By Monika Katja Yuzon, BA Comm-4, Centralian Link Intern

UniHub founders with the CPU President.

Through the ICT Industry Development Bureau (IIDB), the Department of Information and Communications Technology established three (3) regional acceleration projects in Regions 4A, 6, and 10. The Startup-tailored Empowerment and People-focused Upskilling Project (STEP UP), launches in CALABARZON, Western Visayas, and Northern Mindanao. This year, 33 local startups have been chosen to take part in the short-term, extensive, and rapid immersive mentorship program.

There were 24 applicants in Western Visayas this year, and UniHub, a startup founded by CPU students, was one of the 11 startups chosen. The startups had their first acceleration session on December 4, 2023, under the mentorship of Spring Valley at its headquarters in Bago City, Negros Occidental.

Founded by Engineering and Computer Science students Jed Matthew Mamosto (CEO), Teddie John Rajeev (Scrum Master & Brand Ambassador), Hans Gabriel Daduya (CTO), Matt Rafael Genito (Marketing Head), Basil Jermanos Amso (Business Development Associate), Franz Eliezer Samilo (Full Stack Developer), and Louie Dale Cervera (Full Stack Developer), UniHub is a university online marketplace where students can buy and sell.

UniHub is now in the testing phase and is available to CPU students. STEP UP will host a demo day in May, during which startups will pitch live to an audience and possibly investors. UniHub is looking for investment in their app to help them develop it further and grow as a team.

In an interview, founders of UniHub shared an advice to those planning to start a business or project as students. “Just do it, and if you want to create something, either create it with a purpose, like to solve a problem, and it can even be something trivial that solves your own problem, and then you share it with other people,” Jed said. As for Teddie, “Whatever product you’re trying to sell, you need to be the one to believe in it the most. Because you’re selling a product, if you, yourself, do not believe in your product, then how can you convince other people to buy your product?” Matt also added, “To choose the people you want to work with.” “We also think of it as like, even if it doesn’t work out, at least while we do this, we’re also learning, and we can also apply this to our careers,” Jed concluded.