Visayas TECH PLANTER 2026

ABOUT

Purpose

Visayas TECH PLANTER 2026 Demo Day is a pitching competition joined exclusively by selected innovative teams of Visayas-based researchers and/or deep technology startups with a passion to bring change and impact to the Island Region and 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 after the Demo Day.

The TECH PLANTER program has been running in Japan since 2014. With the national TECH PLANTER in the Philippines being on its 10th annual implementation this 2026, the Visayas TECH PLANTER 2026 program continues with its 3rd annual implementation this 2026!

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 deep technology who are affiliated with institutions, startups, or companies in the Visayas.
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, Med, Food, Agri, Marine, Deep

Application Period

2026/6/1(Mon)-2026/9/4(Fri)

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 30,000
Leave a Nest Award
and Corporate Awards (monetary and non-monetary)
*Monetary amount will be announced

SCHEDULE

6/1[MON]: Entry open

Please register from here and fill out the web form to apply.

We also hold Physical and/or Virtual Information Sessions at each university partner, consortium or occasionally on an individual-basis to encourage your full registration to tell you how to prepare documents. Please feel free to contact us for more information.

9/4[FRI]: 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 may be asked to submit additional information about their team, technology, passion, and future vision via web form. All applicants will be notified of the results of the screening process.

10月中旬: Announcement of finalists

Selected Finalists will be announced in the middle of October.

For applicants who pass the selection, multiple online sessions will be held with the selected Finalists to prepare their pitch presentations for the final Visayas TECH PLANTER DEMO DAY Pitch Event.

In addition, it is possible to set up interviews with partner companies for the purpose of business consultation and to develop collaboration projects after the DEMO DAY event.

11/21[SAT]: Visayas TECH PLANTER 2026 DEMO DAY

The 9 Finalist teams and selected teams that passed our selection and undergone our interview sessions will be judged on their presentations during the on-site DEMO DAY event by the invited panel of judges and partners

Dec-: Post-Demo Day 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, regardless if within the country or inter-country partnerships and collaboration.

ASSET