USTP CDO student startups advance to regional stage in Philippine Startup Challenge XI - Northern Mindanao
By Albert Christopher P. Daniot II, Department of Data Science, College of Information Technology and Computing, USTP Cagayan de Oro
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Three student-led startup teams representing the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines in Cagayan de Oro (USTP CDO) advanced to the Top 20 Regional Finalists of the Philippine Startup Challenge XI – Northern Mindanao, with Bangus Buhai emerging as 1st Runner-Up during the Regional Pitching Competition held on October 22, 2026, at Bukidnon State University. Selected from 86 startup entries, Bakhaw AI, Bangus Buhai, and Respira brought USTP CDO-developed solutions to a multidisciplinary regional stage and demonstrated how data science and emerging technologies can address community and industry challenges.
Bangus Buhai, developed by Data Science (DS) Students – Kyle Paulo Bautro and Charles Christian Naces and Computer Engineering (CpE) student Kent Christian Auxtero, and mentored by DS Faculty member Ian Jure Macalisang, earned the 1st Runner-Up award for its technology-driven approach to aquaculture. The startup explores how data and digital technologies can support smarter and more sustainable bangus farming, translating innovation into practical opportunities for local fish-farming communities.
USTP CDO was also represented by DS-led Bakhaw AI, composed of Kevin Lloyd Baul, Marianne Charisse Cañete, and Aramina Galario, and another DS-led RESPIRA, composed of Hannah Llesis, Jade Natasha Ragot, and Eleijah Mar Sevare. Both teams are mentored by Engr. Albert Christopher P. Daniot II. Bakhaw AI applies artificial intelligence and site-specific environmental data to support mangrove restoration decisions, while Respira explores AI-assisted decision support for spirometry screening and interpretation. Together, the three teams showcased applications spanning environmental restoration, aquaculture, and healthcare.
Their participation marked a milestone for the USTP Cagayan de Oro Department of Data Science, which fielded three regional-finalist teams in the competition for the first time in its three years of participation. Beyond technical performance, the teams defended their ideas before a multidisciplinary panel, demonstrating their ability to communicate the relevance, feasibility, and potential impact of their solutions beyond the classroom.
The regional exposure also strengthens pathways toward further validation and startup development. Northern Mindanao’s innovation ecosystem includes the Department of Science and Technology’s Innovation Hub (iHub) and regional technology business incubators that provide early-stage innovators with mentoring, networks, and incubation support. Bangus Buhai’s podium finish, alongside Bakhaw AI and Respira’s regional-final appearances, reinforces USTP’s growing presence in student-led innovation and the role of data science in community development and technological innovation.
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