Tech-minded Davao students drive SME innovation at Byte Forward Hackathon
Forty students from Davao’s leading universities showcased their innovation and problem-solving skills at the Byte Forward Hackathon organized by Converge ICT Solutions Inc., the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Ten teams from schools including Ateneo de Davao University, Western Mindanao State University, Caraga State University, and the University of the Philippines-Mindanao presented digital solutions addressing pressing challenges faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), such as logistics efficiency, digital health records, and agriculture supply chain gaps.
This fourth leg of the hackathon, held in Davao del Norte, is part of the lead-up activities to the 51st Philippine Business Conference and Expo (PBC&E), chaired by Converge CEO Dennis Anthony H. Uy. The initiative reflects Uy’s push to highlight technology and innovation under his leadership of the annual business gathering.
Ron Puno, CEO of Rev21 Labs, the innovation arm of Converge, emphasized the goal of the hackathons: “The PBC&E’s regional hackathons give our youth a voice, a space to innovate, and a chance to shape the nation’s progress. By empowering them, we are building a future-ready Philippines.”
Mentored by executives from Rev21 Labs, students worked on real-world problem statements provided by SMEs. Their ideas covered areas such as digital food service management, cold chain technology, warehouse optimization, and e-health solutions.
The winners from Davao were:
- Team K-MAS (UP Mindanao) – Developed TaraTruck, a freight exchange platform designed to match MSME truckers with shipments to reduce costly empty backhauls.
- Team Codeez (Western Mindanao State University) – Built HealthE, a secure electronic health records (EHR) platform using QR and PIN codes, giving patients control of their health data.
- Team Stuck Underflow (University of Southern Mindanao) – Created Abtik Data Hub, which digitizes patient records and enables AI-powered insights for healthcare providers.
The Byte Forward Hackathon has already been staged in NCR, Visayas, Northern Luzon, and now Mindanao. The Southern Luzon leg will be held in Bacoor, Cavite, on September 29-30, 2025. Champions from all regions will compete at the PBC&E finals on October 20-21 at the SMX Convention Center, Manila, with up to P500,000 in prizes at stake.
For more details, visit: https://www.philippinechamber.com/philippine-business-conference-and-expo.
