UST Technovation Society empowers student innovators in Hackathon 2026

The event stage of Hackathom 2026 at the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati/UST Technovation Society

The Hackathom 2026 focused on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), encouraging students to create "future-ready" solutions that highlight the role of student-led innovation in addressing modern challenges and fostering collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving.

The event, with the theme "GOLDEN: Great Outcomes Live in Diversity, Excellence and Novelty," was held on April 25, 2026, at the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, O.P. Building. The event was organized by the UST Technovation Society in collaboration with the UST Student Council and the TOMASinno Center, marking the society’s first-ever Hackathon.

As one of the most anticipated events of the organization, the hackathon gathered bright minds from various colleges across the university, with 19 teams pitching their solutions to modern-day challenges.

The judges on the panel were esteemed professionals in different areas of innovation and entrepreneurship. One of them was Abad Enriquez, an innovation consultant, mentor, and food entrepreneur who has led workshops in more than 15 countries and is currently the country lead for UNLEASH Philippines, a global initiative based in Copenhagen that brings together young innovators to develop solutions to real-world problems.

Alongside him was Jan Otaner Ang, head of innovation at GCash, where he leads the strategy, emerging technologies, and scalable platforms. With more than 17 years of experience in software engineering, enterprise architecture, and product innovation, he has consistently delivered solutions that millions of Filipinos use.

Completing the panel was Ernesto A. Alcano Jr., the former department head of the entrepreneurship program in the UST College of Commerce and Business Administration. He is the owner and managing director of the EAA Consultancy Services and a consultant to the Corporate Audit Department of the Jollibee Group of Companies.

Team Spino during the question and answer portion/UST Technovation Society

The competition winners were first-year students from the College of Education, majoring in Food Technology. The championship team, which includes Yvette Anne Abalos, Mary Rosendahl Monteverde, Margareth Maladaga, Kessiah Kloi Luna, and Kassandra Nicole Tesico, under the guidance of their mentor Prof. Eugenia R. Zhuo from the Department of Information Technology, impressed the judges with their innovative entry, Spino, taking away the grand prize of P15,000.

"As a team, we were proud to represent our college and program, and even more proud to achieve this as first-year students. It meant a lot to us that we were able to present and share our ideas on a bigger platform," said Luna.

“We hope that by winning this event, we can also inspire others to create a difference by sharing their own innovative ideas that will, in turn, create solutions that [will] have lasting impacts,” she added.

Spino is a new ready-made salad composed of nutrient-rich dried seaweed and vegetables. The product is shelf-stable and only requires the addition of water to rehydrate into a fresh, fibre-rich meal in minutes, designed to meet the needs of the modern, fast-paced consumer. Spino addresses the perishability of fresh produce and offers a healthier alternative to highly processed snacks.

Awarding of Winners at the Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati auditorium/UST Technovation Society

Following, students from the College of Information and Computing Sciences (CICS) secured the 1st runner-up title for their innovative idea, Veritasync. A portable, patient-owned health app in the Philippines that stores, tracks, and shares medical records, with a health avatar for risk insights, plus emergency alerts and nearby care access.

The team consists of Arcadio Lumanlan, Paulyn Gamban, Carl Daniel Ang, Khristine Caryl Mirasol, Arvin Aldrei Pado, and Pete Andrei Lapuebla, under the mentorship of Prof. Celso Noel D. Aban, the manager of Technovation Society.

Securing the 2nd runner-up spot was team Thomie, which consists of Ramon Jr. Tuazon, Alea Grasha M. Masiglat, Lowell Asher Leal, Roem Yuric Queri, and Leander Leroy Bascos, under the guidance of Prof. Michael Francis D. Benjamin, who is also the assistant manager of Technovation Society. Thomie is a gamified student app that combines wellness and academics, featuring a virtual companion that reflects overall balance.

Alongside the team rankings, the Special Awards of Hackathon 2026 recognised outstanding individual performances.

Arcadio Francis Lumanlan was named Best Male Presenter. Meanwhile, team Thomie secured the People’s Choice Award, and its member Alea Masiglat received the Best Female Presenter award.

Following the success of Hackathon 2026, the event continues to serve as a platform for empowering students to turn innovative ideas into practical solutions to real-world challenges.