A Filipina technopreneur is one of the Ten Young Innovators who won in the competition organized this year by the United Nations (UN)-backed International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
With her husband Vince, Yvonne Loremia developed the “Tudlo” app which won the judges’ nod for its potential has the potential to save lives during emergencies.
Tudlo – a Visayan word meaning to guide or to point — is a mobile application that provides emergency workers and agencies with critical information during calamities.
The winners, all aged between 18 and 26, will join the ITU Telecom World 2013 event this month in Thailand for a four-day accelerator program of pitching sessions, workshops, and mentoring. They will also get the chance to win funding of up to $10,000.
The Loremias and their teammates developed “Tudlo” during a coding marathon conducted last year by the Smart Developer Net3work.. Tudlo was cited during the marathon as Best Community App. It was also entered in the IdeaSpace National Competition for startups last March and emerged as one of the finalists.
As finalist, Tudlo received a grant, as well as mentorship and incubation support, from Smart’s IdeaSpace for the purpose of transforming the project into a start up.
Winners of the UN award were chosen based on the possible social impact of their business and its potential for success..
Other winners were from India, Uganda, and Vietnam, who have sought to help address such issues as marine protection, food waste reduction, and immigration.
The contest generated 600 entries from 88 countries.