by Jeremy Norine Unson
DOST-TAPI-supported innovators showcase affordable diagnostic and wound care technologies to global stakeholders
Two Filipino health technology startups have strengthened the international visibility of Philippine-developed healthcare innovations after presenting solutions that address critical healthcare challenges through affordable, accessible, and scalable technologies.
Manila HealthTek Inc. and AYO Tech Corp. successfully engaged with prospective partners, investors, healthcare stakeholders, and innovation leaders, opening opportunities for future collaborations and demonstrating the growing global interest in Filipino-developed technologies.
The featured innovations showcased the country's capability to develop practical healthcare solutions with the potential to benefit both local and international communities.
Manila HealthTek Inc., represented by Dr. Raul Destura, Mr. Lemuel Petronio, and Ms. Jana Denise Lacuna, presented Lab-in-a-Mug (LiaM) 3.0, a portable molecular diagnostic device capable of detecting multiple infectious diseases outside traditional laboratory settings.
Meanwhile, AYO Tech Corp., represented by Dr. Jair Kimri Jingco and Dr. Lily Jingco, featured AquaVac, an affordable negative-pressure wound therapy system designed to make advanced wound care more accessible to patients and healthcare providers.
Opening Doors to International Collaboration
Beyond showcasing their technologies, both startups held discussions with prospective collaborators, investors, and healthcare organizations from different countries, expanding opportunities for future partnerships, market access, and technology commercialization.
According to Dr. Raul Destura, the international engagement demonstrated that the Philippines is not only home to highly skilled professionals but also to globally competitive scientific innovations.
"The world sees that the Philippines can provide a cheaper, but quality, source of innovations," he said.
The international exposure also enabled the startups to benchmark their technologies against global standards while strengthening their credibility among prospective partners and stakeholders.
Dr. Jair Kimri Jingco shared that participating in an international technology platform helped increase awareness of their innovation and opened opportunities to connect with organizations interested in healthcare solutions.
"It gives us a lot of exposure. It gives us some modicum of legitimacy that we're able to present here. The more people know about us, the more they will know about our technology," Dr. Jingco said.
Government Support as a Catalyst for Innovation
The startup founders likewise emphasized the important role of government support in helping Filipino innovations reach international markets.
Dr. Destura noted that government adoption can serve as a strong vote of confidence for emerging technologies and encourage broader market acceptance.
"It's essential that the first client or adopter is the government. It sends a strong message that our country believes in the talent and ingenuity of Filipino innovators," he said.
The startups also recognized that participating under the DOST-TAPI delegation increased their visibility, strengthened their credibility, and provided opportunities to connect with international stakeholders and benchmark their technologies against global innovations.
Dr. Jingco likewise encouraged fellow startups to maximize available government programs that support innovation, commercialization, and global market expansion.
"If you're a startup, it pays well to partner with DOST. They have a lot of programs that could help startups," he said.
The international engagements were undertaken during London Tech Week 2026, held from June 8 to 10 at Olympia, London, where Manila HealthTek Inc. and AYO Tech Corp. represented Philippine health technology innovations before global investors, healthcare stakeholders, and industry leaders. The activity formed part of DOST-TAPI's continuing efforts to support Filipino innovators in expanding their international networks and exploring opportunities for technology commercialization.
Join the PhilippiNOW movement today and help champion Filipino innovators as they unlock new opportunities and bring Philippine-developed technologies to the global stage.
"PhilippiNOW: Activating Innovations From Within" is a campaign of the Department of Science and Technology – Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) that aims to elevate Filipino innovations through strategic partnerships and commercialization initiatives.
Through its Science and Technology Promotion for International Contest and Exhibit (SPICE) Program, DOST-TAPI supports the participation of DOST-assisted technologies, startups, and research institutions in international exhibitions, invention contests, pitching competitions, and similar global platforms to strengthen international linkages, expand market opportunities, and accelerate the commercialization of Philippine-developed innovations.
DOST-TAPI is one of the service agencies of the Department of Science and Technology mandated to promote the commercialization of technologies and market the services of DOST operating units pursuant to Executive Order No. 128.
