By: Jerome Auza
Bohol will be in the international limelight this year because it will be hosting two technology conferences later this month and another one in October. On August 25-26, the tech startup, technology and design conference called Geeks on a Beach or GOAB will be held at the Bellevue Resort in Panglao, Bohol. A few days before the GOAB, another technology conference called TechStars will also be held at the same venue on August 22-23. TechStars, though, is a private event and is by invitation only.
Then in October, the OCEAN16 (Open Collaboration with East Asia New Champions) Summit, a bi-annual gathering in the Philippines that brings together leaders across sectors to connect, discover new ideas, and shape the Philippine future together. OCEAN16 will be held at the Be Grand Resort in Panglao, Bohol on October 21-23.
Indeed, Bohol is on the radar screens of the international technology and startup community and this is a great opportunity for all stakeholders in Bohol. These conferences will not only bring tourism related revenue but also open up various possibilities in the ICT/BPO sector, real estate investments and other business initiatives. Venture capitalists, investors, CEOs, government officials, business leaders, innovators and designers are coming together in the province so both the private and public sectors should be on the lookout for business opportunities.
Representatives from the various sectors in business, government, academe and private sector should be sent by their respective offices to these conferences. The conference fees are pricier than the usual seminars held in the province but because there is no need to travel and get hotel accommodations for the local attendees, this is an opportunity to spend much lesser compared to when the representatives have to travel to another city to attend similar conferences.
As a province, let us all be ready to network with the international startup and technology community and spot opportunities to generate business activity and jobs in Bohol. Who knows, the next big success story might be made in Bohol.
