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

Manila, Philippines – Last May 17, 2025, TECH PLANTER in the Philippines' 9th implementation was done at the University of Santo Tomas' Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati Building, where nine (9) finalists pitched their technologies and startups to the judges and partners, and an additional six (6) teams presented the same, with the purpose of looking for collaborators within the participating teams, as well as the judges and partners. The TECH PLANTER in the Philippines 2025 (TP PH 2025) is supported by Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation, Focus Systems Corporation, Leave a Nest Capital, UntroD Capital Asia Pte. Ltd., Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd., The Law Office of Flores & Ofrin, ARQCapital Partners, PLDT Inc., the Department of Science and Technology –  Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development, and the Office of Hon. Atty. Antonino B. Roman, III.

To learn more about our partners, judges, finalist teams. and lightning talk teams, please see our previous news releases below:
TECH PLANTER in the Philippines 2025: Empowered at 9 with Partnerships for Deep Tech Impact!
On the Eve of Innovation: TECH PLAN Demo Day in the Philippines 2025 Arrives Tomorrow!

Asst. Prof. Aban, Manager of UST-TOMASInno Center, welcomes the partners and participants to the University of Santo Tomas (left), and Mr. Jondi Doplayna, Project Leader of TP PH 2025, started the programs for Opening Remarks (right)
Dr. Yevgeny Aster Dulla, Managing Director of Leave a Nest Philippines, shares the 9-year journey of TECH PLANTER here in the Philippines since 2017 (left), and Engr. Grace Bautista bares their Filrobotics Technologies journey after winning last year as Grand Winner of the TECH PLANTER in the Philippines 2024 (right)

The competition started with messages from the organizers – Asst. Prof. Celso Noel D. Aban, the Manager of the University of Santo Tomas TOMASInno Center, which is the co-organizer of the Demo Day event, gave a warm welcome to the partners and participants, Mr. Jondi Doplayna as the Project Leader of TP PH 2025 gave an overview of Leave a Nest and TECH PLANTER, and finally, Dr. Yevgeny Aster Dulla, Managing Director of Leave a Nest Philippines explained the progress of TP PH in the past 9 years, and what the company plans to achieve for the Philippine deep tech startup ecosystem in the next few years.

The Opening Ceremony was immediately followed by Finalist Team Pitches with the presentations grouped into three (3) presentation categories namely: Harvest Tech, Value Chain Innovation[s], and Sustainable Smart Systems.

Representative pitchers from the Finalist teams delivers their exciting pitches to vie for the Demo Day Awards

Following the finalist team presentations were the Lightning Talk pitches presented by six (6) selected teams and deep tech startups.

Selected Filipino teams were also invited to provide three (3) minute pitches to showcase their passion and deep tech solution!

At the end of the competition, teams were able to receive eight (8) awards, the most in TECH PLANTER in the Philippines history, and the recipients are below:

Award name	Award content	Awardee
Flores and Ofrin Award	Free Legal Support Services	Team Name: 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.
Leave a Nest Capital Award	₱30,000 Cash Prize	Team Name: CirPro Innovations Liquid pectin which solves both the calamansi peel waste on the supply side and the reliance of the Philippines’ food and beverage industry on imported pectin on the product downstream side.
Focus Systems Award	₱30,000 Cash Prize	Team Name: APRO Providing an affordable, clinically-effective, and safe way to do hand and wrist rehabilitation, anytime and anywhere.
Ajinomoto Philippines Award	₱30,000 Cash Prize	Team Name: GreenPump Generating Renewable Energy through Pseudomonas aeruginosa Utilization of Microplastics.
Best Use of Technology Award and UntroD Capital Asia Award	1 year use of PLDT Innolab Co-working & Laboratory Space, Invitation to PLDT Enterprise Innovation Events & Merchandise and ₱30,000 Cash Prize	Team Name: 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.
Leave a Nest Award	Invitation to Pitch at the TECH PLANTER ASIA FINAL 2025 (and coverage of tickets and accommodation)	Team Name: GreenPump Generating Renewable Energy through Pseudomonas aeruginosa Utilization of Microplastics.
Grand Winner	PHP 50,000 and Invitation to Pitch at the TECH PLANTER Asia Final 2025	Team Name: CirPro Innovations Liquid pectin which solves both the calamansi peel waste on the supply side and the reliance of the Philippines’ food and beverage industry on imported pectin on the product downstream side.

The Leave a Nest Group does not host competitions – it creates platforms for people in the science and technology ecosystem to thrive. This is the very reason why Tech Planter does not stop in the Demo Day – it is the start of the journey that the Leave a Nest team is pushing forward for the teams and the partners. For the awardees receiving cash prizes – it does not stop here as the partners have chosen them especially because of the potential for collaboration through co-development of the technology itself or the business of the startup, and Leave a Nest will support them alongside the challenge that they are pursuing together. We hope that you will also look forward for the possibilities that lie in the rigorous journey ahead.

On the other hand, Leave a Nest Philippines had taken a step further by implementing the first regional runs of Tech Planter outside of Japan, Visayas Tech Planter (which started last year), and Mindanao Tech Planter, which will start this year. If you are a team in the Visayas or Mindanao group of islands, you can learn and apply to these by accessing the links below:

The 1st Mindanao Tech Planter
The 2nd Visayas Tech Planter

As these regional implementations with the hopes of providing more support at the local level for startups and research teams in regions outside of the capital of the country, if you are a company or an institution in Visayas or Mindanao that understands the merit of working with deep (research and development focused) startups, or a national company that also feels the same way, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected], with attention to Mr. Bryan Foronda (Director), Ms. Edilyn Grace Odero (Asst. Manager), and Ms. Joanna Marie Cua (Asst. Manager).