Ateneans can get ₱1 million to turn socially impactful ideas into companies

Now in its second year, KisLap will back three teams across ADMU’s higher education units.

A classroom is where many ideas begin: an answer to an assignment, the lyrics and melody for a future smash hit, a conclusion to a research paper, a striking business proposal, or a concept too big to be measured by a grade.

Sometimes, these ideas stay on paper, though they may also find their way out of the classroom and into the real world.

They can become something that people can actually use, experience, or build a life around. What if farmers could spot threats to their crops before it’s too late? What if a small business owner could see where money is being lost? What if even ice cream could create more opportunities for Filipino farmers?

For three Ateneo students, the answers to those questions took shape as AgriConnect, KLARO, and Sibol Creamery.

A year after becoming the inaugural winners of KisLap—the university’s social entrepreneurship grant initiative that helps turn bold ideas into enterprises with lasting social impact—the three ventures show what can happen when a classroom idea gets the chance to become something real.

Through the Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship and the Kwan Laurel Social Enterprise Fund, the three teams received grants of up to ₱1 million each, along with mentorship and access to institutional resources.

AgriConnect: Helping farmers spot risks

For a farmer, spotting a problem early can make the difference between protecting a harvest and watching a season’s work go to waste.

That’s the problem AgriConnect is trying to address. The venture uses AI-powered tools to help farmers identify agricultural risks early and make more informed, data-driven decisions in the field.

AgriConnect was founded by Aldrin Sojourner Gamayon alongside Edge Angeles and Mat Jirvonn Reyes. The team is developing tools that give farmers actionable insights they can use in responding to potential problems and protecting their yields and livelihoods.

The idea has already taken the students beyond the Philippines. AgriConnect was among the Top 3 finalists in the ASEAN leg of the 2025 China-ASEAN Innovation Quest, advancing to the international finals in Guilin, China.

The team was mentored by Zab Jimenez.

KLARO: Making business numbers make sense

For a small business owner, keeping a business running can mean juggling sales, expenses, inventory, suppliers, and customers all at once.

Sometimes, the numbers can tell an important story—but only if there is a way to make sense of them.

That’s where KLARO comes in. Its AI-powered point-of-sale system gives small entrepreneurs real-time insights into their operations, helping them spot losses, understand their day-to-day performance, and make more informed decisions.

Led by Zachary Matthew Alabastro and Beatrice Anne Lui, KLARO aims to make advanced digital tools more accessible to small businesses, turning the team’s technology into a practical solution.

The team was mentored by Joben Ilagan.

Sibol Creamery: Ice cream with a purpose

Ice cream is easy to think of as a treat. But for Sibol Creamery, even a scoop can be connected to the people who grow the ingredients behind it.

The venture makes rice-based ice cream using locally sourced Filipino ingredients, including organic red rice. It’s also built around sustainable food production, farmer empowerment, and ethical sourcing.

Sibol was founded by Agatha Leanne Fernandez and Xavier Bryce Tan, alongside Alyssa Marie Chan, Adreanna Jude Mendoza, Kevin Jacob Chua, and Christopher Joseph Ochoa.

Even before receiving the KisLap grant, the team was already working directly with farmer cooperatives in Tarlac, Laguna, and Bulacan. Since winning KisLap, Sibol has expanded through pop-ups, online sales, and restaurant partnerships.

The team was mentored by Leofel Vergara.

KisLap’s second year

AgriConnect, KLARO, and Sibol Creamery started as student ideas—and they were given a chance to move beyond the classroom and into the real world through funding, mentorship, and institutional support.

Today, the three ventures are taking their next steps, building on those early ideas as they work toward becoming something bigger.

And just as they’re breaking new ground, KisLap is opening another door for a new batch of students brimming with ideas that could make a difference.

The first edition was open to graduating students and postgraduate students across Ateneo de Manila University’s higher education units. Now, undergraduates from all year levels can take part, too.

The program covers the John Gokongwei School of Management, Dr. Rosita G. Leong School of Social Sciences, School of Humanities, School of Science and Engineering, Gokongwei Brothers School of Education and Learning Design, Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health, Ateneo Law School, Ateneo School of Government, and Ateneo Graduate School of Business.

Like before, three teams will receive grants of up to ₱1 million each, along with mentorship and other support to help develop their ventures.

Business proposals for the second edition are due on Nov. 13. Finalists will be announced on Nov. 27 via the ACSEnt social media pages, with the winners expected to be announced in 2027. For the full submission guidelines, Ateneans may reach out to acsent.jgsom@ateneo.edu.

Somewhere in an Ateneo classroom, the next idea that could make a difference for Filipinos may already be taking shape.

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