Developing
Entrepreneurial Spirit,
Enhancing Global Competitiveness:
The SOMBA 2005
The
John Gokongwei School of Management, in its effort to provide quality and
significant education, continues to enhance the entrepreneurial spirit
among students of the Loyola Schools through its unique program, the
School of Management Business Accelerator (SOMBA) 2005. Six student teams
consist the 2nd batch of successful business ventures of the program.
Young
Minds, Innovative Business Ideas
The
following include the successful student business ventures of the SOMBA
for S.Y. 2004 – 2005. They were launched and honored professionally
during a cocktail event last March 3.
BIPRIMUS
Food, Inc.
BIPRIMUS
Food, Inc. develops new recipes for products to cater to retailers and
wholesalers. It is the umbrella company of a number of business ventures
among which is PAPA SNOWPUFF, a retail chain of stalls carts that provides
quality and unique ice desserts catering to the tastes of the Filipino
market.
The
company's first offering is SnowPuffs, creamy ice desserts that
have a fine-to-feathery texture that allows consumers to savor soft ice
with syrup, fruits, and cereals melting in the mouth for a very affordable
price.
BIPRIMUS
FOOD, Inc.'s SnowPuffs is the brainchild of Kristine Cayabyab, Fritz
Gerard Chan, Lucas Hermosa, and Donna Marie Ayza Pacheco.
Cafstairs,
Incorporated
Cafstairs
Incorporated develops and manufactures suitable dips and sauces to cater
to the daily consumption needs of the consumer. It provides the tastiest
food enhancements made from fresh, quality ingredients for Filipino food
enthusiasts to have a more enjoyable eating experience. It also provides
the consumer the much needed change to the everyday habits by providing a
different taste to their everyday food.
Currently,
the company is manufacturing its line of Chip Thrills dips that
come in two delicious variants: Herbs and Cream, a thick zesty dip that is
perfect for flavored chips, and Salsa, comparatively chunkier than the
usual and sweeter salsa that is particularly great with corn and tortilla
chips.
Cafstairs
Incorporated was established by Robert Raymund Cruz (IV - BS Mgt), Earl
Patrick Lucero (IV - BS Mgt), and Victor Rodolfo Palabyab (IV - BS Mgt).
Dionysius
Beverage Ideas Corporation
Dionysius
Beverage Ideas Corporation (DBI) is committed to provide innovative
beverage ideas that realize a culture of relaxation. The company believes
in rewarding oneself for one's performance through relaxation and
enjoyment expressed in the motto: "Dolce far niente!" (The
sweetness of doing nothing!)
d_Chill,
DBI's initial offering, is a light cocktail drink specifically designed
to satisfy the tastes of elite drinkers. A carbonated mixture of natural
dalandan juice and coconut liquor (lambanog), it produces a superb
combination of sweetness with just the kick of alcohol.
Ronald
Chuacokiong (IV - BS Mgt), Stephanie Co (IV - BS Mgt-H), Jeanne Pauline Go
(IV - BS Mgt), Brent Michael Sy (IV - BS ME), John Andrew Sy (IV - BS Mgt
H), and Alexander Ian Tecson (IV BS Mgt) put up Dionysius Beverage Ideas
Corporation.
QuickLynx
Wireless Solutions and Business Integration
QuickLynx
Incorporated is a wireless information technology solutions provider
catering to small and medium enterprises. It creates products and services
that allow clients to utilize wireless technology such as SMS, MMS, WAP,
and J2ME to their advantage. The company is also involved with integration
services to the existing systems as a value-enhancing activity.
Its services include Proactive Monitoring (with use of SMS or Instant Messaging technology, QuickFlow that alerts system users of critical tasks), Ubiquitous System Interaction (decision-making and operations done anytime, anywhere with the use of wireless technology) and On-Demand (retrieval of important, relevant business information whenever clients want them).
QuickLynx
Incorporated was established by Dexter Ang (BS ME '02), Frederick
Echevarria (IV - BS CS), Saichi Rene Elomina (BS ME '02) and Ryan Gilbert
Garcia (BS CS '03).
Tree
House Soya Manufacturing, Inc.
Tree
House Soya manufactures high quality soy chips called Soy Bites
to satisfy the need of consumers for a healthier, and at the same time,
delicious snacks. It has recently launched Soy Bites in two flavors,
barbeque and sour cream.
The
manufacturing company aims to be the leading manufacturer of healthy
snacks through continuous improvement and good customer relations. It also
aims to provide high quality soy chips in the Philippines and eventually
other countries.
Dyan
Hermogenes, Doris Ngo, and Ryan Ybañez teamed up to form Tree House Soya,
Inc.
Yummi
Food Creators Incorporated
Possessing
the vision of having home-cooked meat viands in a convenient pack
available to everyone, Yummi Food Creators Incorporated provides
meat snack food that is more filling than any ordinary snack food, thus,
catering to the needs of active young professionals on the go.
It
has already created its first product, Sunrise Adobo Flakes. The
product is cut into chunky and crunchy bite-sized strips with that
delectable adobo flavor, made out of 100 % real chicken. This snack food
can be eaten alone or used as a topping for rice, porridge, and the like.
The
company was conceived by Myrna Basilgo (IV - BS LM), Miko David (IV - BS
Mgt), Jessica Gaisano (IV - BS ME), and Cleo Po (IV - BS Mgt).
From
‘Idea' to ‘Incorporation'
SOMBA veers away from the usual classroom type of teaching by taking into consideration diverse needs of students in their business ventures. It is a twelve-month program for aspiring student entrepreneurs, taking an enterprise from "idea" to "incorporation." Enterprises that are accepted for incubation into the JG-SOMBA include for-profits as well as non-profits, product-oriented as well as service-offering types of businesses, commercial ventures as well as R&D-type projects. Designed as a business incubator facility, the academic component is made up of a total of 18 credits spread out over an entire year. Students enrolled in the program receive guidance and business coaching from the SOMBA staff as they work to take their fledgling business ideas from the realm of the classroom out into the market place.
The
program is divided into three stages. During the first stage referred to
as Jumpstart, aspiring entrepreneurs apply by submitting a
business brief. The SOMBA Board reviews and selects 12 to 15 teams which
are given a coursework that includes strategic visioning workshops,
detailed action planning, entrepreneurial skills deepening
(self-management, team-building, project mgmt, etc.). After six weeks,
final presentations will be made to the SOMBA Board, and the proposals
with the strongest business prospects will be allowed to move on to the
next stage. Meanwhile, in the second stage called Prototype,
student teams are expected to deliver a working prototype of their
respective products or services. During this stage, action plans finalized
in the Jumpstart phase are carried out and monitored through
incorporation, hiring employees, etc. In the final presentations of the
prototype and revised business plan, the best teams are selected to move
on to the next phase. Lastly, student teams establish a going concern in
the third stage called Takeoff. During this stage, business
development and marketing plans finalized in the first two stages are
carried out and monitored through contract negotiations, raising
additional funds, relocating to a new site, launching in a new market,
etc.
Unique
Incubation Program
What
makes the SOMBA different from other incubation program is the
availability of a network of coaches and business advisors among faculty
member and alumni. The program also provides resource speakers for student
teams almost every week (around five to ten per semester) for generic
topics such as finance and law. Mr. Paul Ambas, Director - SOMBA Program,
emphasizes that the program offers a full value-added team-based
incubation model which is not just a virtual incubator. "[Aside from
that,] the nice thing about this is that when students need professional
help, they don't get charged," Mr. Ambas adds.
Aside
from the network of coaches and advisors, the program also boasts of a
network of funding sources which consists of "angel" investors,
corporate sponsors, and development institutions like the Small Business
Guarantee and Finance Corporation.
In
addition to intellectual and financial support, student teams are provided
office spaces and equipment. Currently, the JGSOM provides all the teams
with the following: work cubicles and personal storage areas; conference
rooms; PABX with direct lines per company; internet connections; metered
photocopier; networked laser printer; shared fax machine; Centralized
Accounting PC with licensed accounting software; secure mail drop
facility; and miscellaneous equipment such as water dispenser, coffee
machine, refrigerator, microwave oven
Come
graduation time, student teams can avail of a six-month privilege to
continue having the School of Management as their working base. SOMBA
continues to provide for the student teams until they are stable.
--oo00oo--
The
SOMBA, which was launched in Summer 2003, enables enterprising students
and alumni to become locally successful and globally competitive by giving
hands-on, technology-enhanced, and globally-relevant entrepreneurial
education through education [by providing entrepreneurship as a valid
career option, expanding boundaries of management education, and exposure
to multi-disciplinary team environment] and support [by rent-free office
space during incubation period, business coaching and networking, access
to venture capital, and academic credits that will replace some course
requirements] to provide venue for commercialization of products and
services. SOMBA also acts as a catalyst for the start-up, growth,
development, and success of business generated among students and alumni
with the hope of creating jobs and enhancing global competitiveness among
business started within the program.
For more information about the program, you may call 426 6001 local 5520.