Scholarship portal wins Startup Weekend Cebu idea competition
(Contributed)
Portal allows multiple applications without leaving site
A scholar since grade school, 25-year-old computer engineer Kerwin Jorbina wants to help young, underprivileged Filipinos easily avail of scholarship grants.
Jorbina came up with an online portal called “Scholar’s Field,” which provides information on scholarship grants offered by schools, private organizations and government agencies.
The portal allows users to submit multiple applications without leaving the site. Applicants need only to fill up a form online and, through an algorithm, are matched with available scholarships which they can apply for immediately.
Scholar’s Field bested 14 other innovations proposed during Startup Weekend Cebu 5. Aside from Jorbina, the development team includes Geraldine Granada, Arnel Saquilabon, Inaki Paday, Garik Tate, Le-an Lacaba, John Bhattrai and Jan Gazo.
“I was a scholar my entire life because my father died when I was 7. I’m the youngest in a brood of 3, but the eldest was prioritized so that he can help later on. It was instilled in me that I have to work and study hard to get a scholarship,” Jorbina said.
Jorbina, who graduated magna cum laude, said he came up with the concept for Scholar’s Field while searching for a post-graduate scholarship.
“Every time I applied for one, I had to input the same information. I realized that it was taking too much time because the forms are long. Also, I have to go to several websites to find the scholarships I’m qualified for,” he said.
“There’s no one portal for all. There would be some that provide links but then, no application processes can be done immediately. So I thought, why not give students more options but in a one-stop shop portal,” he added.
Coming in second to Scholar’s Field was SpendCheck, a mobile app that aims to help micro business owners spend wisely. Third place went to TeeVee, a t-shirt vending machine for special events.
Startup Weekend is a Seattle-based global grassroots movement, where people come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startup businesses.
It is an intense 54-hour event designed for entrepreneurs interested in receiving feedback for an idea, looking for a co-founder, or who want to learn a new skill, especially in the field of mobile and Internet applications.
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