Visayas TECH PLANTER 2025 Announces the Esteemed Local and Global Partners and Judges that Strengthens the Regional Innovation Ecosystem

LOCAL PARTNERS

ARQCapital Partners 

Quest Ventures

GLOBAL PARTNERS

Dr. Dulla 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.

At Quest Ventures, April works closely with startups to accelerate their growth through a combination of acceleration services and programmes. In the Philippines, April has worked with the private sector and government agencies in policy development, innovation programs and startup ecosystem development support. Currently based in Cebu, she plays an active role in regional startup innovation initiatives including the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Startup Ecosystem Builders and Fiestartup. April is an SDG advocate and champion for women empowerment, education and environmental sustainability.

Engr. Francis L. Dy is an entrepreneur and engineer with over three decades of leadership in security, communications, and energy-efficient technology. He is President of Greenworld LED Solutions Inc. and GKB Security Solutions Inc., and Proprietor of Hello Marketing. He holds a Ph.D. in Management, an EMBA, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of San Carlos. A licensed civil engineer, he also owns a patent for a virtual education system and is an active speaker and civic leader, notably serving as President of Cebu Long Se Temple and currently the Vice President for Business Advocacy, and Policy of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce.

Rino Dominic C. Cabungcal is a Science Research Specialist, currently serving as the Provincial StartUp and Innovation Coordinator & Innovation HUb Manager for Cebu Province. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from Cebu Doctors' University and brings a unique blend of technical experience and a deep commitment to fostering community-driven solutions.
With the engagements at the Department of Science and Technology, Rino has spearheaded initiatives that transcend  into interconnect innovation and building a thriving ecosystem for startups, technology and innovation development in the province and the region. His work focuses on leveraging science and technology for societal progress.
Guided by the mantra, “Before anything else, let them first be human,” Rino envisions a future where innovation and compassion transform lives and empower communities, reflects in the passion for enhancing lives through innovation and compassion.

Nannette Arbon is one of the Founders of StartupIsland PH, a Cebu-based platform dedicated to nurturing and accelerating Philippine startups through community building, mentorship and innovation driven programs. A graduate of Silliman University in Dumaguete City, she has held various leadership positions at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) across all four provinces of the Central Visayas and recently retired as the Regional Director of DTI Region VII. Throughout her public service career, she championed initiatives supporting tech-enabled startups, MSMEs and the creative sector, including the long running StartupIsland Mentoring Program, and the establishment of FabLabs. She continues to support and advocate for inclusive tech-enabled innovation and ecosystem growth in the Visayas region.

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.

Takahide Kanesaka joined ShinMaywa Parking Technologies, Ltd. in 2007 and has since been engaged in sales related to the maintenance of the company's mechanical parking systems. In 2023, he proposed a new business with the aim of contributing to decarbonization through mangrove planting, as part of an internal business contest at ShinMaywa Industries, Ltd. He is currently leading mangrove planting initiatives in the waters of Cebu, while also developing related businesses in neighboring communities. Through these activities, he aims to build a broad network of business partners in the Philippines.

Yuta is a trilingual entrepreneur and operator with a track record of building and scaling ventures across Asia. He has founded multiple cross-border startups in mobility, energy, and sustainability, and previously served on the management board of a global Tier-1 automotive supplier. As Head of BD and board director, he helped lead a deep-tech battery materials company to a successful NASDAQ listing. Now as COO of naturenix Inc., he drives climate-tech commercialization and regional growth. Yuta bridges technology, capital, and execution, actively contributing to the startup ecosystem across Japan and Southeast Asia.