SETUP-assisted small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Palawan are among the businesses that will receive innovation mentoring and business development support under the second phase of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-MIMAROPA’s Smarter SMEs Program.
The program was launched Thursday, July 9, during the kickoff meeting of the Developing SME Innovation Champions Project Phase 2. The activity coincided with the celebration of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Month.
Participating enterprises from Palawan, Marinduque, and Romblon attended the meeting with DOST-MIMAROPA officials and consultants from the Entrepinoy Volunteers Foundation, Inc. (EVFI).
According to DOST-MIMAROPA, the program aims to help SMEs become more innovative, competitive, resilient, and ready for future business challenges.
Unlike the agency’s regular technology assistance under the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP), the initiative focuses on improving business systems, management practices, innovation planning, and decision-making.
The second phase builds on a pilot implementation in Mindoro. DOST said the earlier rollout showed that MSMEs benefit from sustained mentoring, regular feedback, and continuous improvement in strengthening their operations.
Under the program, participating enterprises will undergo innovation readiness assessments, site visits, data gathering, mentoring sessions, and workshops. They will also prepare innovation strategies and action plans based on their business needs.
DOST said the project also seeks to develop SME owners and their teams as “innovation champions” who can lead improvements within their organizations.
The agency said the initiative is part of its efforts to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in MIMAROPA and help local enterprises grow in a changing business environment.
