A team of students from the University of San Jose-Recoletos bagged the top prize at the 13th SWEEP Awards for creating Bloodseeker, an app that matches people who are in need of a particular blood type with potential donors within a one kilometer radius. We spoke with the team members (now co-founders) Harniel Salmeron, Kirster Kyle Quiño, Alyzza Villahermosa, and Sept Joshua Rey Lozada about their future plans, their dream apps, and what they do for fun.

What’s the best thing about joining the SWEEP Awards?

The best thing about joining the SWEEP Awards is the fact that we are given the chance to be exposed in the industry that we will be part of in the future. We are being prepared for the path we want to take. We also have the chance to meet other people who are also passionate in solving the problems society is facing today. It has also been an avenue for us to fulfill our dream of being startup founders.

Why did you come up with the Bloodseeker app and platform? What’s the thinking or story behind it?

We got inspired by our alumni's concept of donating to, and requesting blood from the Philippine Red Cross. People who find it hard to find blood, especially when there is urgent need for it, also inspired us to make this application.

After further research, we discovered more reasons there is scarcity of blood in blood banks. First, donors do not know the benefits of donating blood. Second, donors do not know how and where to donate. These made us conclude that awareness is one of the biggest problems. After several validations, we successfully targeted the problem.

What are your next plans for Bloodseeker?

The team is very eager to make BloodSeeker as a startup company. With the support of Smart and everyone who shares the same passion with us, we are very positive that this project will be deployed in the Play Store and can be used by everyone the soonest time possible.

Your school had multiple entries in the SWEEP Awards Final 10. What motivates USJR students to excel in this field?

Before we entered these startup ideas to the Smart SWEEP Awards, the students together with faculty mentors underwent an incubation and ideation event we called Give Me That Pitch! The aim of this overnight event is to uplift and bring out the entrepreneurial spirit in our students, so that they will be motivated to solve real world pain points and be driven to create business viable solutions.

If time, skills, and resources were no object, what app or solution would you create and why?

Kirster Kyle: I would make an application that could read minds of other people.

Harniel: I would create a machine that will suck in smoke emitted by cars and burning of plastics, and anything that can damage our ecosystem and harm the community. The smoke that has been sucked can be transformed into fertilizer that will help plants grow.

Alyzza: I would probably make a teleportation app so I could go places in a snap.

Joshua: I would create an app that can cure and prevent the existence of cancer. Cancer is one of the most deadly illnesses and no cure has been discovered yet. I would create that application to help other people.

What are the top 3 most used apps in your phone?

Kirster Kyle: The top 3 most used apps in my phone are Facebook, Messenger and Twitter.

Harniel: The most used app in my phone is Messaging, of course it's the most common nowadays. Next are my game(s), and the camera. I use it to take photos of some beautiful scenes I see along the way.

Alyzza: The top 3 most used apps in my phone are Messenger, Facebook and Twitter.

Joshua: My 3 top most used apps in my phone are Facebook, Messenger and Instagram.

What’s your message for young people who also want to turn their life-changing ideas into reality?

Don’t lose hope in your idea if you face rejections, rather, find other solutions. Through this, you will be able to see the core problem you want to address. Solving a problem through an application is a cycle of problem definition, research, and validation. Just do it with burning passion!

What do you do for fun?

Kirster: My recreational activies are usually liistening to music, watching anime/movies/series, playing video games and reading mangas/books.

Harniel: It would be cool for me to answer "studying" but of course as a teenager, I also need some fun. Studying and reading books are fun but it's more fun when you're with friends, family and special friend. Watching movies, this is what I do for fun and relaxation.

Alyzza: My recreational activies are usually reading novels and inspirational books, listening to music, watching inspirational videos and movies, and traveling.

Joshua: Playing musical instruments, making art, and hanging with friends and families are my kind of fun. When I feel sad or stressed, I do these things.