By Czarina Berlynn Donne Agustin

Electric vehicles roaming around the campus. A bioenergy gasoline station in MMSU. Increased production of bioethanol products.

These and other innovations may no longer be far from reality as the Mariano Marcos State University continues to level up its efforts for technology commercialization.

Having qualified as one of the cohort institutions of the Higher Education Institution Readiness for Innovation and Technopreneurship (HEIRIT) Program of the Department of Science and Technology, MMSU is in high hopes for support and funding to further elevate its innovation and technologies.

This is part of the university’s program under the flagship project called RIMAT (Revitalizing Homegrown Industries through Mentorship, Adoption, and Technopreneurship) Technology Business Incubator which was assessed by the UPSCALE Innovation Hub in a campus visit last May 23-24.

RIMAT aims to further advance MMSU’s bioethanol products and processes to create a net-zero energy community and sustain the production of nipahol (nipa-based alcohol) and sanitizers on a village-scale in Cagayan.

In addition, RIMAT aims to commercialize the nipahol and sanitizers, and beverage ingredients or wine, other food products, and to widen its support for village-scale products.

This shall facilitate the further advancement of the bioenergy research and development initiatives of the university which includes the construction of the MMSU E2-gasoline station by the National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center.

RIMAT also gears up venturing into collaborations for e-vehicle, and equipment manufacturing, pottery modernization, ceramics and loom weaving for micro, small and medium enterprises.

“We continue to move forward as a prime institution for the promotion and commercialization of renewable energy and other creative industries in the country toward sustainable and inclusive development,” said MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis.

This was seconded by Dr. Luis Sison, the UPSCALE Innovation Hub visit lead, saying it is evidenced by MMSU’s processes, products and infrastructure make it the country’s pioneering institution for nipa-based bioethanol production. “The university just has to connect the dots for more fruitful technology incubation efforts,” she added.

Sison is the project lead of the UP-Sustaining Collaboration in an Advanced Learning Environment ​(UPSCALE) Innovation Hub.

HEIRIT is under the DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) which is designed to provide funding to universities to run their Technology Business Incubation (TBI) activities.

The UPSCALE Innovation Hub team which visited the MMSU-TBI office, NBERIC, and Food Processing and Innovation Center was welcomed by Science and Technology Director Dr. Dionisio Bucao, RIMAT team composed of project team leader Prof. Armie C. Sabugo; program coordinator of BS Entrepreneurship Prof. Reena Gilaine C. Barot; College of Engineering Instructor Engr. Pricilla Faye T. Simon; University Innovation and Technology Support Office Chief Engr. Artbellson B. Mamuri; Laboratory Aide of BS Entrepreneurship Ms. Tienna B. Valdez; and resident entrepreneur Mr. Valiant Nestor J. Navarete.

RIMAT will prepare a proposal to be submitted to DOST-PCIEERD to be a part of the HEIRIT universities for 2022-2024, thus inching toward achieving RIMAT goals.

MMSU will also join the HEIRIT kick-off and training on June 23-24 at Davao City and a series of online training sessions to be conducted in July.

Prof. Sabugo said that the project is set to conduct pre-incubation and incubation activities, such as hackathons, technology pitching, ideation sessions, and design and innovation workshops with potential incubatees.

“RIMAT will also be open to incubate any feasible idea in line with technopreneurship,” she added.

Committed to the ACHIEVE agenda, Dr. Agrupis said that the university will consistently look for opportunities to achieve its goal to be the center for research-based technology promotion and commercialization in North Luzon. (JVBT/HLY,StratCom)