By Heherson P. Valdez
“For many Filipino inventors, innovators, and researchers, the biggest challenge is not a lack of ideas but a lack of opportunities to bring them to life.”
On the opening day of the 2026 National Invention Contest and Exhibits (NICE), the Department of Science and Technology - Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) turned that challenge into a national platform, one that gives promising innovations the visibility, recognition, and support needed to move from concept to real-world impact.
From 764 entries screened and evaluated through the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit by Cluster (ClusteRICE) 2025, only 28 national finalists advanced to NICE 2026, reflecting both the depth of Filipino ingenuity and the urgent need to help these ideas move beyond the drawing board.
Moving from regional to national competition, NICE serves as a national platform where innovations are recognized, linked to support systems, and positioned for wider adoption in communities, enterprises, and global markets. Read more here for the official list of 2025 ClusteRICE winners: DOST-TAPI Brings Reg’l Grassroots Innovators to the National Stage at NICE 2026.
To officially launch the new wave of Filipino grassroots innovators from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, DOST-TAPI opened to the public the NICE 2026 exhibits, showcasing locally-made technologies that advanced from ClusteRICE 2025.
The finalists competed across five award categories: Outstanding Invention (Tuklas Award) for government- and privately-funded, Outstanding Utility Model (Unlad Award), Outstanding Industrial Design (Banghay Award), Outstanding Creative Research (Likha Award) for government- and privately-funded, and Outstanding Student Creative Research (Sibol Award) for high school and college levels.
Entries were judged based on official criteria, including perceived impact on society, degree of development and readiness for adoption, and clarity of presentation and demonstration. For creative and student research categories, originality, methodology, and market potential were also emphasized. Check here the 2026 NICE Rules and Criteria. Winners received substantial cash prizes of up to three hundred thousand pesos, along with plaques and certificates. Beyond financial rewards, top winners gained opportunities for local and international exposure, enabling them to introduce their innovations to broader markets, expand and scale their products, and connect with potential partners and collaborators.
Importantly, winners may also be endorsed to DOST-TAPI’s programs and services through a holistic support system, spanning intellectual property protection, pre-commercialization assistance, linkages and marketing, and technology transfer and commercialization. This ensures that innovations are nurtured from IP protection to market entry.
As part of strengthening the Intellectual Property filings and commercialization efforts for the locally-developed technologies in the Philippines, 2026 NICE also featured the signing of a data sharing agreement with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), which aims to streamline access to intellectual property support, helping inventors better protect their ideas and connect more efficiently to government assistance.
At the same time, the co-financing collaboration with MURATA opens expanded funding opportunities for innovators whose technologies are ready to move beyond prototypes, bridging critical gaps needed for scaling and market entry.
Meanwhile, the recognition of International Inventor Awardees highlighted how Filipino innovations can thrive beyond local platforms when supported by strong innovation networks. These awardees are members of the Filipino Inventors Society, Inc., one of the accredited inventors’ organizations under DOST-TAPI’s Inventors’ Organization Accreditation Program.
Through this initiative, DOST-TAPI strengthens communities of inventors by formally recognizing organizations that nurture talent, promote collaboration, and support innovators in bringing their technologies to wider audiences, specifically to its target market. This recognition shows that building connected inventor communities plays a vital role in sustaining innovation and opening pathways to international exposure and collaboration.
On Day 2, the momentum continues as the NICE 2026 exhibits remain open to the public, offering another opportunity to experience Filipino homegrown innovations firsthand. Beyond the exhibits, the event creates space for meaningful engagement, bringing together innovators, industry leaders, policymakers, and potential partners in a shared environment for fruitful collaboration, strengthening networking and the exchange of ideas.
The highlight of the closing program will be the winners’ recognition per category, celebrating the most outstanding innovations across five (5) award categories. The 2026 NICE First Prize winners will also receive one of the highest distinctions for Filipino inventors, as they are set to be personally recognized by the President of the Republic, his excellency, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., together with DOST Secretary Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr. and DOST-TAPI Director Atty. Marion Ivy D. Decena, CESO III.
As NICE 2026 nears its culmination, DOST-TAPI invites technology adopters, investors, industry partners, and aspiring innovators to join this growing innovation ecosystem. Whether you are looking to support, adopt, collaborate, or create, NICE and its regional counterpart, ClusteRICE, open pathways for you to engage in the nationwide search and development of the country’s most promising grassroots innovations.
Interested stakeholders may reach DOST-TAPI through email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., connect via its official social media pages, or visit DOST-TAPI’s website at www.tapi.dost.gov.ph to learn more about its programs, services, and upcoming opportunities.
The National Invention Contest and Exhibits (NICE) is one of the flagship components of the Institutional Support for Technology Exposition (ISTE) Program that aims to strengthen marketing, promotion, and support for DOST-generated technologies and homegrown inventions. This is anchored on the Republic Act 7459, or the Inventors and Invention Incentives Act of the Philippines. The program underscores the government’s commitment to nurturing Filipino innovation for national development.
The Department of Science and Technology -Technology Application and Promotion Institute (DOST-TAPI) is one of DOST's service agencies whose primary responsibility is to promote the commercialization of technologies and market the services of other operating units of the Department. It was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 128 on 30 January 1987.
If you want to learn more about the programs and services of DOST-TAPI, you may email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., call us at (02) 8582 1450, or visit our DOST-TAPI Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/DOST.TAPI) for more details.
