Nation’s best ideas face off at NICE finals

Twenty-eight finalists will compete in the 2026 National Invention Contest and Exhibits (NICE) after a nationwide search that screened 764 entries, the Department of Science and Technology — Technology Application and Promotion Institute said.

The two-day event will be held on 27 to 28 April at Acacia Hotel Manila in Muntinlupa City, serving as the national culmination of the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits.

Finalists represent a range of Filipino innovations, from health and agriculture to mobility, disaster resilience, and digital technologies, with entries evaluated for technical merit, socio-economic impact, and commercialization potential.

“Behind every innovation is a Filipino innovator trying to respond to a real challenge or improve everyday life through science, creativity, innovation, and persistence,” said Marion Ivy D. Decena, director of DoST-TAPI.

“Through NICE 2026, we aim to provide a national platform that helps bring these technologies close to the support, visibility, and opportunities they need to move toward wide use and great impact.”

DoST-TAPI said the event also links finalists to programs supporting intellectual property protection, funding, and commercialization, as part of efforts to bring local technologies to market.