DOST-ASTI boosts Tech Commercialization through New and Renewed Partnerships

2 months ago

Quezon City, Ph – The DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) reaffirmed its commitment to fostering innovation through collaboration by renewing agreements with two long-standing licensees and welcoming a new partner during the Ceremonial Signing of Technology Transfer Agreements on 17 December 2024 at the DOST-ASTI Training Room.

The TLO unit, MASID and REIINN Project Team, along with representatives from Rockwell, ACE and Jassen Harris, pose
for a group photo to celebrate the conclusion of the ceremonial signing event.

Organized by the DOST-ASTI Technology Licensing Office (TLO), the event brought together representatives from Rockwell Enterprises Inc. (Rockwell), Ace Electronic Technology Inc. (Ace), and Jassen Harris Industries Corporation (Jassen). This milestone marks a significant step in advancing the commercialization of cutting-edge ASTI-developed technologies.

In a new partnership, Jassen, led by its President, Mr. Mike Jassen Sy, has joined DOST-ASTI’s roster of licensees as a potential investor by signing the term sheet that contains pertinent provisions in the issuance of a limited manufacturing licensing agreement for the succeeding pre-commercialization activities of the Resilient Education Information Infrastructure for the New Normal (REIINN) project specifically for the RuralCasting set-top box and LokalFi.

Mr. Mike Jassen Sy, President of Jassen Harris Industries Corp., with SSED Division Chief Mr. Alvin E. Retamar
and TLO Head Ms. Maria Irene S. Amatorio, and the REIINN Project Team

Project REIINN developed these technologies to address the digital divide, by bridging gaps in connectivity and information access in underserved rural areas. This partnership signifies the expanding reach and relevance of the REIINN technologies in advancing digital transformation across the Philippines.

The ceremonial signing also marked the renewal of agreements with two key licensees of the Meteorological Data Acquisition Stations for Information Dissemination (MASID) technologies – Rockwell and Ace.

Rockwell Enterprises Inc. Managing Officer Ms. Alzenda Maria R. Jarque (second to the left),
SSED Division Chief  Mr. Alvin E. Retamar, and TLO Head Ms. Maria Irene Amatorio

From left to right: Mr. Ian C. Mosquera (MASID), Maribelle Agnes Sy-Uy (Corporate Secretary,
Ace Electronic Technology Inc.), SSED Division Chief Mr. Alvin E. Retamar and TLO Head Ms. Maria Irene Amatorio

Since 2021, these companies have deployed various MASID technologies, including the Automated Rain Gauge (ARG), Water Level Monitoring Station (WLMS), Water Level and Rain Monitoring Station (WRMS), and the Community Tsunami Alerting Station. The advanced Remote Data Acquisition unit (arQ®) version 1.1 on the other hand has been manufactured since 2019. These technologies have been crucial in recording historical and providing real-time environmental data for disaster monitoring and decision-making, enabling better disaster preparedness and risk management strategies in communities.

Ms. Alzenda Jarque (top) and Ms. Maribelle Sy-Uy (bottom) sharing their insights and experiences as licensees of
MASID technologies, discussing challenges and successes they encountered.

Representatives Ms. Alzenda Maria Jarque of Rockwell and Ms. Maribelle Agnes Sy-Uy of Ace shared their experiences as long-time partners of DOST-ASTI. Both have highlighted the logistical challenges of deploying MASID technologies across diverse regions and underscored the importance of continuous innovation and support from the Institute. They also emphasized the commercial success and societal value of the technologies, as reflected in their financial reports and operational assessments.

TLO and SSED Division Chief Mr. Alvin Retamar award the Letters Patent to the team behind the invention
Mechanical Stabilizing Means for Radio Antennas’

A segment of the event was dedicated to recognizing the Institute’s recently patented innovations and the inventors who made these achievements possible. In June of last year, DOST-ASTI was granted a Letters Patent for a Mechanical Stabilizing Means for Radio Antennas, which was utilized in the Communication Relay Buoys that were designed and deployed under the Connecting Communities Through Mobile Networks (CoCoMoNets) Project. Recognition was also given to the team that invented the Utility Model for RuralSync®, the precursor to REIINN Project.

DOST-ASTI Director Dr. Franz A. De Leon, in a recorded video message, celebrated these partnerships as a testament to the power of public-private collaboration in advancing the Institute’s commercialization efforts. “This initiative exemplifies the strength to boost local industries that contribute to economic growth. It is through these public-private initiatives that we turn aspirations into action and newly found achievements,” he emphasized.

DOST-ASTI Director Dr. Franz A. De Leon delivering his opening speech through a recorded video message.

By forging and renewing these agreements, DOST-ASTI strengthens its role in creating a thriving ecosystem for technology transfer. The event highlighted the Institute’s focus not only on developing innovative solutions but also ensuring their wide-scale adoption and impact on local communities and industries.