Two global foundations built by Diosdado Banatao and Romesh Wadhwani — Asian technopreneurs who made their mark in Silicon Valley — are joining forces to create the next generation of Filipino innovators.
The Philippine S&T Development Foundation (PhilDev) and the Wadhwani Foundation have formed a landmark partnership to elevate technopreneurship education across the Philippines, with the shared mission of turning classrooms into catalysts for real-world innovation.
At the heart of this collaboration is a powerful synergy — merging PhilDev’s commitment to elevate Filipino innovation through education with Wadhwani Foundation’s global legacy of fostering entrepreneurship and scalable impact.
“This partnership is more than strategy — it’s synergy. We’re combining global expertise with deep local understanding and empathy to create something sustainable, scalable, and truly Filipino,” said Frederick Blancas, executive director of PhilDev.
“With over a decade of empowering and inspiring Filipinos in science & technology through education, technopreneurship and innovation, PhilDev is glad to forge ahead in collaboration with Wadhwani Foundation.”
Students will receive hands-on training on an AI powered digital platform, mentorship from startup leaders, and support rarely available in traditional education.
Educators, often constrained by limited resources, will gain industry-aligned modules and practical tools, transforming how they teach and inspire.
PhilDev said the goal of the collaboration isn’t just to build businesses. “It’s to build ecosystems — local, sustainable, and grounded in the realities of the Filipino context,” it said.
With plans to scale to local universities and colleges (LUCs) and eventually across the nation, the program will help establish a network of Technology Business Incubators (TBIs) designed not just to launch startups, but to keep them thriving.
“Technopreneurship turns innovation into impact—transforming bold ideas into real-world solutions. By empowering Filipinos with the right skills and resources, this partnership paves the way for a dynamic and sustainable future,” said William Eka, Wadhwani Foundation vice president for Southeast Asia.
“We believe in unlocking potential through opportunity,” added Lucrecio Delgado, Southeast Asia regional director of Wadhwani Foundation. “Together, we’re empowering the next generation of innovators — giving them the mindset and tools to not just dream, but build.”
