Submission

Initial round of entries will be submitted through: https://bit.ly/InnovateCebu

Submission Check List (Pre-Screening):

Completed Online Entry Form
Entry Write-up or Pitch Deck

Finalists will update their projects on the InnovationWorks portal, which will be created specifically for this contest. Link to the portal will be shared after the announcement of finalists.

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Finalists

Professional Builders Category

mastAIrs

InterviewAI: AI-Powered Job Interview Coach

Cubeworks

IoT Energy Management & Automated Transformer Outage Monitoring

NegoHack

TerraSync

CCS R&D

The DOVE: Drone Outpost and Vanguard for Emergencies

Students Category

InterPhase

AgriSagot

Cavalry Solutions

AidVocate: Giving aid and advocating for those in need

The Innovators

An AI-Powered System for Papaya Disease Identification

2Ls

drAIn: Where AI Meets the Flow — Predict, Simulate, and Strengthen Urban Drainage Systems

Princess & the Frogs (PNF)

GreenPoint

FIRA

Project FIRA: Geo-Tagged Fire Reporting with CNN-Based Likelihood Detection

EarthSafe

StructSure

Student Creators

Open to all university students in Cebu, enrolled full-time or part-time in any college or university within the province of Cebu.
Contestants can participate individually, or in teams with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 members.

Note: All team members must be currently enrolled in a college or university.

Professional Builders

Open to individuals or teams of professionals (e.g., engineers, designers, business developers, etc.) who are based in Cebu or have a strong, demonstrable connection to Cebu.
Participants can be aspiring entrepreneurs, existing startup founders (pre-seed/seed stage preferred, to be further defined), or professionals looking to spin out a new venture.
Teams can consist of individuals, or groups with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 5 members.

Building a Resilient Cebu: Driving Innovative Solutions for Reliability, Resilience, and Regeneration

Innovate Cebu! Ideas That Empower. is a community-centered innovation competition designed to engage university students and professionals in solving Cebu’s most pressing challenges through technology, creativity, and collaboration. Spearheaded by Visayan Electric, in partnership with Aboitiz Foundation Inc. and InnovationForce, the project aims to build a more resilient, sustainable, and future-ready Cebu.

The competition will serve as a launchpad for new ideas, providing a complete innovation journey—from ideation and mentoring to proof of concept (PoC) and minimum viable product (MVP) development. Finalists and winners will receive funding and support to pilot and potentially implement their solutions.

This year’s Innovate Cebu theme is - Building a Resilient Cebu: Driving Innovative Solutions for Reliability, Resilience, and Regeneration.

What We're Looking For in a Solution

Simplification

Solutions that streamline complex processes to significantly increase efficiency for stakeholders.

WE'LL LOOK FOR: Reduced steps, intuitive user interfaces, and minimized complexity for the end-user.

Breakthrough

Ideas that introduce a new and original way of solving a problem, demonstrating a significant departure from existing approaches.

WE'LL LOOK FOR: Novel methods for old problems, distinctiveness from current solutions in Cebu, and a challenge to existing ways of thinking.

Automation

Solutions that incorporate automation to reduce manual work, improve consistency, and increase productivity.

WE'LL LOOK FOR: Clearly identified manual tasks that are eliminated or reduced, improved consistency, and effective use of appropriate technologies.

Judging & Criteria

Pre-Screening

Problem Clarity & Validation (35%)

How clearly is the problem defined?
Is there evidence (data, anecdotal, research) that this is a real and significant issue in Cebu?

Solution Originality & Alignment (35%)

How new or creative is the proposed idea?
Does it clearly align with one or more of the core criteria (Simplification, Breakthrough, Automation) and address the theme's focus areas?

Conceptual Feasibility & Impact Potential (30%)

Is the idea conceptually sound and realistically achievable?
What is its potential to create a positive impact in Cebu, even at this early stage?

Finals

Solution Functionality & Execution (30%)

Proof of Concept (PoC) / Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Quality
Technical Implementation
User Experience (if applicable)
Stability & Reliability

Deployment Strategy & Scalability (30%)

Clear Deployment Roadmap
Resource Identification
Scalability Potential
Operational Sustainability

Business Case & Impact (25%)

Value Proposition Clarity
Market Understanding
Feasibility (Business Model)
Projected Impact
Risk Identification & Mitigation

Presentation & Communication (15%)

Clarity & Coherence
Visual Aids & Demo
Engagement & Delivery
Q&A Responsiveness

For general information and mentor contact details, contact Rayza Miñoza, rayza.minoza@aboitizpower.com

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