Ateneo Innovation Jam with PATHWAY by Erasmus and Asialink Finance Corporation

Frequently asked questions

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When was this project?

July 3 to 4, 2023

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How long was this project?

I proposed the idea in March 2023, and the program officially ran in July.

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What problem were you trying to solve?

How can we implement a hackathon that encourages both entrepreneurship and employability?

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What was the goal of the project?

To strengthen the entrepreneurial mindset of students; and to reward disurptive solutions for Filipino problems

overview of the project

The Ateneo Innovation Jam is a two-day hackathon that was held in Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) in partnership with ERASMUS Pathway, who sponsored the program inline with their employability and entrepreneurship advocation efforts, and Asialink Finance Corporation, who sponsored the hackathon's problem statement.

SKILLS HONED

TOOLS USED

about my role

I assigned myself to this project more than it was assigned to me. From the conception phase to implementation to post mortem reporting, I worked with my team of interns to make this possible. I was responsible for designing the brand of the event as well as any marketing communication materials, delegating tasks to the Center's interns, sorting logistics and inventory before and after the event, speaking to external stakeholders such as sponsors and partners, and other similar managerial tasks.

HOW I PUT MY SKILLS TO WORK

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External relations. Reached out to professionals in the Filipino finance industry to provide insight and expertise while also engaging with sponsors and other stakeholders to ensure event success

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Design consultancy. Acted as a mentor for branding and UX/UI, guiding teams in pitch deck aesthetics, user-friendly design principles, and impactful storytelling to strengthen their final presentations

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Event management. Acted as a central point of coordination and delegated tasks to interns to ensure a smooth execution of the two-day, overnight event

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Project budgeting. Managed financial resources efficiently through the careful allocation of funds for materials and logistics, while ensuring all sponsor commitments were met and within budget constraints

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Event marketing. Executed a marketing strategy as well as visually engaging promotional materials that attracted participants from the various schools of AdMU (School of Science & Engineering, School of Management, etc.)

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Program design. Structured a hackathon that ensured alignment of both PATHWAY's advocacy and Asialink's business challenge; and secured funding and sponsorship from the two

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Project proposal. Conducted market research on university-ran hackathons in order to devise a program that will attract university students and developed a proposal in-line with all stakeholder requirements

SO... what happened?

The backbone of a project is its team, and it would not have been possible without them. With a literal sleepless night (as the hackathon was overnight), we saw how the participants ideated ways to improve the turnaround time of loan applications for Asialink Finance Corporation.

Impact & learning

Organizing an infosession before the actual hackathon

Anticipating the heavy technicalities and nuance of the subject of corporate finance and loans, I organized a pre-event infosession where we invited important professionals from the finance/credit industry. This included representatives from Asialink that gave a breakdown of the problem; Kael Zaelcita, vice president and relationship manager of HSBC; and Alex Ilagan, the executive director of Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP).

Proposing a university-ran two-day overnight hackathon

My idea of a two-day hackathon was not only a simulation of real-world business challenges but had to also integrate employability and entrepreneurship. Securing buy-in from ERASMUS Pathway and Asialink, I emphasized how an intensive 48-hour format would push students to think critically, collaborate efficiently, and create viable solutions.

Delegating logistical tasks from venue, food, materials, to prizes

Managing an overnight, on-campus event required meticulous planning. I delegated responsibilities among interns, ensuring smooth coordination for venue setup, food catering, branded materials, and prize distribution. By structuring a clear task matrix, the team executed flawlessly.

Devising the problem statement that will center the hackathon

To create an experience that was both competitive and practical, I worked closely with Asialink to define a challenge that aligned with real-world industry gaps. The problem statement had to ensure that participants tackle a challenge with tangible business impact, and generate solutions that not only make insightful portfolio items (for the employability aspect) but are also feasible to implement.

Running the two-day event, including an overnight on-campus

During the hackathon, I oversaw operations while ensuring participants stayed engaged. I facilitated mentor check-ins, design feedback loops, and participant troubleshooting. Despite a sleepless night, we witnessed teams rapidly iterate and refine solutions, making the event both high-energy and productive.

Rewarding disruptive solutions with more opportunities

To ensure that the best ideas aligned with Asialink Finance Corporation's needs, I devised a custom evaluation rubric. This framework prioritized clarity, originality, feasibility, viability, and scalability — allowing the judges to systematically narrow down the competition. The rubric also provided structured feedback loops, ensuring that even eliminated teams left with insights to refine their ideas.

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