Fifteen team leads. One countdown. Thirty seconds of chaos in a supermarket.

This wasn’t a Mr. Beast shopping spree—it was a warm-up for a 3-day "Big 3 Startup Showdown" Misfits hackathon. . And the runners? Students from computer science, econ, and psych and others, about to build their first startup from scratch.

Back in the hackathon Peroom, glass walls were filled with handwritten aspiration:

Caution: “I want to get out of my parents’ shadow” in 54 hours
Caution: “I want to prove to myself I can do better” in 54 hours
Caution: “I want to make a dent in history” in 54 hours

This isn’t your average class. It's a crew of 60 students, come call themselves misfits, from all backgrounds, ages, and experiences. In three months, they didn’t learn how to build a startup—they learned why. Once the spark was lit, nothing could stop them. They broke rules, begged for forgiveness, talked to thousands of customers without hesitation or shame, and chose speed over perfection.

And it worked.

They joined one of the Philippines’ top startup competitions—and won all three top prizes, topping the best students from Ateneo, La Salle, and UP. 

This year, with support from Maya, they’ll bring their story to Geeks on a Beach 2025.

Think this could be the spark the Philippine startup scene needs? Come to GOAB 2025 to meet these misfits yourself: 

• LittleBranchPH.com – Helping parents discover 1,000+ child-friendly activities nationwide

• Quasar.ph – AI-powered loan approval for faster, smarter credit

• Venyu.ph – Book 1,000+ sports courts in Metro Manila, instantly

• Ugly.ph – Tackle food waste by making “imperfect” produce accessible and affordable for businesses and households
  
  
  

📩 Want to support the next wave of founders? 

Email hello@geeksonabeach.com to learn more about sponsorship opportunities!