Block Dojo Philippines cohort 2 looks at real-world issues that could be solved with blockchain

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How do you start a business?

That’s one of the many questions a budding startup asks when beginning its journey into the entrepreneurial world—and venture builders like Block Dojo Philippines are here to guide startups in the process of making their businesses successful.

At the recent Block Dojo Philippines bootcamp in Bataan, Johannes Cortez, Clarice Cabanlit, and Jynon Mapa—who are part of the Block Dojo Philippines cohort 2—took their chance in a three-month startup program to ultimately show how blockchain can be used in real-world problems.

Johannes Cortez encourages a fitter Filipino lifestyle with Fit2Gether

Admittedly, people tend to overlook exercising as a daily routine. For Cortez, even lifters like him, who have been working out for years, sometimes lack the motivation to exercise.

With Fit2Gether, Cortez aims to encourage more Filipinos to have a better lifestyle where they can accommodate exercise not as a chore but as a means of living. The app allows users to work out with a close friend or family and beat up challenges to earn a reward. Cortez said rewards vary depending on what the user wants; one example is through donations to a charity of their choice.

“The primary value proposition that we have is that we use the value of community to essentially motivate other people to continue their workouts,” he said.

Clarice Cabanlit helps the youth with managing their mental health

Cabanlit plans to use her app, Willow, to connect teens with coaches, psychologists, and counselors who can help them with their mental health struggles.

Adolescence is critical as it is when youth lay down their life foundations before adulthood. At this age, kids may experience many changes—physically, mentally, and emotionally—which could have a drastic impact on their mental health.

“[Willow] is sort of a directory where people can go in, mostly parents because they’re the ones that are paying. Then, they have access to these experts who can help their kids be able to just have the kind of help that they need, especially at this time when they’re experiencing changes, transitions, and they’re just needing help to make sense of all this,” she explained.

As a former teacher turned coach, Cabanlit has a good share of experience working with teens under academic pressure, family crises, and peer pressure. With Willow, she wishes to have more connections and help the youth overcome their mental health dilemmas.

Jynon Mapa eases drivers’ struggles with RSVP app for parking

Imagine this: You’re attending a prestigious event in Manila and have allowed at least two hours to prepare for the heavy traffic, only to be late because the hotel’s parking space is full. Like Mapa, many Filipinos have probably experienced this kind of scenario.

With Park King, Mapa intends to build an RSVP app catered to drivers who want to secure a parking slot hours before their planned arrival. The parking reservation is just one of the many features of Mapa’s app. Utilizing blockchain, Park King intends to save the users’ data and transactions to understand their driving and lifestyle patterns, and with it, he aims to provide users with free vouchers for establishments like salons and spas they frequently visit.

“The events parking side is just one area in Park King. Let’s say [between] you and me, if your primary mode of transport is a car, anything that you consider doing, you consider the parking. It’s part of who you are and your decision-making. In a way, I could tell the data about what you have been through, and then I would know what kind of person you are,” he said.

More exciting activities await for the Block Dojo Cohort 2. To learn more about the second Block Dojo bootcamp, follow this link.

Watch: Meet the new Block Dojo Philippines founders aiming for global success