What happens when you stop playing small?

You get seen.

After seven years of quietly building Pumapapel from scratch—crafting pop-ups, designing for clients, mentoring artists, creating social impact through paper—I found myself standing onstage, pitching to a room full of industry leaders, innovators, and government agencies.

And we didn’t just pitch. We were awarded the 🏆 Trailblazing Creative Disruptor – Special Citation at the 2025 BeAT Awards—the Benilde Alumni Technopreneur Awards—now in its third year. Co-hosted by Benilde HiFi and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the BeAT Awards recognize trailblazing Benildean startup founders who are pushing boundaries, revolutionizing their fields, and making a lasting difference through technology and entrepreneurship.

The citation honors a startup that dares to think differently, disrupts creatively, and uplifts others along the way. Out of 10 finalist startups from a variety of sectors—construction, aquafarming, hospitality, jewelry—we were the only creative studio. That alone felt like a statement. That art, storytelling, and community-centered design have a place in shaping the future of innovation and technology.

Watch our intro video showing all we’ve built so far:

The two-day boot camp leading to the pitch night was intense—inspiring talks, mentorship sessions, and nights spent reflecting and refining. All while a storm rolled through the city for three days straight, forcing us to brave floods daily just to show up. Benilde even had to send a rescue truck to get us to the venue. That journey felt symbolic: we’d come so far, and nothing—not even a typhoon—was going to stop us.

When I got on stage, I shared our story—how paper engineering became my way of uplifting local creatives, designing for impact, and making ordinary things feel extraordinary—and how we’re now building tools to make this magic more accessible through affordable templates. That’s what we’re working on next: empowering even more people to tell their stories through dimensional print.

And something magical happened. The audience leaned in. The judges gave me their full attention. Mr. Fred Yuson, who had left his seat, came back with renewed curiosity and even offered me a project. Mr. Henry Atayde was so thoroughly captivated and delighted that he asked multiple follow-up questions and gave the most hyped-up, encouraging comments on my evaluation form. People called the pitch “captivating,” “great storytelling,” and “the most entertaining of the night.”

But for me, the most emotional moment came when I saw Sir Adie Peña—a pop-up book collector and also a member of the Movable Book Society—among the judges. I met him back in 2018, shortly after returning from the MBS conference where I won my first award. Meeting him then planted the seed that paper engineering can be more than a passion. He inspired me to take that leap. Seeing him again, this time as a judge, was a powerful full-circle moment.

So many people came up after to say congratulations and express real interest in what we’re building. It was more than just a win—it was validation. Of the story, the mission, and the community behind it.

This award is not just a milestone. It’s a marker of momentum.

We built Pumapapel to uplift Filipino creatives, lead innovation in the local industry, and give ordinary Filipinos the power to do extraordinary things with dimensional print. And we’re just getting started.

To big-hearted brands and institutions with a creative, cultural, or community-centered project—we’d love to work with you. To those who’ve said, “I wish I can afford your work”—we hear you! We’re creating new offerings designed to make paper engineering more accessible, without compromising on creativity or impact. And if you’re a creative dreamer wondering if your story is worth telling—trust me, it is.

Let’s build something extraordinary together. Reach out if you’re ready to collaborate, co-create, or bring your story to life through pop-ups and dimensional print.

Acknowledgements:

I want to thank Benilde, DOST, and the CWC Design Center for facilitating the competition.

Thank you to the folks from Benilde Hifi: Mr. Paul Pajo, Mr. Robin Serrano, Mr. Alex Abear, Ms. Via, Ms. Hill, and Earl and Janna. Our speakers Ms. Michelle, Ms. Camille and the Everything Green team, Ms. Cris from Brave Story, Mr. Jer, founders Dars and Ally from Repamana, and founder Ally from Jane Dough. The CIPM team Atty. Janice, Ms. My, Sir Gyver. Our photography team who was so very kind and supportive of all of us founders!

The judges Mr. Adie Peña, Mr. Henri Atayde, and Mr. Fred Yuson, and all the folks behind the scenes who cheered us on.

I also want to thank every brand and organization that’s helped us grow:
The Movable Book Society, Silhouette Cameo, Prestige Paper, Fedrigoni, Blink Print Studios, Nextquisite Publishing, NALM Creative, The Spark Project, the NCCA, The Fold Community, and more.

Special thanks to my CoS and long-time mentor Bernadette Fah, to Larry Seidman, and Bruce Foster who were the first people to believe in me, and to the Benildean educators who continue to support me, Sir Romeo Catap and Bro. Dennis Magbanua, FSC. To my fellow founders at HiFi and from the SHE Fellowship cohort for always inspiring and leading by example, and who are making an impact on the world.

I couldn’t have made it here without you.