Entrep Week 2017 Recap: Journey to Innovation

by Celine Allarey · October 23, 2017

Commemorating the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship annually, Enderun Entrepreneurs Society, the school’s co-curricular organization for its Entrepreneurship course, in partnership with the Incubator Program, Office of Career Services, and Student Life, presented Entrep Week anew last September 18-22, 2017.

Held this year at the BA Lounge and Titans Hall, it brought a taste of the Philippine entrepreneurship ecosystem closer to home through its dynamic combination of guest speakers from varied industries together with booths that showcased activities as well as startups by Enderun students, alumni, and partner organizations.

Looking back a month after this eventful journey, here is a recap of Entrep Week 2017’s top experiences!

#1 Titans got involved before it started. From student appearances in the event trailer to being hands-on in crafting designs, Enderun students already worked hard behind the scenes and volunteered to help days prior to the start of the week, showing how important a good team is to the success of starting any project or venture.

#2 Titans came prepared. From a personal consultation and book signing session with “The Finishers” author Ezra Ferraz, to asking Jim Imbong of ServeHappy Jobs thought-provoking questions, to exploring internship opportunities with Brenda Valerio of IdeaSpace and JC Pullan of Fetch, Enderun students and faculty proved they were more than ready to learn from and participate in the journey.

#3 Titans made the most out of stopovers. Water break or shopping spree? How about both? Aside from five days’ worth of insightful talks from guest speakers, the Enderun community was treated to a whole week of early Christmas shopping. Startups during Entrep Week 2017 showcased luxury goods sold by alumnus Ira del Mar, film cameras and prints from student Marlo Cabrera, and organic cold brew coffee from Kickbrew, joined by other school organizations and student groups such as AIESEC, First Edition, Zonta, Fentastic, Fruity Shots, Elysian PH, and ARI.

A student inquires about a product from Agora, an alumni startup

#4 Titans learned from those who have done it. Entrep Week 2017 also welcomed back five entrepreneurs on campus. Zalora Philippines graced Enderun once again with its representatives and CEO, Paulo Campos, who gave a talk on how the company started despite him not being a “tech guy,” seizing opportunities out of gaps in the market, as well as keeping up with trends in digital marketing and e-commerce.

To close sessions for the week, alumni entrepreneurs Francis Dolojan of Leverage PH, Matthew Lim of CargoFish, Lauren Silverio of Petalier, and Kristine Lotilla of Le Petit Souffle shared their own startup experiences with students, from how life was after college, to interesting encounters with customers, to how they plan to expand their businesses in the next five years.

#5 Titans went out of their comfort zones. And of course, what’s a celebration without fun, friends, and food? To wrap up Entrep Week 2017, Enderun students from different courses spent their Friday night approaching new faces, chatting over snacks, and interacting with professors outside the classroom.

As a culminating event, Entrep Night 2017 continued tradition by fostering growth in the entrepreneurship ecosystem on campus by bringing the Enderun community together for a night to remember, where freshmen, upperclassmen, and faculty may easily socialize, network, and form lasting bonds.