AIPO and SOSE honor winners of the SOSE-SVBB 2025 Competition for Student Research with the Highest IP Potential

On 9 May, 2025, the Ateneo de Manila University School of Science and Engineering (SOSE), in partnership with the Ateneo Research Institute of Science and Engineering (ARISE),  the Ateneo Intellectual Property Office (AIPO), and Sapalo Velez Bundang and Bulilan (SVBB) Law Offices, announced the overall winner of the SOSE-SVBB Competition for Student Research with the Highest IP Potential. 

The competition was part of the SOSE Week 2025, where students from the school of science and engineering were invited to submit their pitch decks and invention summaries for a chance to win a cash prize funded by the SVBB Endowment Fund, as well as intellectual property assistance from AIPO for patent application and possible further incubation and mentorship. 

The student entries were initially screened by the AIPO’s selection committee. The finalists were then selected and presented their pitch presentations to the judges on May 8 at PLDT-CTC Room 414. 

Presentations were evaluated based on the patentability of their research output, comprising 50% of the total score. Commercial readiness and market potential comprised 20% each, while promotion of resilience and sustainability accounted for the final 10%. The panel of judges includes esteemed judges from AIPO—Ms Mariela Alcaparas MSc, Mr Bryan James Erfe, and Ms Vanessa Malapit MSc for patentability; Engr Benjamin Mirasol MBA for commercial readiness; Dr John Luis Lagdameo for market potential; and Mr Lorenzo Tiongson MSc for sustainability.  

Four (4) technologies made it to the final selection stage. These include hydroponics systems, filtration systems, real-time machine vision and automation systems, and self-service retail technology. 

The overall winners of the competition were Ms Jasmin Kae Blancia, Ms Marion Abbygail de Leon, Mr Andrew Go Alcantara, and Mr Dominic Rodrigo Pagulayan from BS Electronics Engineering and BS Computer Engineering for their winning technology, GRotate: Drum-type Hydroponic System for Plant Growth using IoT and NDVI Monitoring, under the supervision of Mr Jan Kevin Galicia, Engr Maria Leonora Guico, and Mr Jose Claro Monje.

All awardees were given recognition and certificates by Dr Raphael A Guerrero, Dean of the School of Science and Engineering, and Atty Ditto Sapalo, Partner from the SVBB Law Offices.

The Ateneo Intellectual Property Office and School of Science and Engineering recognize the effort and skill poured by all finalists into their research with the highest IP potential and congratulate the winners of the event.

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