KatipunanBGN© (formerly KatipunanForum)
Building a Culture of
Innovation through a Philippine Technology Diaspora
About KatipunanBGN
Katipunan is a Philippine word literally translated as
"Highest, Most Honorable, Association of Sons of the Nation". It was
the main revolutionary movement against Spain in the 19th Century.
The
KatipunanBGN (formerly KatipunanForum) is a grassroots movement
composed of industry, academe and government individuals who believe
that the Philippines can produce world class technology companies.
The KatipunanBGN hopes to complement and strengthen existing efforts of academe
and industry in this area. Most attempts to discuss the Stanford
Silicon Valley model center on occasional talks by high level business and
academe leaders on the desirability of establishing a “technology
startup” culture in the Philippines, but whose message does not necessarily
trickle down to the grassroots. There are already some successes
however – like the establishment of the UP Technopark, which already hosts several
incubated companies.
The KatipunanBGN is based on
the premise that launching a “technology startup” culture will not prosper with
occasional meetings by academe and industry, but rather through
the formation of close relationships and regular idea exchanges
between academe, industry and government members. Therefore, the
primary aim of the Forum is the development of relationships and
regular exchange of ideas. The only requirement for membership is a
fervent belief in the goals of the Forum. Members are accepted as
individuals, and do not necessarily speak on behalf of their institutions and companies
unless authorized to do so. As Anna Lee Saxenian of UC Berkeley put it :
“It
is no surprise that nations and regions around the world seek to replicate the
Silicon Valley experience, to capture the economic benefits of
technological advance. Yet most of these efforts have foundered. Planners and
policy-makers typically adopt some variant of the "high tech recipe,"
believing that if they combine a
research university, a science park, skilled labor, and supplies of
venture capital in a nice environment they can "grow the next
Silicon Valley." What they fail to recognize is that the relationships
that Terman created in the region are as essential
to Silicon Valley's continued dynamism as the presence of educational
institutions or supplies of skill and capital.”
In pursuit of
these aims, the KatipunanBGN will sponsor regular fora, publish position
papers, and other activities that will advance the goal of a
Philippine Silicon Valley startup culture.
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