PUBLIC-PRIVATE STARTUP platform QBO Innovation Hub, teamed up with the US Embassy in the Philippines to encourage more interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers.
“The US Embassy, through the 2024 American Spaces Small Grants Program, is committed to equipping young Filipinos with 21st century skills essential for success in an evolving digital landscape,” Kevin Punzalan, the embassy’s specialist at the American Spaces Program, said in a statement.
The program, “Step Juan: Young Technopreneurs in Training,” seeks to expose high school and university students to startup initiatives with accessible, beginner-friendly learning opportunities in entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation.
“Step Juan envisions a future where Filipino youth are empowered to pursue STEM and technopreneurship, with educators playing a crucial role in shaping innovative thinkers,” QBO Executive Director Alwyn Joy E. Ro-sel said.
QBO is a division of the MVP Group’s startup arm IdeaSpace Ventures.
In 2020, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies forecast shortages in the STEM workforce by 2025, particularly in life sciences (13,964 positions), engineering (569,903), physical sciences (9,689), and math and statistics (13,285).
For its first cycle, the Step Juan program will be rolled out in the University of Makati and the Maximo Estrella Senior High School. Cycles 2 and 3 will continue throughout the year across Metro Manila. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
