing her Masters Degree. She became one of the Directors of Leave a Nest Philippines in March 2023 and is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Environment and Natural Resources Management at the UP Open University. potential of the Philippines and Filipinos for the advancement of the country, she continues to explore collaborations between different stakeholders in different regions through Leave a Nest Philippines in March 2023 and is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Environment and Natural Resources Management at the UP Open University. in different regions through Leave a Nest

Assistant Regional Director R&D for Development and Innovation Division (ReDID)
Department of Science and Technology Region XII

Dr. Nathan Ray A. Alim is the Assistant Regional Director for R&D at DOST XI. A licensed chemist with expertise in pharmaceutical chemistry, asymmetric synthesis, and analytical techniques, he earned his degrees from Ateneo de Davao University and Kumamoto University, Japan. He has held teaching and research roles at Ateneo de Davao University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and De La Salle University. Dr. Alim leads initiatives in green mining, grassroots innovation, water filtration, and renewable energy.

Formerly a DOST Science Fellow, he integrates science education with innovation, advancing regional development through practical and sustainable technologies under the R&D for Development and Innovation Division

Regional Director
Department of Trade and Industry R11

Mr. Romeo L. Castañaga, a seasoned public servant with 35 years of experience, currently serves as Regional Director of the Department of Trade and Industry, Region 11. He holds a Master in Public Administration from Ateneo de Davao University, a Diploma in Agribusiness Executive Program from the His extensive expertise includes industry cluster and MSME development, value His extensive expertise includes industry cluster and MSME development, value chain approaches, strategic planning, and project management. His career spans significant roles in government, including the Office of the President and the Department of Trade and Industry.

John's passion for startups led him to create a game development company with his brother Chris lan Fiel after college. Wela, an award-winning startup, has succeeded in competitions in the Philippines and internationally. It is also one of the first Currently, Wela has been operating for six years and serves over 300 schools both domestically and abroad. In 2023, John received the Injap Sia Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Award. Wela is currently recognized as the 4th fastest-growing startup in the Philippines.

Chairman of the Board
UPGRADE Innolab

Val Anthony Cimafranca is the Chairman of the Board of Upgrade Innolab Inc. With over 10 years of experience in project management, he specializes in logistics, finance, events management, government procurement, and community building. He has worked on multiple nationwide programs for TBI and startup development, such as the DOST-PCIEERD's HEIRIT and HEIRIT 2 programs. He currently leads the regional startup ecosystem activation and building efforts of IDEAS Davao and is the convener for Davao Startup Week 2025.

Associate Director - R&D and QA
Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation

Koichiro Watabe holds a Master's degree in Agricultural Chemistry and is currently the Associate Director of R&D and Quality Assurance at Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation. Since joining Ajinomoto Co., Inc., he has played a key role in the development and industrialization of seasonings and processed foods, contributing to projects across Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, and other Asian markets.

Business Creation Department
Focus Systems Corporation

Ryo Inori joined Focus Systems Corporation in 2015. He is responsible for the sales of information security products such as data encryption for the financial industry, as well as content security products such as copyright protection for still and moving digital data. He has been promoting information security products such as data encryption for the financial industry, as well as content security products such as copyright protection for digital data of still and moving images. He is also engaged in the promotion of services in the manufacturing and medical industries. Currently, in parallel with his product sales activities, he is also working with startup companies and university research laboratories.

Chief Executive Officer
Alphaswift Industries Sdn. Bhd.

Dr. Shian Lee serves as the CEO of Alphaswift Industries, an aerospace company with Malaysia Digital (MD) status. Engineering and is recognized as a pioneer in UAV control, with over 10 years of experience in unmanned aircraft systems. His expertise includes AI, flight simulation, SLAM, and battery technology. He leads Alphaswift with the mission to create the world's most advanced self-flying technologies to move people and goods swiftly and safely. safely.

Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Aster Co.

His academic journey began with a degree in Civil Engineering from the College of Engineering, Guindy, followed by a Master's in Structural Engineering from IIT Madras and a PhD in Urban Earthquake Disaster Mitigation Engineering from the College of Engineering, Aster. His academic journey began with a degree in Civil Engineering from the College of Engineering, Guindy, followed by a Master's in Structural Engineering from IIT Madras and a PhD in Urban Earthquake Disaster Mitigation Engineering from the University of Tokyo. Over the past decade, he worked in disaster mitigation and risk analysis, including roles as an Engineering Consultant at Kozo Keikaku Engineering and Catastrophic Engineering. At Aster, he leads research and development in structural design/analysis and earthquake engineering, while also overseeing the earthquake engineering. earthquake engineering, while also overseeing the company's business operations in the Philippines and India.