23 April 2025
A team of exceptional students from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde has brought pride to the College by winning the renowned STARTUP RIAT 2025 competition. Hosted online by the Russian International Academy for Tourism (Vatel Moscow), the event drew 13 participating teams from Russia, Belarus, India, and the Philippines. The competition challenged the participants to present innovative projects under the theme “Russia–Asia: Projects of International Youth Initiatives.”
Representing the College, the Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management (BS-IHM) students delivered an outstanding pitch for their project, BHeard. This mobile app addresses the communication challenges faced by the Deaf community while creating opportunities for employment and travel. BHeard integrates real-time sign language translation, job assistance, and travel accessibility in a single platform, standing out as an innovative and comprehensive solution.
Team Captain Corin Alaan shared her excitement and pride in the team’s success. “Winning this prestigious competition is a testament to our commitment to inclusivity, innovation, and social responsibility – core values that were instilled in us by our institution,” she said. She went on to describe the app as “more than just a project” but rather “a promise to a future where everyone, especially the Deaf community, is seen and heard.” Alaan expressed gratitude for the opportunity to showcase their hard work on a global platform and emphasized how much it meant to her team to represent Benilde internationally.
See more: https://www.benilde.edu.ph/benilde-ihm-students-break-barriers-and-win-at-riat-2025-2/
