Groundbreaking ideas were unveiled and
spotlighted at the Red Bull Basement National Final, shining a spotlight on the
future of Filipino ingenuity. The competition, which took place last October 26
at the Mind Museum in Taguig, gathered some of the brightest minds in the
country, pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation.
The expert jury panel, namely Unbox Creator
Network CEO Carlo Ople, 2023 APEC Circular Economy Awardee
and The Circle Hostel Co-founder Rafael Dionisio, and international consultant
and capacity development (CD) practitioner Dr.
Eduardo Canela, named “Agriconnect” as the National Champion. This
victory secures his spot as the exclusive Philippine representative for the Red
Bull Basement World Final, set for this December in Tokyo, Japan.
The Red Bull Basement National Final served as
a testament to the Philippines’ rich pool of talent and creative visionaries.
From health wellness concepts, to energy efficiency, and agricultural
solutions, the ideas presented captured the forward-thinking spirit that the
competition promotes.
Soj Gamayon’s “Agriconnect” innovation stood
out for its creativity, practicality, and potential for significant impact for
farming businesses in the Philippines and Asia, earning the innovator title of
Red Bull Basement Philippines National Champion. The forward-thinking
innovation addresses rice-farming concerns and aims to simplify and make
rice-farming more efficient, having the potential to reshape the agriculture
industry.
“It’s inspiring to see someone think of the problem
and figure out innovations to make it easier for farmers as well as the end
users or the customers.” said jury member and Unbox CEO Carlo Ople about the
winning innovation. “That level of care and concern, and the creativity that
was displayed in coming up with solutions is something else. ”
He also noted, “The one thing that stood out
(about the idea) is that he made us believe that he was capable of executing
what he claims he could do, which is always a big thing in competitions like
this.”
Ople also shared his thoughts on the
competition and the finalists’ ideas pitched at the event, saying, “I was so
inspired seeing all the different contestants. They’re so young which makes you
think, ‘What was I doing when I was their age?’ It’s amazing to see that level
of creativity, concern, and care that
they have in solving problems that they saw would be relevant to the
Philippines and to themselves.”
As the victor of the National Final, Soj
Gamayon is bound for Tokyo, Japan this December to showcase his idea on the
world stage as the representative of the Philippines at the Red Bull Basement
World Final, where innovators from 40 countries will gather together to compete
for the title of Red Bull Basement World Champion. Along with the chance to win
the title, Gamayon will also receive invaluable networking and mentorship
opportunities, gaining him exposure to industry leaders and fellow innovators.
Reflecting on his win, Gamayon said, “It’s so
surreal. It wasn’t in my expectations, honestly, I was just here because I knew
I had so much more to learn, and this is for me such a great bonus.” He added,
“I see it more as a responsibility to hopefully bring in the championship for
the Philippines.”
The young innovator shared that two things
inspired his winning concept. He said, “I come from a province that is really
big in rice farming. And I really saw the complexities that they face every single
day. The second thing is that I was fortunate enough to be sent to Singapore
and be immersed in the startup ecosystem there. I interned for a company that
helps shrimp farmers manage their risk of disease testing. When I came back
here, I felt like there was a responsibility for me to make a greater impact.”
With his winning innovation, Gamayon said that
he hopes to revolutionize farming. He stated, “It’s making things simpler and
more efficient for agri-companies. As we all know, rice is a very vital part of
our economy and our world. So, we need to make sure that in order for us to
have this constant demand, we need to make sure we simplify and have a more
strategic way of approaching rice farming.”
“In order for us to create true impact, we
need to make sure everyone wins in the rice farming industry.”
Focusing on the upcoming World Final in Tokyo,
Gamayon said, “I’m really looking forward to people’s ideas of how to solve
very common problems, creating great impact with people, and just connecting
with these like-minded individuals.”
A
Platform for Future Innovators
Red Bull Basement invites young, upcoming
innovators and entrepreneurs to showcase their groundbreaking ideas.
Participants harnessed AI to build their concepts and business plans, focused
on key opportunities and growth areas. For its 2024 edition, Red Bull Basement
collaborated with Microsoft and AMD.
The Red Bull Basement World Final, happening
this December in Tokyo, Japan, will feature the winning innovations from
participating countries across the world. Intensive workshops and networking
opportunities will also be provided in the weeks leading up to the World Final.
The global judging panel including Head of Microsoft for Startups Hans
Yang, Early Stage Plug and Play Investor Letizia
Royo-Villanova, and Digital Creator and Mentorship Program Leader Jun Yuh,
will decide the winning idea for the Red Bull Basement 2024 World Final. The
Red Bull Basement 2024 World Champion will receive a 3-week hands-on experience
at Silicon Valley in California this 2025. This once-in-a-lifetime immersion
allows the Red Bull Basement World Champion to gain networking opportunities
with global industry leaders.
Support Soj Gamayon as he gears up for the
journey of a lifetime to the Red Bull Basement World Final in Tokyo, Japan in
December. Tune in to Red Bull Philippines’ social media for the latest updates.
Visit the website to find out more about Red Bull Basement.
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