Double Victory: AdNU's Team Stormwatch secures P100-K grant and nationals spot

The dedicated students from Ateneo de Naga University (AdNU), known as Team Stormwatch, achieved a remarkable double victory on August 20, 2025. They won two major competitions, showcasing their promising project and earning vital support to bring their idea to life.

The team is composed of five dedicated Computer Science students:

• Melchor Filippe S. Bulanon
• Gabriel Angelo B. Catimbang
• Mark Lawrence M. Quibot
• James Gabriel P. Mabagos
• Francis Daniel B. Dreu

They were guided by their mentors, Mr. Kevin G. Vega, a faculty member from the AdNU Department of Computer Science and Martin Edgar Atole of Project Haribon.

Winning the Idea2Startup Grant
Their journey to success began by winning the Idea2Startup program. As announced by the Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) of Naga City, this initiative aims to nurture innovative minds to create solutions that address the city’s most pressing challenges, particularly disaster-related problems.

Team Stormwatch was selected as one of the winning grantees from a competitive field of applicants. This victory awarded them a Php100,000 seed grant, providing crucial funding and support to transform their initial concept into a working prototype.

From a Winning Idea to a National Startup Challenge
Immediately after, the team entered their prototype into the AI.DEAS For Impact 2025 hackathon held in Naga City on August 19-20, where they competed against nine other finalist teams across Bicol.

Their project, which leverages artificial intelligence to create a tangible and ethical impact, impressed the judges, earning them the championship title.

Most importantly, this victory secures their spot to represent the Bicol Region in the 10th Philippine Startup Challenge, where they will compete for further support and national recognition.

The Ateneo community is incredibly proud of this accomplishment. As the AdNU CSGuild stated in their congratulatory post, "This win is a testament to the power of student innovation, perseverance, and the strong support system from our university and partners."

Their double victory demonstrates how a great idea, when nurtured with the right support, can quickly grow into a project with real potential to make a difference.