TECH PLANTER in the Philippines 2025

ABOUT

Purpose

The TECH PLANTER in the Philippines 2025 is a pitching competition joined by teams of researchers and/or deep technology startups with a passion to bring change and impact to the world. However, the pitching competition itself is just one aspect of the whole initiative, as Leave a Nest also pushes the collaboration between ventures and big companies to create new businesses.

This program has been running in Japan since 2014, and it will be the 9th year to implement it in the Philippines this 2025.

Target.

Pre-startup researchers in the different science and technology fields, even if they only have the idea so far.
Early stage startups, research teams or individuals in the real tech field.
Mature startups or SMEs seeking collaborators, even if they are close to mass production or PMF establishment.
Visionaries that aim to change the world and/or their own country to a better place using science- and technology-based seeds.
Those who are interested in the Japanese market or collaboration with Japanese corporations.

Categories of the TECH

Bio, Eco, Life (Med), Food, Agri, Marine, Deep

Application Period

12/1/2024(Sun)-3/2/2025(Sun)

Judging Criteria

A panel of judges consisting of Leave a Nest and its partners will evaluate each of the following items.

01novelty
02PRACTICABILITY
03IMPACT TO
THE WORLD
04PASSION

Awards

Grand Winner: Php 50,000
Leave a Nest Award
and more Corporate Awards (monetary and non-monetary)
(Monetary amount TBA)

SCHEDULE

11/12[WED]: Entry open

Please register from here and fill out the web form to apply.
We also hold information sessions at each university and on an individual to encourage your full registration to tell you how to prepare documents. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

3/2[SUN].: Application deadline & 1st selection

After our closing the application window, a panel of judges consisting of Leave a Nest and its partners will review the applications.
Applicants will be asked to submit information about their team, technology, passion, and future vision via web form.
All applicants will be notified of the results of the screening process and will receive feedback on their applications.
In addition, online individual interviews will be held for those who wish to participate in the presentation review.

Apr: Announcement of finalists

Selected Finalists will be announced in the middle of April.
For applicants who pass the selection, interviews will be held to brush up their presentations for the final DEMO DAY.
In addition, it is possible to set up interviews with partner companies for the purpose of business consultation and to develop collaboration projects.

5/17[SAT]: TECH PLAN DEMO DAY in the Philippines

The 9 finalist teams that passed our selection will be judged on their presentations.

May-: Supporting period

Even after the DEMO DAY, the contact point between teams and Leave a Nest remains open, allowing discussions to develop their business.
We are responding to a wide range of start-up issues, from incorporation to prototype development, financing, and R&D.
In addition, collaboration between teams and partner companies is becoming more popular in this period to support business development.

PARTNER

Global Partners

Local Partners

Strategic Partners

ASSET

ASSET01Leave a Nest Communicator
ASSET02Japanese Partner Companies
ASSET03Local Partners
ASSET04Super Factory Group

SUPPORT

SUPPORT01Organizing the vision your business
SUPPORT02Brushing up your presentation
SUPPORT03Opportunities for collaboration with Japanese corporates
SUPPORT04Support for R&D and prototype development
SUPPORT05Support for Knowledge and IP Strategies
SUPPORT06Investment and support for finance

DEMO DAY

Name of the DEMO DAY

TECH PLANTER in the Philippines 2025

place

Auditorium, 21st Floor, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Building, University of Santo Tomas, España Boulevard, Sampaloc, Manila City

Date & Time

2025/5/17 (Sat)13:00-18:00 in Philippine Time

Application Period

12/1/2024(Sun)-3/2/2025(Sun)

Eligible Participants

Deep Tech Startups and Research Teams

organizer

Leave a Nest Philippines

Timeline @Philippine Time

13:00-14:00: Opening Ceremony
14:00-16:50: Finalist Presentations
16:50-17:50: Judging, Lightning talks & Poster presentation
17:50-18:30: Awarding & Closing Ceremony

JUDGE

Chief judge
Managing Director, Leave a Nest Philippines, Inc.
Human Development Division, Leave a Nest Co. Ltd. Japan
Dr. Yevgeny Aster Dulla

Yev was born and raised in Iloilo City, Philippines. He graduated with a degree in BS Chemistry from the University of the Philippines – Visayas, after which he worked as an instructor at the University of the Philippines – Manila. He came to Japan in 2013 to pursue graduate studies where he acquired his Masters in Health Life Sciences and PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences. In 2020, he joined Leave a Nest Co., Ltd. and is currently under the Human Development Division, and is part of the Kansai/Osaka office, as well as the Group Creation Division. He is also a Balik Scientist Awardee for 2020~2021, and is a co-founder and the Managing Director for Leave a Nest’s Philippine office, their newest subsidiary.
Partner, The Law Office of Flores & Ofrin
Atty. Javier P. Flores

Atty. Flores was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1999. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science in 1994 and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law in 1998, both from the University of the Philippines. He is heavily into litigation and corporate law practice as well as intellectual property law. He has successfully litigated cases involving construction disputes before the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission; intra-corporate disputes under the Interim Rules of Intra-Corporate Controversies; and proceedings before the regular courts involving injunctive relief, property, and family law. He has developed expertise in projects involving power, ecological solid waste management, and real estate development. He is the Corporate Secretary of various companies and industry associations including the Philippine Travel Agencies Association Inc. and the Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society.
Head, Innovations Lab & Ecosystem Partnerships (Innolab), PLDT Inc.
Ms. Dara Ever Juan

Dara is the Head of PLDT Innovations Lab and Ecosystem Partnerships or Innolab, focused on co-creating and co-innovating breakthrough solutions with innovators. Dara inculcates a culture of innovation in PLDT Group by designing and organizing open innovation activities such as MVP Geek Olympics (an MVP group-wide hackathon) and PLDT & Smart Startup Innovation Challenge to create a sustainable collaborative environment. She manages PLDT’s co-working laboratory in Makati where solutions testing, prototyping and client POCs happen. She acts as an advocate to drive collaboration and community initiatives and execute a roll-out strategy for potential business opportunities with startups in PLDT Enterprise. She is also an alumna of Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Professional Fellow for Economic Empowerment.
Science Research Specialist II, RITTD, DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development

Engr. Mark Joshua Halili

Engr. Mark Joshua Halili, a registered electronics engineer from Mapúa University, is dedicated to supporting scientists, researchers, and startups in navigating early-stage commercialization. As Program Manager for SPRINT and FASTRAC at DOST PCIEERD, he provides hands-on guidance in customer discovery, problem-solution fit, and product-market alignment. His work empowers innovators to transform research into impactful ventures, helping shape a stronger science and technology-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Philippines.
Provincial Board Member, 1st District of Bataan
Hon. Atty. Antonino B. Roman, III

Tony Roman III is a provincial legislator, lawyer, and policy innovator behind the Bataan Startup Ecosystem and Sandbox Ordinance, advancing deep-tech experimentation and grassroots innovation. -With legal experience in both the U.S. and the Philippines, he merges public service with forward- thinking governance. With legal experience in both the U.S. and the Philippines, he merges public service with forward- thinking governance.
An award-winning civic leader, Atty. Roman offers free legal advice through social media and has been recognized for his educational content and public service, including the 2024 Philippine Vloggers Award and 2022 Gawad Filipino award. He is a graduate of Columbia and Ateneo Law, with further studies at Harvard Kennedy School and the University of Cambridge.
In the just concluded national elections, he was elected Congressman of the First District of Bataan.
R&D Department HeadAjinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC)
Ms. Siena Marie Q. Libunao

Siena is a BS Food Technology graduate of University of Santo Tomas. Currently, leading the R&D department of Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation. Her technical experiences of more than 20 years widely grew from Sensory Technologist, Product Developer, Technical Sales, Lab, People and Project Management covering functional ingredients, powdered beverages, blended seasonings: flavor, menu, liquid among others.
Business Creation Department, Focus Systems Corporation
Mr. Ryo Inori

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.
Representative Director, Leave a Nest Capital
Dr. Shuichiro Takahashi

Dr. Shuichiro Takahashi received a Ph.D. in Life Science from the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences at the University of Tokyo. He is a founding member of Leave a Nest and has been building a foundation for R&D projects as the core of Knowledge Manufacturing. He has initiated unique business models such as the “LNest Grant” which is a research grant system with private corporate partners, and has led numerous projects involving industry, academia, and the education sector. He has been the Representative Director and COO since 2010. He is also involved in investment in seed stage deep-tech startups as a Representative Director of Leave a Nest Capital. In addition, he is supporting a Japanese expansion project of a venture company from the Philippines.
Executive Director, UntroD Capital Asia Pte. Ltd.
Mr. Daiki Kumamoto

Daiki Kumamoto joined UntroD Capital Japan in 2019 as its first new graduate hire. In 2020, he was instrumental in establishing the Real Tech Global Fund, which invests in leading deep-tech startups across Southeast Asia. Daiki plays an active role in supporting portfolio companies with regional growth and market entry into Japan. In 2023, he was appointed Executive Director of UntroD Capital Asia, overseeing the firm’s regional operations.

FINALIST

Christine Faith Germinal

Theme:.
Liquid pectin which solves both the calamansi peel waste on the supply side and the relance of the Philippines' food and beverage industry on imported pectin on the product downstream side
Danica Marie Aposaga

Theme:.
WamPow: Utilization of watermelon wastes as food additive and food preservative.
Karl Immanuel Medina

Theme:.
Mango-Pest Buster is an insecticide resistance management mobile app that helps mango farmers in decision making on what insecticide to use based on the pests on their farm.
Skyrene Bacalso

Theme:.
Nama Urban Farm Inc. pioneers climate-resilient urban farming, producing nutrient-dense microgreens, herbs, and edible flowers to provide chefs and health enthusiasts with fresh, sustainable superfoods.
Crystelle Soriano

Theme:.
Exceltra: Affordable Water Activity Testing: A cost-effective, portable water activity meter enabling food manufacturers to conduct rapid on-site testing, preventing export rejections and ensuring product stability.
Yzabel So

Theme:.
GREENPUMP: Generating Renewable Energy through Pseudomonas aeruginosa Utilization of Microplastics "
Daniel Caparro

Theme:.
ElectrifAI: Tackles power leakage, unauthorized electricity tapping, and energy losses in the Philippine energy sector using AI-driven monitoring, anomaly detection, and smart insights for efficient, secure, and sustainable energy management.
Allen Philip Matias

Theme:.
APRO - providing an affordable, clinically-effective, and safe way to do hand and wrist rehabilitation, anytime and anywhere
Ma. Ivanka Lagunilla

Theme:.
BIOMATS aims to provide affordable biotechnology and sustainable bioinks through scalable production of biomaterials for use in pre-clinical and/or clinical applications.

LIGHTNING TALK

Team	Theme	Representative
Pic-a-Talk	Utilizes AAC technology for inclusive, accessible, and widely integrated into therapy, education, and daily life.	Uma Roa
Alon Labs	DioXyde (Dissolved Oxygen Detector) is a low-cost solution to the lack of accessible dissolved oxygen (DO) monitoring tools in aquatic environments with controlled conditions.	Jeremiah Marasigan
Kloudtech	KloudTrack addresses the lack of real-time and localize weather data for communities, businesses and authorities.	John Christopher Ilano
Capilli Trading	Capilli - we upcycle human waste hair for different industries	Harold John Laborte
JOEVA GINGER TURMERIC PRODUCTS	Ginger turmeric Polvoron Ice Cream food Chips Biscuits pastillas de Leche & Pandesal. Products forms: extracted, powdered, pulp (sapal). Subjected nutritional analysis and utility model registration. Ginger and turmeric are more often used for drinks and food supplements, but the JOEVA team integrates them with common food products"	Evangeline Castro
Mayani Holdings Pte.	MAYANI Smart Agri-Supply Chain Platform - a proprietary and full-stack digital engine bridging fragmented rural agri-supply with B2B demand to increase rural incomes for smallholder farmers while minimizing food loss through data analytics and automation	JT Solis

NEWS

2025/05/20 CirPro Innovations crowned as Grand Winner: TECH PLANTER in the Philippines 2025 pushed for Sustainability!

English News
Philippines

2025/05/15 TECH PLANTER in the Philippines 2025: Empowered at 9 with Partnerships for Deep Tech Impact!

English News
Philippines
News

2025/04/28 TECH PLANTER PH 2025 Returns to UST for Its 9th Year!

English News
Philippines

2024/08/19 ANNOUNCING THE PARTNERS AND ESTEEMED JUDGES FOR TECH PLANTER ASIA FINAL 2024

Asia Final
English News
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Vietnam

Entry open

Application deadline & 1st selection

Announcement of finalists

TECH PLAN DEMO DAY in the Philippines

Supporting period

Theme:.
Liquid pectin which solves both the calamansi peel waste on the supply side and the relance of the Philippines' food and beverage industry on imported pectin on the product downstream side

Theme:.
WamPow: Utilization of watermelon wastes as food additive and food preservative.

Theme:.
Mango-Pest Buster is an insecticide resistance management mobile app that helps mango farmers in decision making on what insecticide to use based on the pests on their farm.

Theme:.
Nama Urban Farm Inc. pioneers climate-resilient urban farming, producing nutrient-dense microgreens, herbs, and edible flowers to provide chefs and health enthusiasts with fresh, sustainable superfoods.

Theme:.
Exceltra: Affordable Water Activity Testing: A cost-effective, portable water activity meter enabling food manufacturers to conduct rapid on-site testing, preventing export rejections and ensuring product stability.

Theme:.
GREENPUMP: Generating Renewable Energy through Pseudomonas aeruginosa Utilization of Microplastics "

Theme:.
ElectrifAI: Tackles power leakage, unauthorized electricity tapping, and energy losses in the Philippine energy sector using AI-driven monitoring, anomaly detection, and smart insights for efficient, secure, and sustainable energy management.

Theme:.
APRO - providing an affordable, clinically-effective, and safe way to do hand and wrist rehabilitation, anytime and anywhere

Theme:.
BIOMATS aims to provide affordable biotechnology and sustainable bioinks through scalable production of biomaterials for use in pre-clinical and/or clinical applications.

TECH PLANTER in the Philippines 2025

Entry open

Application deadline & 1st selection

Announcement of finalists

TECH PLAN DEMO DAY in the Philippines

Supporting period

Theme:.Liquid pectin which solves both the calamansi peel waste on the supply side and the relance of the Philippines' food and beverage industry on imported pectin on the product downstream side

Theme:.WamPow: Utilization of watermelon wastes as food additive and food preservative.

Theme:.Mango-Pest Buster is an insecticide resistance management mobile app that helps mango farmers in decision making on what insecticide to use based on the pests on their farm.

Theme:.Nama Urban Farm Inc. pioneers climate-resilient urban farming, producing nutrient-dense microgreens, herbs, and edible flowers to provide chefs and health enthusiasts with fresh, sustainable superfoods.

Theme:.Exceltra: Affordable Water Activity Testing: A cost-effective, portable water activity meter enabling food manufacturers to conduct rapid on-site testing, preventing export rejections and ensuring product stability.

Theme:.GREENPUMP: Generating Renewable Energy through Pseudomonas aeruginosa Utilization of Microplastics "

Theme:.ElectrifAI: Tackles power leakage, unauthorized electricity tapping, and energy losses in the Philippine energy sector using AI-driven monitoring, anomaly detection, and smart insights for efficient, secure, and sustainable energy management.

Theme:.APRO - providing an affordable, clinically-effective, and safe way to do hand and wrist rehabilitation, anytime and anywhere

Theme:.BIOMATS aims to provide affordable biotechnology and sustainable bioinks through scalable production of biomaterials for use in pre-clinical and/or clinical applications.

Theme:.
Liquid pectin which solves both the calamansi peel waste on the supply side and the relance of the Philippines' food and beverage industry on imported pectin on the product downstream side

Theme:.
WamPow: Utilization of watermelon wastes as food additive and food preservative.

Theme:.
Mango-Pest Buster is an insecticide resistance management mobile app that helps mango farmers in decision making on what insecticide to use based on the pests on their farm.

Theme:.
Nama Urban Farm Inc. pioneers climate-resilient urban farming, producing nutrient-dense microgreens, herbs, and edible flowers to provide chefs and health enthusiasts with fresh, sustainable superfoods.

Theme:.
Exceltra: Affordable Water Activity Testing: A cost-effective, portable water activity meter enabling food manufacturers to conduct rapid on-site testing, preventing export rejections and ensuring product stability.

Theme:.
GREENPUMP: Generating Renewable Energy through Pseudomonas aeruginosa Utilization of Microplastics "

Theme:.
ElectrifAI: Tackles power leakage, unauthorized electricity tapping, and energy losses in the Philippine energy sector using AI-driven monitoring, anomaly detection, and smart insights for efficient, secure, and sustainable energy management.

Theme:.
APRO - providing an affordable, clinically-effective, and safe way to do hand and wrist rehabilitation, anytime and anywhere

Theme:.
BIOMATS aims to provide affordable biotechnology and sustainable bioinks through scalable production of biomaterials for use in pre-clinical and/or clinical applications.