De La Salle University (DLSU) emerged as champion in the Metro Manila leg of the Byte Forward Hackathon, held August 7-8 at Seda Vertis North in Quezon City, after presenting a voice-powered mobile app designed to help small businesses manage sales and inventory with AI-driven insights.
The 24-hour competition, organized in collaboration with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and hosted by Converge SME Solutions and Rev21 Labs, brought together 10 student teams from top universities in the region. Each team was tasked with solving real-world business challenges sourced directly from PCCI members and Converge SME partners.
Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) won second place with a voice-command sales and stock logging solution and analytics dashboard, while the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) placed third for its web portal that uses competitor data and OCR technology to provide pricing support to MSMEs. Winners took home cash prizes of ₱50,000, ₱30,000, and ₱20,000, with the first and second place teams also receiving 12 months of free internet.
“Hackathons like this are more than just competitions—they are launchpads for the country’s future innovators,” said Ron Puno, CEO of Rev21 Labs Inc. “By giving young talents real business challenges to solve, we’re not only testing their skills, we’re unlocking fresh perspectives and bold ideas that can transform how enterprises operate.”
PCCI President Consul Enunina V. Mangio also praised the students’ innovative spirit. “This hackathon proves that when we empower young minds with real business challenges, they rise to the occasion with creativity and purpose,” she said. “It reflects PCCI’s advocacy to harness innovation and technology in strengthening MSMEs and bridging the digital gap.”
The winning teams will advance to the national stage during the 51st Philippine Business Conference and Expo on October 21-22, 2025, at the SMX Convention Center in Manila, where the Byte Forward Hackathon’s grand champion will be named under the theme, “The Future Is Now: Unleash the Power of Digital Transformation.”
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