NAGA CITY –- Unify Platform AG’s UNIPLAT Pitch Deck 2023, an international research/business competition, recently held its awarding ceremonies on June 4 for the Social Category in Naga City. Participants from diverse backgrounds, including students, researchers, start-ups, and entrepreneurs, showcased groundbreaking projects addressing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The competition provided a platform for participants to present innovative ideas and drive positive change. The three categories included Business, Social, and Public Relations/Marketing, catering to various perspectives.
In the Social category, participants were encouraged to propose projects addressing SDGs-related issues in the Philippines. Entries were evaluated based on innovativeness, viewer-friendliness, feasibility, mechanics, and content relevance. Esteemed judges for this category included Dr. Torkel Falkenberg, Associate Professor in Health Care Research at Karolinska Institutet, and Mr. Muhammad Yunus Musa, Founder and CEO of the STEM Club Project Africa and Youth Ambassador of African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA).
The top-ranked project in the Social category was KabuTeam’s Project KKK: Kabutehan para sa Kabuhayan at Kalusugan. This initiative stood out for its community engagement approach, which focused on identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Dr. Torkel Falkenberg, the head judge for the social category, highlighted the sustainability of joint efforts and commended the project’s inclusive and bottom-up approach.
The KABUTeam, creators of the winning project, expressed their gratitude to the judges and the UNIPLAT community for recognizing their project’s potential and social impact. They also extended appreciation to their supporters, emphasizing the importance of encouragement and belief in their vision.
Apart from recognition, UNIPLAT Pitch Deck 2023 awarded cash prizes to the top projects in each category. The Business category winner received Php 25,000, the Social category winner received Php 15,000, and the Public Relations/Marketing category winner received Php 10,000. Additionally, mentorship opportunities and online internships were provided to the top three projects in each category to foster further growth and development.
As the first day of the UNIPLAT Pitch Deck 2023 concluded, the focus now shifts to the future endeavors of these innovative individuals. With the support of UNIPLAT’s prestigious platform, their ideas have the potential to create significant societal and environmental impact. I by Errol Ivan Badong