The U.S. Embassy of Manila’s United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Philippine S&T Development Foundation-Manila, Inc. (PhilDev), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) are coming together in Cebu City February 26 to 28 to encourage dialogue in the science and engineering communities during the second annual IDEA (Innovative Development through Entrepreneurship Acceleration) Global Entrepreneurship Symposium.

USAID’s IDEA program, a three-year partnership with PhilDev, boosts the entrepreneurial capability of Filipino engineering students, whose wealth of ideas can be transformed into viable businesses and help drive inclusive and sustainable growth throughout the Philippines.

On February 26, 2015, the IDEA Global Entrepreneurship Symposium will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City, with the theme “Building the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Foundation.” The event is a platform to create and expand dialogue among the U.S. and Philippine higher education institutions, government officials, startup entrepreneurs, and industry leaders.

“This symposium demonstrates our shared commitment to support initiatives and partnerships that will foster an entrepreneurship ecosystem to drive, broaden, and deepen the Philippine economy well into the 21st century,” said the U.S. Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Brian L. Goldbeck.

“The creativity and talent of Filipinos must be directed toward innovation and entrepreneurship. Through IDEA, graduates with science and engineering degrees will have the ability and knowledge to create products and services from their very own innovations,” said Dado Banatao, Chairman of PhilDev.

On February 27-28, Silicon Valley-based entrepreneurs Ahmet Alpdemir and Eros Resmini will lecture at workshops for startup entrepreneurs and engineering professors and students. The IDEA Global Entrepreneurship Workshop Series will be held at the University of San Carlos-Main Campus, Cebu City. The symposium will also feature U.S. professors and entrepreneurs and will serve as a venue to link startup companies and venture capitalists with emerging technologies and expertise.

“PhilDev believes that by equipping our engineering students with entrepreneurship knowledge, we will create a generation of entrepreneurs who not only are creators of technology, but also are creators of jobs and a better life for their fellow Filipinos,” explains Banatao.

“USAID’s support for the Philippine higher education sector is a critical component of the U.S.-Philippines Partnership for Growth. A strong innovative higher education system that not only meets and responds to the needs of industry but that drives innovation itself is a critical engine for economic growth,” shared USAID Acting Mission Director Reed Aeschliman.

About USAID:

The United States Agency for International Development is the lead U.S. Government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential. In the Philippines, USAID partners with the national government to create a more stable, prosperous and well-governed nation. For more information, visit http://www.usaid.gov/philippines or email infoph@usaid.gov.