DOST-MIRDC, AMCen, And Leave A Nest Philippines Gather Partners To Support Growth Of Innovation Community
by Kai H. Negado
The Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCen), the national technology hub for additive manufacturing located in the compound of the Department of Science and Technology – Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) in Bicutan, Taguig City, engages in collaborative initiatives with both public and private institutions. One of the AMCen’s partners is Leave a Nest Philippines.
Leave a Nest has been involved in the country’s innovation community since 2017, by mainly serving as a tech business incubator for Philippine tech startups. With the company’s aim of “Advancing Science and Technology for Global Happiness,” this activity is a way to bridge the gap between scientists, researchers, and entrepreneurs by accelerating businesses through S&T innovations.
The culminating activity hosted by Leave a Nest Philippines, Inc. for their counterparts from Japan who visited its partners here in the country, was held at DOST-MIRDC’s AMCen on 24 September 2022. The activity was attended by the Leave a Nest representatives from Japan and the Philippines, DOST-MIRDC personnel, and partners from the manufacturing sector.
Advancing innovation is the shared goal of all the participants in the event.
Dr. Yevgeny Aster T. Dulla, Representative Director of Leave a Nest Philippines, Inc. indicated the need for a specific form of science communication to connect various sectors in society to solve deep issues.
Dr. Takumi Jindo, Strategic Development Division of Leave a Nest, Co., Ltd., continues in this light by discussing the company’s successes in creating collaborative and sustainable ecosystems for the purpose of solving each other’s deep societal issues. He proceeded to introduce two (2) of their startup partners in Japan who have existing technologies and collaborations in the Philippines:
Mr. Tatsuya Kanbara, Managing Department of Melody International presented the wearable fetal monitor iCTG, which was invented to provide safe and secure childbirth to mothers all over the world. The fetal monitor is a small, wireless, waterproof, and smart device which uploads data to the company’s cloud center – the world’s first digital fetal data. Collaboration with the Philippine General Hospital and St. Luke’s Medical Center is already underway.
Mr. Yasuki Kanazawa, CEO and President of Naturanix Co. Ltd., developed a technology to establish ultra-fast charging stations and electric mobility. The ultra-fast charging stations have shortened charging times from at least 30 minutes to three minutes for the e-bikes and 15 minutes for the “all GaN” e-vehicles. They are currently partnering with Cebu-based company SKYGO.
Lastly, Engr. Fred Liza, Chief of the DOST-MIRDC Materials and Process Research Division, in his presentation, assured the attendees that the DOST-MIRDC, especially the AMCen. is capacitated to support our manufacturing sector by citing existing programs and projects that contribute to telemedicine, transport, defense and security, and agro-industrial machinery. Engr. Liza also highlighted AMCen’s support to the academe and local startups, and the establishment of Metals and Engineering Innovation Centers (MEICs) in all 17 regions in the country.
All in all, much like Leave a Nest’s core mission, this culminating activity provided an avenue for DOST-MIRDC and the AMCen to nurture its existing partnerships and create new linkages among local and foreign companies to sustain, enrich, and drive the innovative culture forward and translate innovation-related initiatives to optimized socio-economic benefits.
