VIA GRAPHIC PLUS — GCash brought together more than 2,385 young innovators from across the Philippines at ImaGnation: GCash Innovation Challenge 2026, challenging students to develop technology-driven solutions to address real challenges faced by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The three-day hackathon and case competition drew 477 registered teams across 10 regions, with more than half of participants coming from outside Metro Manila, including CALABARZON, Central Visayas, Central Luzon, and Northern Mindanao.
Anchored on the theme “Negosyo Nation: Powering the Rise of the Filipino Entrepreneur,” the competition challenged students to explore how GCash payments, credit, insurance, merchant solutions, and analytics can work together to address the financial and operational needs of Filipino entrepreneurs. Participants also gained hands-on experience with AI platforms, prompt engineering, and app prototyping through InnovLabs, the innovation platform of GCash.
Turning ideas into solutions
The Top 10 teams advanced to an intensive Bootcamp and Hackathon Proper at the GCash Headquarters in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, where 50 students worked with GCash employee mentors, product leaders, and technical coaches.
Through InnovLabs, participants were able to develop UI/UX prototypes without building complex backend systems from scratch. Mentors helped teams test their ideas, strengthen their business cases, and consider fintech regulations and the needs of actual MSME users.
For Rowie Zamora, Chief Strategy Officer at Mynt, Inc., the parent company of GCash, the competition gives students an opportunity to build technology around real customer needs.
“Empowering local entrepreneurs is one of the most vital economic missions in the country today, and ImaGnation offers a real sandbox for bright young minds to make an impact. Maximize this event, ground your technology in real customer problems, and help us build innovations that move both local businesses and the entire nation forward,” Zamora said.
The nationwide participation also reflects the growing reach of the program, said Robert Gonzales, Chief People Officer at Mynt, Inc.
“Seeing student teams join us from across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao shows how far the reach of ImaGnation has grown. Over half of our registered entries came from outside Metro Manila, proving that game-changing tech ideas and brilliant problem-solvers are thriving in every corner of the Philippines,” said Robert Gonzales, Chief People Officer at Mynt, Inc.
Young innovators building solutions for Filipino businesses
The competition culminated in the Challenge Finals, where five finalist teams presented their business cases to GCash executive leadership.
Their concepts addressed practical challenges faced by Filipino entrepreneurs and communities, demonstrating how existing digital financial tools can be combined and reimagined to solve specific user needs.
“We learned how to bring existing features together and build around them, and that’s something that’s new and exciting for us to figure out,” said Jezreel, a representative of one of the finalist teams.
For Faye, an Industrial Engineering student from Team Krimstix, the experience also offered a closer look at the opportunities within fintech.
“This hackathon really opened my eyes to how much room there still is to innovate in fintech. It inspired me to invest my time and skills into building a future career in this space,” she said.
The winning teams will receive guaranteed internship placements at GCash, giving them opportunities to work alongside product and technology leaders and further develop their ideas beyond the competition.
Through ImaGnation, GCash continues to connect emerging talent with real business challenges, industry expertise, and technology. By creating opportunities for young Filipinos to build solutions for the needs of local entrepreneurs, the initiative supports a broader ecosystem of innovation while advancing the GCash vision of Finance for All.
Started in 1927, the Philippines Graphic is the longest-running printed magazine of national circulation that provides relevant news and features and promotes Philippine literature.
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