MANILA – The National Development Company (NDC) aims to expand its Philippine Innovation Hub this year by putting up offices across and outside the country.
NDC General Manager Anton Mauricio said at the 26th General Meeting of the Rotary Club of Manila at the Manila Polo Club Thursday that this move aims to further enhance the digital landscape for Filipinos both domestically and internationally.
The state-owned enterprise is eyeing to establish regional hubs in 10 regions.
In Luzon, the NDC is targeting to put up the Philippine Innovation Hub in Naga City, Batangas, La Union, and Nueva Ecija; Cebu, Iloilo, and Tacloban in Visayas; and in General Santos, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao.
“We don’t want the provinces outside of Metro Manila to be left behind with innovation, so there has to be a physical space for the start-up MSMEs to go to and have access to incubation, acceleration, government support, and potential funding. They can talk directly to the command center outside Metro Manila,” Mauricio said.
He also shared that the NDC eyes international innovation hubs in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Dubai, and London.
He added that opening international offices aims to support Philippine businesses expanding into these countries by providing government support, temporary office addresses, and connecting them with potential investors.
The NDC has already established the Philippine Innovation Hub, where it has partnered with knowledge entities and is constructing the Philippine Innovation Registry. This registry will serve as a central hub of information on innovation projects beneficial to the country.
Currently, the lone Philippine Innovation Hub is headquartered at the Startup Venture Fund at the NDC’s office in Makati City.
Through the innovation hub, knowledge partners can sign up to build the Philippine Innovation Registry. This registry will serve as a central hub of information on innovation projects beneficial to the country. (PNA)
