Innovation in Action: ASSCAT Joins National Innovation Week 2025

Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology (ASSCAT) joined the 2025 National Innovation Day celebration with a series of activities that brought together students, mentors, startups, and local leaders around shared goals: solving real-world problems and nurturing local talent.

The week started with ASSCAT’s participation in the regional kickoff hosted by Caraga State University on April 21. Among the highlights was the Reverse Pitching activity, where local government units laid out actual challenges they face—and startup teams responded with fresh ideas and practical solutions.

 

On April 22–23, ASSCAT’s Agri-Based Technology Business Incubator (ABRI TBI) led mentoring sessions designed to help campus-based startups sharpen their ideas and prepare to take them further.

 

To support innovation with the right tools and knowledge, ASSCAT hosted an online seminar on April 23, focused on Intellectual Property (IP) essentials. In-house experts Dr. Rodel L. Oclaret and Engr. Michael M. Sabugaa offered practical insights on IP rights and innovation law—equipping participants with the basics of protecting and managing their creative work.

 

The celebration wrapped up with the Caraga Startup Pitch Fest on April 24, themed FLIP: Forging Leaders of Innovation in the Philippines. ASSCAT’s startup teams joined the showcase, pitching ideas aimed at addressing local issues and exploring new opportunities in agri-based enterprise.

 

These initiatives also speak to broader development goals—advancing quality education through hands-on learning (SDG 4), encouraging entrepreneurship and skills development (SDG 8), pushing for creative, tech-driven solutions (SDG 9), and building stronger ties with government and industry partners (SDG 17). More than just a series of events, it was a reflection of ASSCAT’s role in helping shape a future where innovation is inclusive, practical, and rooted in community needs.