SkillBridge PH from Ateneo de Manila University has won 1st place in the IT-BPM Cluster of the 2026 Swiss Innovation Prize Competition, organized by the Swiss Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines in partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland in the Philippines. The team was awarded a PHP 100,000 cash prize at the awarding ceremony held at Makati Diamond Residences last 21 May 2026.
SkillBridge PH comprises second-year BS Information Technology Entrepreneurship (BS ITE) students Daniel Hans and Karelle Vanessa Martinez, who built a platform that addresses one of the most urgent workforce challenges in the Philippine IT-BPM sector: the growing skills gap between the workers automation is displacing and the talent the industry needs.
They were mentored throughout by the Program Director for BS ITE, Joseph Benjamin R. Ilagan, whose guidance shaped not just the platform but the thinking behind it. The team also received support from the Ateneo Business Insights Laboratory for Development (Ateneo BUILD).
As part of the competition, the team visited Avaloq Philippines, SGS Philippines, and Franke, receiving one-on-one mentorship, industry immersion, and direct feedback that shaped their platform.
One of the most memorable moments of the entire experience was a visit to the Swiss Residence, where the team was warmly welcomed by His Excellency Dr. Nicolas Brühl, the Ambassador of Switzerland to the Philippines. To be received at the Swiss Residence, to represent Ateneo and the Philippines in that setting, and to be able to network as young innovators is something the team will treasure.
The Swiss Innovation Prize Competition is organized by the Swiss Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines in partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland in the Philippines. It recognizes outstanding innovations from young Filipino innovators aged 18 to 30 across multiple industry clusters, evaluated on problem relevance, innovation, technical soundness, scalability, and business viability.
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