The team from the Asian College of Science and Technology garnered the Business Plan of the Year award Friday in the 2006 Oriental Negros Innovation Awards for their Automated Rice Seedbed Protection.

The ARSP won over four other business plans from other schools, which were: a mosquito trap, charcoal briquettes, a prepaid Internet purchase card, and a sensor system with SMS-based notification.

The ARSP is an electronically controlled seedbed that uses sensors to regulate heat and moisture to create an environment that is conducive for the growth of the seedlings.

Comprising the ACSAT team were Lou Gallego, team leader, Ritchel Baldado and Susan Ofamin, with Engr. Jasmin Bala as mentor. They got the grand prize of P50,000, which is intended to become the seed money for them to start their business.

The panel of judges consisted of Asian Institute of Management professors Francisco Bernardo III and Federico Gonzalez, and Teletech Vice president for Development Mohan Kulkarni.

The ONIA is an annual entrepreneurship competition that aims at discovering and funding innovations in the fields of agriculture, health, environment, science and information technology, where the best plan could start a high potential new business in the province.

The ONIA was modeled after the highly successful 50K@MIT Business Plan Competition in the U.S., which has spawned over 60 companies valued at $10.5 billion.

Provincial Director Javier Fortunato Jr. of the Department of Trade and Industry said that while many business have opened up in Dumaguete and Oriental Negros, most were engaged in retailing, distribution or food.

"We believe people with creative ideas, be in technology, design or some other field, should be supported so they can set up new and different businesses in our province."

This project is run by the DTI in the province with funding coming from the provincial government through the Negros Oriental Business Development Foundation, with local Higher Education Institutions and the business community as partners.

The winner of the first Innovation Awards in 2004, Engr. Bonifacio Comandante, went on to win other national and international awards for his technology of putting fish to sleep for more than 12 hours without water, enabling the waterless transport of live fish to countries halfway around the world.

Comandante's company, the Buhi Marine Worldwide Inc. now employs 45 people and uses the technology to sell live fish in three big outlets and 45 restaurants in Metro Manila.*AP

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