Scholars Technopreneurship Training Program Launches Third Iteration, Empowering Future Technopreneurs in Region VII, Region XI, and Region XII.
The Scholars Technopreneurship Training Program (STTP) commenced its third iteration in multiple regions this year, starting with Region VII at Marco Polo Plaza in Cebu City, followed by Region XII at the Grand Summit Hotel in General Santos City, and lastly, Region XI at The Ritz Hotel at Garden Oases in Davao City, with each region having 100 participating scholars.
This initiative is a collaborative undertaking of the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology regional offices. The program is designed to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset among students, empowering them to establish technology-driven businesses that address significant societal challenges through the application of science and technology. Leave a Nest Philippines currently serves as the training provider for this program—employing a strategy rooted in the researcher mindset, further enhanced by leveraging real-world examples drawn from the company's history and the narratives of other established enterprises with similar origins. In the long run, STTP aims to increase the number of entrepreneurs that would utilize their skills in STEM by providing more career opportunities for local talent and addressing local challenges. This strategic focus aims to foster economic growth and enhance the daily lives of the Filipino populace.
The official commencement of each regional kickoff was marked by an opening ceremony featuring addresses from the respective regional directors: Engr. Jesus F. Zamora, Jr. for Region VI, and Dr. Anthony C. Sales for Region XI. The message for Region XII was delivered by Mr. Wahid A. Lucas, Chief Administrative Officer of DOST Region 12, representing Regional Director Engr. Sammy P. Malawan. Subsequently, messages of support were provided by DOST-PCIEERD, DOST-TAPI, and DOST-PCAARD. In their respective statements, all three DOST offices affirmed their readiness to support the technopreneurship training programs for the scholars through their existing initiatives and programs.
After this segment, attention turned to the very first lecture proper on the QPMI mindset (Question, Passion, Mission, and Innovation), a fundamental philosophy at Leave a Nest that enables the generation of novel and relevant ideas to push forth meaningful change. In the succeeding workshop, students were encouraged to reflect on their personal QPMIs and were given the opportunity to pitch their ideas in front of everyone. This activity not only fostered introspection, but also helped participants get to know one another and identify potential groupmates in preparation for Day 2.
The second day focused on advancing problem-solving skills through dedicated sessions, specifically “Issue Excavation” and “Team Creation”. The morning began with a lecture on issue identification, followed by the “Q-naught” workshop where participants focused on narrowing down the societal issues of greatest concern. Scholars then presented their refined ideas individually, developing their capacity to clearly articulate and advocate for their respective causes.
Building on this momentum, an afternoon lecture on team creation guided them in learning how to collaborate effectively in addressing these deeper issues. Touching base on what they had learned about each other’s passions, the scholars were then given time to form their own groups, engage in meaningful discussions, and align on a common issue they wished to solve together.
The participating scholars will undertake five intensive bootcamps. Once every month, these sessions will feature progressively structured lectures encompassing mindset development, team formation, research and planning methodologies, and effective presentation skills. Finally, the results of their efforts will be showcased during the culminating event in each region’s Demo Day in August and September.
Each module of the STTP will be conducted on a monthly basis, spanning a duration of two days. The anticipated schedule is as follows:
| Region VII | Modules | |
| Bootcamp 1 | March 28 – 29, 2025 |
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| Bootcamp 2 | April 25 – 26, 2025 |
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| Bootcamp 3 | May 24 – 25, 2025 |
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| Bootcamp 4 | June 21 – 22, 2025 |
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| Bootcamp 5 | August 1 – 2, 2025 |
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| Demo Day | August 30, 2025 | DEMO DAY |
| Region XII | Region XI | Modules | |
| Bootcamp 1 | April 10 – 11, 2025 | April 13 – 14, 2025 |
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| Bootcamp 2 | April 28 – 29, 2025 | May 9 – 10, 2025 |
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| Bootcamp 3 | June 27 – 28, 2025 | June 30 – July 1, 2025 |
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| Bootcamp 4 | July 19 – 20, 2025 | July 19 – 20, 2025 |
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| Bootcamp 5 | August 15 – 16, 2025 | August 18 -19, 2025 |
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| Demo Day | September 20, 2025 | September 23, 2025 | DEMO DAY |
For any inquiries regarding STTP, kindly send an email to [email protected] and direct attention to Mr. Bryan Foronda, Director, Leave a Nest Philippines, Inc.