DOST-PCAARRD, CHED, and ISU launch SIBOL program to support student startups through ATBIs

Students from 24 state universities and colleges (SUCs) under the National Agri-Aqua Technology Business Incubation (ATBI) program will soon gain greater access to technology business incubation and startup development opportunities.

Said program is supported by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD). 

This will be made possible through the Student-Based Incubation Program: Bridging Technology and Entrepreneurship by Optimizing Ideas to Leverage Start-up Development (SIBOL), a collaborative initiative of DOST-PCAARRD, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Isabela State University (ISU).

The SIBOL program aims to develop student startups that will stimulate regional development and support the attainment of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (UN-SDG). Specifically, it will: 

1. Establish technology-based student startups in higher education institutions (HEIs) and capacitate incubator personnel for efficient and effective program implementation;

2. Standardize student incubation program across the country through the development of uniform modules, curriculum, and manuals; and

3. Strengthen the innovation ecosystem through the adoption of mature technologies for commercial use, compliance with regulations, and industry collaborations.

Through the program, students will undergo mentoring, capability-building activities, business development support, market validation opportunities, and incubation services through their respective university-based ATBIs.

Conceptualized in 2025 through the leadership of CHED Commissioner Dr. Ricmar P. Aquino, DOST-PCAARRD’s Technology Transfer and Promotion Division (TTPD) Director Noel A. Catibog, and ISU’s Dr. Jonathan N. Nayga, the SIBOL proposal was designed to bridge the gap between academic innovation and entrepreneurship.

To operationalize the program, CHED issued a call for proposals in April 2026, inviting eligible SUCs with existing DOST-PCAARRD-supported ATBIs to participate. A total of 24 SUCs were identified as eligible implementing institutions under the program:

Luzon:

1. Benguet State University (BSU)

2. Ifugao State University (IfSU)

3. Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU)

4. Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU)

5. Isabela State University (ISU)

6. Central Luzon State University (CLSU)

7. Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU)

8. Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU)

9. Cavite State University (CvSU)

10. Laguna State Polytechnic University (LPSU)

11. Western Philippines University (WPU)

12. Bicol University (BU)

Visayas:

1. Capiz State University (CapSU)

2. University of the Philippines-Visayas (UPV)

3. Bohol Island State University (BISU)

4. Cebu Technological University (CTU)

5. Visayas State University (VSU)

Mindanao:

1. Western Mindanao State University (WMSU)

2. Central Mindanao University (CMU)

3. Mindanao State University-Naawan (MSU-Naawan)

4. University of Southern Mindanao (USM)

5. Sultan Kudarat State University (SKSU)

6. University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP)

7. Caraga State University (CSU)   

During the 32nd Anniversary Celebration of CHED on June 10, 2026, participating SUCs joined in the ceremonial cheque-awarding segment. Each university-based ATBI received P5 million (M) to implement SIBOL over two years, bringing the total program investment to P120 M.

The funding will enable participating institutions to establish and strengthen student incubation mechanisms, conduct and join entrepreneurship and startup development activities, support student innovators, and create pathways for the commercialization of technologies and innovative business ideas.

Dr. Ricmar P. Aquino serves as the Oversight Commissioner of the SIBOL Program. Meanwhile, ISU, under the leadership of SIBOL Program Leader and Coordinator, Dr. Jonathan N. Nayga, will oversee program coordination and facilitate collaboration among participating institutions.

DOST-PCAARRD, through TTPD, will be part of the Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG), which will provide technical guidance and oversee the design, monitoring, and implementation of the program.

The SIBOL JTWG notably seeks to integrate entrepreneurship into higher education by enabling students to pursue startup development as an alternative to capstone projects, thesis requirements, or on-the-job training (OJT), thereby fostering innovation-driven learning and real-world problem-solving. As ATBI expands its reach, the program is envisioned to create more opportunities for students to transform their ideas into sustainable startups and contribute to employment in the country.