VSU named Best Licensor at Innovation and Technology Transfer Summit Visayas 2025

Visayas State University (VSU) received top recognition as Most Outstanding Licensor at this year’s Innovation and Technology Transfer Summit Visayas, held on September 5, 2025 at Summit Hotel, Tacloban City.

The event, organized by the Department of Science and Technology Region VIII (DOST-8) in partnership with TECHGROW and the Wadhwani Foundation, forms part of the Regional Science and Technology Week (RSTW) 2025 celebration.

Being named Best Licensor places VSU at the forefront of universities in the region that actively translate research outputs into usable products and services. To license means granting other institutions or businesses the right to adopt and scale a university’s technologies.

Over the years, VSU has become one of the Philippines’ most active universities in technology transfer, particularly in agriculture, food processing, and natural resources. The university has already developed and commercialized 70 technologies, which are now being used by 26 adopters across the country. 

These include climate-smart farming systems, innovative food processing equipment, and community-based livelihood technologies, all designed to address real problems in production and value-adding.

Track record in technology transfer

This award is the latest in a string of achievements for VSU in the field of innovation. Earlier this year, the university received the Gold Award from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) at the 2025 ITSO Summit for its outstanding performance in patenting and intellectual property management. 

Through initiatives like the Regional Agri-Aqua Innovation System Enhancement (RAISE) Program, supported by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), VSU has expanded its capacity to assist startups and small enterprises. Its Technology Business Incubator (TBI) has also provided training and mentoring to local entrepreneurs 

Capacity-building has likewise been a consistent priority. VSU recently hosted workshops on intellectual property and patent search and equipped researchers with the technical skills to protect and commercialize their outputs  These efforts are supported by new facilities, such as the Forest Products Innovation and Training Center being built at VSU in partnership with DOST–Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI).

According to Dr. Feliciano G. Sinon, Director of the VSU Innovation Office, the recognition reflects the extensive work of its Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO), the Knowledge Product and Commercialization Office (KPCO), the TBI Team, faculty-inventors, and the broader VSU academic community. 

One example of this process is the partnership with Five Shepherd Corporation, which was also awarded during the summit as Best Licensee. The company has successfully manufactured and sold VSU-designed machines such as the portable vacuum fryer and the chippy and puff extruder.

READ: PhilRootcrops’ invention bags DOST-TAPI Regional Unlad Award

To date, Five Shepherd has produced 12 vacuum fryers and 7 extruders, sold them nationwide and generated a 30% increase in revenues.

For Mr. Winston Dy, Chief Executive Officer of Five Shepherd Corporation, the recognition validates the business potential of university-generated technologies. 

“From VSU’s breakthrough technologies to our role as manufacturer, this journey shows how ideas turn into sustainable enterprises.” Mr. Dy said.

This article is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, and; SDG 17: Partnership for the Goals. 

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