Start-Up QC sees its largest number of finalists in the student competition category
Start-Up QC welcomed its largest group of winners in the Start-Up QC Student Competition with 92 teams of aspiring entrepreneurs across sectors such as sustainability, agriculture, arts and culture, finance, education, health, and information technology.
Among the initial applications of more than 150 applications, 92 business plans advanced to the second stage of the competition.
Start-Up QC is a program of the Quezon City Government designed to promote innovation and entrepreneurship by supporting early start-ups and realizing a sustainable student business plan through the program.
“Apart from raising their spirit in business, we want them to have the idea that when they graduate, they will not only apply to big companies, but they will have their own company and eventually they will create job opportunities for their citizens,” said the manager of Start-Up QC Operations, Sweetzelle Fabula, in an interview that was held on the sidelines of the event.
According to Ms. Basically, this competition has three stages: application and evaluation, cadetship, and pitch day and awarding.
The first phase involves testing and evaluation. The second phase includes cadetship where students will be taught to help students develop their business plans.
According to Ms. In fact, the second phase also involves the resubmission of the business plans which will be reviewed for the implementation of the 3rd phase. The last stage of this competition is the release date and awarding.
Start-Up QC will award grand prizes during the final phase of the competition where businesses will be awarded P100,000, P75,000, and P50,000. While the minor prizes will receive P35,000, P25,000, and P15,000.
According to Ms. Fabula, there are criteria for judging the major and minor awards, and the number of winners depends on their budget.
“We don’t have a [fixed] number [of winners to award]. As long as the budget can afford it. Therefore, we do not have a target number since the purpose of this program is to improve their spirit in business,” said Ms. Fabula.
Ms. Fabula said Start-Up QC was established in 2022 under Quezon City Ordinance SP-3109, series of 2022.
“The Start-Up QC program has its own law. That is, whoever is the mayor or leadership of the city of Quezon City, it will run every year without the city administration unless they appeal against this law,” he said.
Ms. Fabula said that in order for the team to participate in the competition, it must not have an entire team of Quezon City residents.
“We have applications from Pangasinan State University [and] Central State University. So, throughout the Philippines, The first QC needs at least one QC resident,” he said.
To be eligible for the contest, at least one (1) person in the team must be a bona fide resident of Quezon City, must be enrolled in a college or university in the Philippines, be 18 years old, none of the applicants must be related to any project committee, must have a viable business plan, and the proposed project must not duplicate any ongoing projects of Quezon City.
Start-Up QC program leader Jong Sumpaico told the students to maximize the opportunity they are given.
“You pursue meaningful and impactful solutions that respond to the real needs of society, and I thank you for having the courage to try, fail, learn, and try again,” Mr. Sumpaico told the students.
The winners will enter the second phase of the competition which will run from July 7 to July 23, 2026. — Kaizzer Angela Marie V. Manuba
