Last Thursday, we successfully hosted the YEDW-Mentor Me Innovation Forum at the Enderun Colleges. The forum is part of the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Workshop series in partnership with the US Embassy.

We organized this forum to gather innovators and enablers whose expertise covers major topics such as innovative products or services development, operation processes, and innovative business models. Our partner, the US Embassy, brought in innovation experts from Endeavor, GE, and Silicon Valley, such as Google and IBM. We also had local innovators who shared their insights, from companies like MobKard, Navegar Fund, Ideaspace, Bambike, SL Agritech and many more.

Over 800 participants from the youth sector, micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs), aspiring young entrepreneurs and the academe joined us in the forum. Some of them raised questions during the open forum that were thoroughly addressed by the panelists.

Senator Bam Aquino inspired many through his talk, “A Vision for Creativity and Innovation among Entrepreneurs,” in which he stressed, “Innovative spirit is what will carry us forward and take us to success.”

Ambassador David Thorne, senior advisor to the Secretary of State of the United States, gave us an inspirational message and shared that digital technology is vastly changing day by day and that the next generation should be prepared to compete on a global scale. He advised, “You need to find that mentor, you need to open up and share. Look to each other for support.”

That is why our advocacy, Go Negosyo, provides mentorship to aspiring entrepreneurs out there and encourages them to establish their own businesses.

Of course, as we continue to inspire and instill entrepreneurship through these kinds of programs, we are reaching out more to those who aspire to be entrepreneurs and equip them with right entrepreneurial mindset and knowhow. In the photos are the highlights of the YEDW-Mentor Me Innovation Forum.