PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) team up with the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) to launch Innovation Generation 4.0 (InnoGen 4.0) with the theme “Innovation for All”. The program calls on the tech-savvy youth to pitch their technology-enabled solution that empowers persons with disabilities.

“At PLDT Group, we envision a world where everyone has equal opportunities. We strive to create an inclusive and better world, celebrate diversity and empower individuals from all walks of life. And we are honored to share this passion with the NCDA, highlighting the power of technology to create equitable opportunities for all,” said Cathy Yang, FVP and Head of Group Corporate Communications at PLDT and Smart.

InnoGen 4.0 aims to harness innovation among the youth while supporting the NCDA and its member agencies in the implementation of their respective business programs and making their operations more intuitive and inclusive for the benefit of persons with disabilities.

“It takes a whole-of-nation approach to help persons with disabilities overcome daily challenges. We are thankful to our partners in PLDT and Smart for providing this opportunity for persons with disabilities in Innovation Generation 4.0. We look forward to the applications that will be developed by the participants, because the sector is in dire need of innovations that will empower persons with disabilities to participate in economic activities and gain access to government programs,” said Glenda Relova, NCDA Executive Director.

“We aim to inspire the youth to use their talents and creativity to innovate and create technology-based solutions to uplift communities so that no one gets left behind. Fostering a culture of innovation and inclusion, we can create a community where everyone can thrive. With the power of technology, we can build a smarter and more inclusive world, one innovative solution at a time,” said Stephanie V. Orlino, AVP and Head of Stakeholder Management at PLDT and Smart.

This InnoGen season promises to be bigger as the program has been expanded to include students taking up vocational courses, and out-of-school youth in adopted communities of learning institutions. Previously, InnoGen featured only youth innovators in senior high school, and students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs at colleges and universities.

InnoGen provides more than just financial and connectivity grants. It offers a rich learning environment through lectures, workshops, and mentoring sessions, fostering knowledge sharing and technological skill development.

From the submitted entries, PLDT, Smart and NCDA will initially admit the best 100 ideas in Phase 1, with the teams becoming part of the Kilo 100. These teams will take part in the first learning sessions on Concept Development that include Design Thinking and Ideation, Basic Validation, and Writing and Designing proposals.

After submitting their concept papers, the top 50 teams will advance to Phase 2, or the Mega 50. During this phase, qualified teams will dive deeper into user research to anchor their solutions on actual needs of their intended customers. They will also have opportunities to join mentoring sessions with tech mavericks who offer real-world experience in the start-up scene. The teams’ objective is to come up with the best value proposition and lean canvas, and mockup and/or wireframe.

After deliberations, the Top 25 teams will enter the final phase, or the Giga 25. Lecturing and mentoring sessions will tackle Basic Prototyping, Integrated Payment Platforms, Data Privacy, and Idea Pitching. The teams will be working on a minimum viable product of their proposed solution, which will be presented on Demo Day.

InnoGen 4.0 highlights PLDT and Smart’s commitment to meaningful innovation, and underscores the PLDT Group’s assistance to the country’s achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal #10 on Reduced Inequalities.