Three teams were successfully chosen for their brilliant projects during the first SpaceX hackathon, ‘Starlink Bridgetech: Solutions for Digital Inclusion’ held last November 18 to 19.
Participants were tasked with creating innovative proposals addressing connectivity and fast-tracking national development in rural areas, particularly in education and economic growth.
The hackathon had over 70 participating individuals, and a total of 21 teams, coming from different universities, professionals, and companies, competed for first place.
1. TechSavantsV: Satellite-Fisheries Proposal
TechSavantsV championed with team members Atanacio Devinz Basa, Cy Santizas, Chrystal Zhane Aleta, Jule Michael Dones, and Rufi Carl Lagaras, winning also a Starlink kit that is composed of the main router and other accessories.
Their proposal, ‘PreSEAsion: A Starlink-Powered Fisheries Management System for Marine Sustainability and Economic Development in the Philippines’, was a satellite identifying optimal fishing times and locations to boost the livelihood and economic conditions of local fishermen.
The team believes their project will lead to a new age of national aquaculture development through satellite marine environment monitoring data and considering the country’s abundance of aquatic resources.
2. Silangan: Freelance Equity Proposal
Following their group with the second prize was Team Silangan, with members Maxine Velasco, Rovelyn An Caoile, Kathleen Pilapil, Brean Abrea, and Raffy Repiso.
They proposed a ‘Social Equity Entrepreneurship Platform’, educating and equipping students with local freelancing skills. The group envisioned Tagalog and dialect lectures with the support of various stockholders.
Velasco shared that their group’s weapon was having a similar master’s program background, particularly innovation and business at the Asian Institute of Management, which helped them become pros in pitching proposals.
3. Halo-Halo Hub: Kitamo, Chatbot ‘Bossing’, and KamiBahala Proposal
Placing third in the hackathon was Team Halo-Halo Hub, with members Nathan Portez, Sharan Mansukhani, Paul Evon Eclonar, Richard Pecson, and Franchezka Zapanta from De La Salle University.
The team proposed Kitamo, a platform for Filipino rural business owners, to help them with language and dialect support through a powered OpenAI GPT-4 Turbo chatbot named ‘Bossing’.
Additionally, their platform, along with their pitched ‘KamiBahala’ services, would bridge local entrepreneurs or vendors in digital marketing and e-commerce.
Each team showcased its technological strategy while targeting a specific socio-economic issue but prioritized helping the local business scene of the country.
Their revolutionary minds are needed in the current digital age, innovating ideas to ensure that no Filipino is left behind.
