by the University Research and Innovation Center
Saint Louis University’s BSCS and BSIT students submitted seventeen entries for the regional pitching competition in the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s
(DICT’s) Philippine Start-up Challenge 8. Some entries were outputs from the Technopreneurship and Technology Assisted Presentation and Communication courses.
From the seventeen entries, six entries were among the top 20 who presented their start-up ideas at the DICT Training Center, Baguio City, on the 13th of October, 2023. The BSCS team,
CS Slot, emerged as second placers with their start-up idea, Umani.
Umani is a mobile application facilitating direct-to-consumer transactions between users and local farmers. It revolutionizes the traditional market experience by cutting out middlemen and ensuring fair prices for farmers and consumers.
What sets Umani apart is its strong commitment to sustainability, allowing users to quickly identify and purchase eco-friendly products, aligning with the increasing demand for ethically sourced produce. Additionally, it boasts an innovative real-time inventory management system that minimizes food wastage and provides consumers with up-to-date information about product availability, setting it apart from many existing marketing apps.
Furthermore, Umani supports farmers with pre-made advertisement templates, simplifying their marketing efforts, a rare feature competitors offer. It also provides flexible delivery options, allowing users to choose between manual transport or partner logistics services, providing convenience and choices not found in other mobile apps.
Geoff Anthony Dulnuan, Jaymee Sofia Surro, and Remo Del Rosario represented Team CS
Slot. The other team members are Mr. Kaizer Cyn Gura, Ms. Ava Narag, Ms. Ezrha Leigh
Dangilan, Mr. Leovide Daniel Bato, and their coach, Ms. Missy Mae Laarnie Layague.
The Louisian community also congratulates team Tito Vic and Zenbytes and their
coach, Ms. Kimberlyn Fernando; team GNSP and their coach, Mr. Roderick Makil; and team
BuzzyBytez and their coach Ms. Kasima Rose Mendoza, who participated in the regional
pitching competition.
