Four days from now, we will be mounting Go Negosyo’s 2nd Filipino Technopreneurship Summit at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. From the initial 1,000 at the NBC Tent, we are now expecting close to 5,000 attendees, including students from 70 schools in Luzon and Visayas as well as 500 participants from PLDT SME Nation to attend the summit which is enough to fill all the three halls of the SMX. The technology sector has been really booming in the past couple of decades and we thought that it is about time for us to open this avenue for Filipinos who would like to start their own negosyos but are not sure of what to do, or where to begin. But before I tell you more about the event, let me thank the PLDT group led by MVP (who will attend the summit himself), EVP Eric Alberto, and PLDT SME Nation head Kat Luna-Abelarde for working with us in mounting the Technopreneur Summit. They will be demonstrating their newest service called the PLDT Cloud there, which I think is one of the best IT-related services that we can avail in the country.

Four forum sessions will happen that will feature various industry names who will talk about their experiences as technopreneurs—what was it like to be one, the challenges that came along their way, and the steps that they took to reach the top. PLDT president Polly Nazareno will help inspire participants with his opening remarks, while the keynote message will come from Engr. Diosdado Banatao, one of the most successful Filipino technopreneurs and the Chairman of PhilDev Foundation. The first forum will follow afterwards, which would highlight the success of Filipinos who have also made it big in the technology industry such as Silicon Valley fellows Winston Damarillo, Eric Manlunas, Dr. Paco Sandejas, and Myla Villanueva, as well as Smart Communications co-founder Doy Vea.

In the second forum, various technopreneurs will share their stories about setting up a business founded on technology. They are Bernie Abis (Webcast Technologies, Inc.), John Bibal II (Philippine Blackberry Developer Group), Alvin Edwald Chan (game developer), Gerry Cruz (Andgage), RJ David (Sulit.com), Michael Ngo Dee (Tripid.ph), Ryan Escarez (developer, MRT Trackr), Calen Martin Legaspi (Orange and Bronze Software), Jose Julio Lopez (EMC Corporation), Marx Melencio (Grayscale Consultancy), Unyx Sta. Ana (Orchestronix), Jeffrey Siy (Galleon.ph), and Alvin Tan (Siglo).

Government agencies and private organizations shall also be featured in the forum, as they explain how their institutions can help technopreneurs in their business ventures. The panel will be composed of James Ayson (Smart Communications), Ken Lauren-Dagano (technology evangelist), Reena Estuar (Ateneo Java Wireless Competency Center), Jojo Flores (Silicon Valley S&T advisory council), Alvin Gendrano (Microsoft Philippines), Monchito Ibrahim (Information and Communication Technology-DOST), Beryl Li (SeedAsia), Jack Madrid (Multiply), Catherine Peterson (PhilDev), Dr. Luis Sison (DOST-UP Enterprise Center for Technopreneurship), Dr. Gregory Tongonan (Congressional Commission on S&T and Engineering), Marica Uchida (Developers Connect Foundation), and Earl Martin Valencia (Ideaspace Foundation).

Lastly, we will have a bloggers’ forum that will discuss about technology based on their perspective and if it can really help Filipinos move up in life. We will have Mark Joseph Delgado (Bloggers4Change), Anton Diaz (OurAwesomePlanet), Ira Giorgetti (male fashion), Tricia Gosingtian (female fashion), Ivan Henares (Ivan About Town-tourism), Mae Ilagan (When in Manila-tourism), Michael Lim (Fashion Pulis), Abe Olandres (Yuga Tech), Carlo Ople (UnBox.com), Patricia Prieto (female fashion), Jeoff Solas (Loveyourself.ph), and Janette Toral (Philippine Blogging Summit).

See you all on Monday!

In my last column I started featuring entrepreneurs and their wishes for 2013. Let me share a few more wishes from my fellow negosyantes:

We had a FERNtastic 2012 as we improved support for our highly successful business model by opening eight FERN training centers nationwide. Now, members have greater personalized access to the training, support, and resources which make FERN such a viable business. 2012 was also the year when we launched i-fern, which provides the opportunity for our kababayans abroad to earn extra income and achieve prosperity. The FERN Foundation has helped our countrymen in need during the past, and will continue to do so in the coming years. We see 2013 as another milestone year as we expand outside the Philippines and market our world-class products abroad. Every Filipino can be a successful entrepreneur in control of his time, efforts, and finances. That, for us, is the measure of true prosperity. – FERN INC. PRESIDENT AND CEO TOMMANNY TAN

2012 was another banner year for SEAOIL as we continue to expand our retail network to over 270 locations nationwide. We expect to continue our expansion of retail sites in 2013 as we are bullish on the Philippine economy despite sluggish growth elsewhere in the world. My personal goal for 2013 is to continue to honor God in everything that I do as a steward of the business that He has entrusted to me. As an entrepreneur, I believe that the best way I can help improve others for 2013 is to help them discover and develop their strengths and to encourage them to focus on it. I’m amazed that when the Gallup organization asked people if they used their strengths at work most of the time, only 17% of them answered in the affirmative, and that is a shockingly low number. If only more people intentionally identified their strengths and developed them at work and around their businesses, then we would have more successful entrepreneurs in the country. – SEAOIL PRESIDENT AND CEO GLENN YU

2012 was a good year for PR Gaz. It marked a lot of positive development in our organization. I am very optimistic with 2013. Projection for the Philippines is very bright; I feel the same for our company. I feel confident we will reach the goal we set. As the leader of our organization, I am the chief motivator. I always encourage our team to outdo themselves and strive for continuous self-development. In business, I will continue to spread the concept of franchising. By turning more of our countrymen into entrepreneurs, we are not only providing them with opportunities to improve their lives, but we are also empowering them to help others by providing employment and contributing to the local economy in the communities where they operate. – PR GAZ HOLDINGS, INC. COO FOR FRANCHISING SIU PING PAR

2012 was a fairly good year where Silverworks continued to post gains despite increased competition. Marketing efforts focused mainly on gaining more online presence using social networking sites and other technology-based applications. The challenge in 2012 is how to continue to be innovative and creative, and remain relevant to our young and fickle minded market. We see a lot of promise for 2013 as the retail industry is growing. In Silverworks, we empower employees to be leaders so whether they stay or choose a different path; they will be smart and hardworking people. They know how to find and embrace opportunities. It is also not enough that you are efficient and hardworking. The most important is to do things with integrity. – SILVERWORKS PRESIDENT LOUIE GUTIERREZ