DTI R2 – Cagayan strengthens ICT Industry in the Province through a Webinar on Start-up Basics and Pitching of ICT-enabled Business Ideas

The future has arrived. Now is the onset of the “new normal” and the perfect time to boost the development of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Industry in the Province of Cagayan.

With this in mind, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) R2 – Cagayan Provincial Office recently hosted an online seminar dubbed as “Seminar on Start-up Basics and Pitching of ICT-enabled Business Ideas” last 19 June 2020 via Zoom.

The seminar aimed to prepare local ICT talents to embrace the “new normal” by capacitating them, particularly programmers, software developers and graphic designers, among others, to maximize the economic opportunities in the ICT industry that are yet to be fully explored.

In the Opening Message of DTI Provincial Director Ma. Salvacion A. Castillejos, she articulated that the ICT Industry has become a vital tool in generating economic opportunities, and in empowering the public to create something that does not exist yet or improve the things that we already have.

PD Castillejos emphasized that “to realize all these, it is necessary to prepare local talents to embrace the “new normal” by capacitating ICT players to maximize the opportunities that are yet to be fully explored”.

Meanwhile, the webinar kicked-off with the discussion of Mr. Mars Cacacho, Founder and CEO of HackTheNorth.ph, on “Who, What, When, Where, and How’s of Start-ups”. Mr. Cacacho emphasized that start-ups generally start with a team and it is critical to build a team wisely – ideally, there must be a hacker, hipster, and hustler. The team should work collaboratively and effectively to ensure that their start-up is relevant and future proof.

Moreover, Ms. Jomalyn Quebral, CEO of TechVentures IT Solutions, extensively discussed “How to Pitch ICT-enabled Business Ideas”. In her presentation, she emphasized that opportunities are everywhere and it is vital to always be prepared to pitch a business idea. As a basic guide, Ms. Quebral stressed that a good pitch balances business, emotional needs, benefits, and delivery.

Over 60 individuals from the Province of Cagayan composed of ICT enthusiasts and practitioners, members of the academe, and public servants from various Regional Line Agencies actively participated in the webinar.