Notes from Chino Amilano's Lecture

Introduction

• Speaker: Chino Amilano, CEO of Time Freedom
• Background: Former fiber optics engineer for SMART, licensed ECE
• Purpose: Share journey and insights on innovation and problem-solving

Background Story

• Started as a college student in Zamboanga, hesitant to join SWEEP (Student's Wireless Engineering Education Program).
• Encouraged by Professor Engineer Eugene Calindo to participate.
• Initial idea creation seemed daunting, but execution posed a greater challenge.

Identifying a Problem

• Observed long queues in the finance office before exams
  • Issue: Students wasted time and couldn't study due to the noise and crowd.
• Idea emerged: Create a system to alert students when it’s their turn so they can study in the library instead.
• Key Takeaway: Solutions don’t need to be groundbreaking; they simply need to address existing problems.

Challenges Faced

• SWEEP was in its early stages; limited resources and support.
• Difficulty acquiring hardware components, leading to long wait times.
• Financial constraints; lack of support from government and private institutions at the time.

Journey with SWEEP

• Submitted project entry to SWEEP; faced technical difficulties in submission due to lack of internet resources.
• Despite not winning initially, participated in valuable pitching competitions and received positive feedback.
• Gained insights into innovating and refining their ideas.

Transition to Business

• After college, worked in various engineering roles, but remained committed to their project.
• Participated in later SWEEP competitions and became one of the grand winners.
• Lesson: Ideas that solve basic problems can attract support and funding.

Funding and Growth

• Received funding from competitions like Ideaspace.
• Transitioned from hardware-based systems to software solutions to reduce costs and increase scalability.
• Developed a mobile app and web platform, focusing on innovation.

Final Insights

• Emphasized the importance of believing in your ideas and taking risks.
• Encouraged students to participate in competitions like SWEEP to pursue their ideas.
• Highlighted that the journey of building a startup is challenging and varies for each individual.
• Urged students to maintain a positive outlook and not to compare their journey to others.

Conclusion

• Call to Action: Get involved in SWEEP, pursue your ideas, and embrace the challenges that come with it.
• Offered to answer questions and provide further insights after the presentation.