Geeks on a Beach gets bigger and better on its fourth year
THE Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) international tech confab, recently held in Panglao, Bohol last Aug. 25 and 26, has gotten bigger and better on its fourth and present year.
Soaring high from its debut in Boracay in 2013, this year’s GOAB made a new breakthrough with its partnership with the iconic US-based tech accelerator Techstars and Facebook’s internet.org “free internet” advocacy.
“The Techstars Asia-Pacific Summit, a private gathering of 100 startup weekend leaders in the region, was held in the same venue two days prior to GOAB. This year’s GOAB also featured stronger ties with StartupPH.org, a newly formed umbrella organization of advocates for Philippine startups and tech industry. StartupPH.org includes the core group that completed the Philippine Startup Roadmap in 2015” said Tina Amper, TechTalks.ph Founder and GOAB organizer.
“Apart from the wider participation of the international community with delegates from the US, Singapore, Malaysia, among others, the recently concluded GOAB was also marked by stronger government support with the inspiring presence of Sen. Bam Aquino and Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto,” added Amper. Senator Aquino is a strong proponent of the PH startup bill.
Meanwhile, key government supporters from previous GOAB is now part of the newly installed Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). Monchito Ibrahim, who was previous head of the now defunct Department of Science and Technology Information and Communication Technology Office oversaw the crafting of the PH Startup Roadmap in consultation with the startup community, is now Program Director of DICT’s eInnovation.
With the theme “Empowering startups, leading change”, GOAB is organized by TechTalks.ph, co-organized by DICT, and co-presented by PLDT SME Nation, Smart, Smart DevNet, Ideaspace and PLDT Innolab. (PR)
