How We Won the Philippine Startup Challenge 9 (PSC9) – A Guide for Young Aspiring Startup Founders

Kenneth Tegrado | Published on

1. Introduction: Our Journey to Winning the Philippine Startup Challenge 9

Winning the Philippine Startup Challenge 9 (PSC9) was an incredible experience, and funny enough, we almost missed the chance to compete. Before becoming national champions, we had no idea this competition even existed. In fact, we only learned about it a week before the application deadline and had to cram our submission just two days before the cutoff.

From Zero Knowledge to a National Startup Competition

At the time, we, Kenneth Renz Tegrado, John Robertson Despi, and Vincent Arellano, were graduating BS Computer Science students at UPLB. We had always been passionate about technology and problem-solving, but joining a nationwide startup competition was not something we had planned.

We are the team behind konek.dev, an award-winning platform that emerged from this journey. Our goal was to build a solution that truly mattered, and PSC9 became the perfect opportunity to refine and validate our idea. However, we almost never submitted our entry.

We first heard about PSC9 while competing in DOST CALABARZON's Hack4AProgress, a regional hackathon where we met Angel Mutia from UPLB's Technology Transfer and Business Development Office (TTBDO). During the event, Angel casually mentioned something that changed the course of our journey:

"You guys should check out the Philippine Startup Challenge. The deadline is soon, but I think you have a shot."

That single conversation led us to one of the biggest startup competitions in the country. With barely a week to prepare, we rushed to research the competition, refine an idea, and submit our entry without any expectations. What started as a last-minute decision turned into a life-changing opportunity.

What This Blog Covers

This blog is not just our story. It is a guide for students and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to join and win the Philippine Startup Challenge. We will walk you through:

✅ What PSC9 is and who can join
✅ How we went from a last-minute submission to national winners
✅ The key lessons that helped us succeed

If you are thinking about joining PSC or want to know how to succeed in startup competitions, this guide will provide the strategies and insights you need. Let's get started! 🚀

2. What is the Philippine Startup Challenge (PSC9)?

The Philippine Startup Challenge (PSC9) is a nationwide startup competition for students, organized by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). It aims to empower young Filipino innovators by providing a platform to showcase their startup ideas, receive mentorship from experts, and compete for national recognition.

PSC9 is the most competitive student startup competitions in the Philippines, drawing entries from universities across the country. In the latest edition, 783 startup ideas from 282 colleges and universities were submitted, showing how tough the competition can be.

Who Can Join the Philippine Startup Challenge?

PSC9 is open to students who are interested in startups and entrepreneurship and have a tech-driven solution to present.

✅ Target Participants:

  • Senior High School (SHS) and College students

✅ Team Composition:

  • Three student members (with at least one female member encouraged)
  • One mentor (a teacher or professor from the same school)
  • Each school can submit multiple teams

✅ Entry Requirements:

  • 3-5 minute video pitch
  • Pitch deck (PDF format)
  • School clearance
  • Startup logo

How the Competition Worked for Us

Based on our experience, PSC9 follows a multi-stage elimination process where only the best teams advance.

1️⃣ Regional Pitching Competition

  • When we joined, our region had over 120 startup submissions.
  • Out of those, only the top 15 teams were selected to pitch.

2️⃣ National Semifinals

  • The 17 regional winners then competed at the national level.
  • However, only the top 10 teams secured a spot in the finals.

3️⃣ National Finals

  • In the end, 10 startup teams from across the country presented their final pitches in front of a diverse set of judges. In our case, we were judged by a panel of investment analysts, industry experts, investors, consultants, and tech startup founders.
  • Out of 783 startup ideas, our team, konek.dev, won as the grand champion with our AI-driven solution, Kara.

Every step of the competition was tough, fast-paced, and highly competitive, but the learning experience was incredibly valuable.

What's at Stake?

Winning the Philippine Startup Challenge is not just about the title. It provides funding, mentorship, national recognition, and international opportunities that can help a startup grow.

🏆 Funding & Startup Support

  • Access to DICT startup programs with continued guidance and exposure.
  • We received a pre-seed investment from Jojo Flores, Co-founder of Plug & Play, and Carlo Calimon, Director of Startup Village, to help us launch our MVP.
  • Sponsored $5,000 in AWS credits from Startup Village, which helped us build scalable cloud infrastructure.

🤝 Exclusive Mentorship & High-Value Networking

  • Direct mentorship from Jojo Flores and Carlo Calimon, both well-respected figures in the startup ecosystem.
  • Access to seasoned entrepreneurs, investors, and startup leaders who provided guidance on refining and scaling our startup.
  • Strong connections with potential business partners, government agencies, and investors, opening up more funding and partnership opportunities.
  • As part of our prize, we were named DICT Startup Ambassadors by Jocelle Sigue, the Undersecretary for ICT Industry Development, Department of Information & Communications Technology, allowing us to represent DICT in key industry events.

📢 National & Global Recognition

  • Recognition as one of the top student-led startups in the country.
  • Invitations to major startup conferences and ICT summits to showcase our innovation.
  • In 2025, we will be attending 24 DICT RISE events across the country, where we will be invited with free travel and accommodation to speak and share our startup journey.

🌏 International Exposure & Career-Building Opportunities

  • A spot in Huawei's Seeds for the Future 2025, where a member of our team will travel to China to meet top young innovators from around the world and represent the Philippines.
  • Additional opportunities to pitch in global competitions, startup expos, and investment rounds.

💡 Further Startup Growth

  • Winning PSC9 is not just about the prize. It provides access to accelerators, funding rounds, and strategic partnerships that help startups scale.
  • Many previous winners have grown their startups beyond the competition, securing real investments and expanding their market reach.

🚀 For us, winning PSC9 was just the beginning. The competition provided us with invaluable knowledge about startups and exposed us to the growing startup scene in the Philippines. It positioned us as young aspiring tech leaders in the country, opening doors to funding, mentorship, and opportunities that took konek.dev to the next level. If you are an aspiring startup founder, this is your chance to turn an idea into a real, scalable business.

Why You Should Join PSC9

The Philippine Startup Challenge is not just a contest, it's an opportunity to build something real. It gives student founders a chance to test their ideas, gain valuable feedback, and compete with the best startup minds in the country.

✔ Validate your startup idea with real-world experts
✔ Gain experience in pitching to potential investors
✔ Join a growing community of Filipino innovators
✔ Turn your startup vision into a reality

🚀 If you have an idea that can make an impact, PSC9 is a competition worth joining!

3. How to Win the Philippine Startup Challenge: 6 Key Lessons

Winning the Philippine Startup Challenge requires more than just a great idea. You need validation, strategy, and execution to stand out. Based on our journey, here are six key lessons that helped us secure the championship.

A. Solve a Real Problem, Not Just Build Cool Tech

Many teams make the mistake of focusing on the technology first instead of identifying a real-world problem. Judges are not just looking for impressive software or AI solutions. They want to see how your startup solves an urgent, specific, and widespread problem.

✅ What Judges Look For:

  • A problem that affects a well-defined audience
  • A clear pain point that people are actively trying to solve
  • A solution that is feasible, scalable, and impactful

🚀 Pro Tip:
Before working on a solution, validate the problem first. Research existing solutions and identify gaps that your startup can fill.

B. Talk to Customers and Validate Your Idea

One of the biggest reasons startups fail is because they build something no one actually wants. PSC judges want to see proof that your target users need your product.

✅ Why Customer Validation is Crucial:

  • It shows that you are not just assuming the problem exists but have real-world data to back it up.
  • You can identify must-have features instead of wasting time on unnecessary development.
  • It makes your pitch stronger because you have customer insights to support your claims.

💡 How to Validate Your Idea:

  • Conduct surveys and interviews with potential users.
  • Launch a landing page to gauge interest before building the MVP.
  • Create a prototype and gather early user feedback.

C. Master Your Business Model (How Will You Make Money?)

Even if your idea is innovative, your startup is not sustainable without a clear revenue model. PSC judges want to know how your business will generate income and scale.

✅ What to Define in Your Business Model:

  • Who is your target market? (Who will pay for your product?)
  • What is your pricing strategy? (Subscription, one-time purchase, freemium, etc.)
  • What are your key revenue streams? (Product sales, partnerships, licensing, etc.)

🚀 Pro Tip:
Make your revenue model as simple and clear as possible. Avoid complicated monetization plans that make it hard for judges to see how you will sustain your startup.

D. Create a Winning Pitch Deck

Your pitch deck is your strongest weapon in the competition. It must be concise, compelling, and well-structured to capture the judges' attention.

✅ What to Include in Your Pitch Deck:

  1. Problem – Explain the problem clearly and why it matters.
  2. Solution – Show how your startup addresses the problem.
  3. Market Opportunity – Define your target market and its size.
  4. Business Model – Explain how you will make money.
  5. Traction – Share any user feedback, prototypes, or partnerships.
  6. Competitive Advantage – Highlight what makes your startup unique.
  7. Team – Introduce your key team members and their roles.

❌ Common Mistakes to Avoid:

  • Too much text on slides
  • Overcomplicating technical details
  • Lacking market validation or revenue strategy

E. Build a Strong, Complementary Team

A startup’s success is not just about the idea but also about the team executing it. Judges assess team chemistry, skill diversity, and leadership.

✅ What a Strong Team Looks Like:

  • Balanced roles: One tech lead, one business lead, and one operations lead.
  • Clear responsibilities: Each team member should have a defined function.
  • Passion and resilience: Judges can tell if your team is truly committed.

🚀 How We Structured Our Team:

  • Kenneth Renz Tegrado – Focused on technology and development.
  • John Robertson Despi – Managed business strategy and pitching.
  • Vincent Arellano – Handled design, branding, and product development.

F. Be Coachable and Adapt to Feedback

Startups that are willing to pivot and improve based on feedback have higher chances of winning. PSC judges and mentors will challenge your ideas, and it is important to be open-minded rather than defensive.

✅ Why Adaptability Matters:

  • Judges will provide critical feedback that can refine your pitch.
  • Some teams lose because they refuse to acknowledge weaknesses in their idea.
  • Being open to iteration makes your startup more investable and scalable.

🚀 Pro Tip:
After receiving feedback, implement small improvements quickly and show progress before the next round. Judges appreciate teams that act on advice.

4. Final Thoughts: Why the Philippine Startup Challenge is Worth Joining

Winning PSC9 was not just about the prize. It was a transformational experience that gave us access to funding, mentorship, and networking that we would not have had otherwise.

Key Takeaways from PSC9:

  • We learned how to validate and pitch a startup idea effectively.
  • The mentorship and feedback helped us refine Kara, our AI-driven solution.
  • We connected with investors, entrepreneurs, and fellow startup founders, expanding our opportunities beyond the competition.

🚀 Encouragement for Future Participants:
If you are a student with an idea that could solve a real-world problem, this competition is a great stepping stone into the startup ecosystem.