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The University of Southern Mindanao – Intellectual Property, Technology Transfer, and Business Development Office (USM-IPTTBDO) conducted an Entrepreneurial Mindsetting Seminar on September 26, 2025, at the University Commercial Building, USM, Kabacan, Cotabato. The seminar was specifically designed for students with startups currently in the incubation period.
Christopher G. Francisco, a USM alumnus and the CEO of ManPro and NASYA, served as the speaker of the seminar. He shared his best practices in business. He also offered valuable tips on improving startups, recounted how he began his entrepreneurial journey, discussed the challenges he faced, and explained strategies for sustaining a successful business.
According to Dr. Jalaloden B. Marohom, the Director of UPTTBDO, the seminar was added because many students with startups are not enrolled in business-related programs. As a result, their entrepreneurship mindset is not yet fully developed.
A survey conducted by one of his students revealed that a significant number of respondents expressed a need for greater exposure to entrepreneurship. They wanted to hear success stories from USM alumni who have ventured into entrepreneurship and to draw inspiration from their experiences.
Dr. Marohom also hopes to shift students’ perspectives—not only encouraging them to graduate in their chosen fields but also to recognize and develop their entrepreneurial potential. His vision is for students to graduate as entrepreneurs who can create opportunities for others in the future.
According to Yzzah Rapiz, a USM graduate and team leader of the Q-Alert startup, the seminar has been a great help in guiding her on what and how to think about her startup, especially since she has no prior business experience. She learned valuable lessons on building trust with industry partners, how to properly approach business professionals, and the right mindset when engaging with investors.
In another interview, Azie Tranquellero, a BS Chemistry student at USM and one of the team leaders of the Agrogel startup, shared that the seminar helped him identify the key needs of their startup. He looks forward to advancing their prototyping process to attract future investors.
“Through the seminar, we identified the areas that need improvement to complete our prototype,” he shared.
The seminar was held alongside SPARK 2.0: Pitching Competition, as part of the Research, Development, and Extension (RDE) activities during the Founding Anniversary Week of USM.
