A technopreneurship study on microbial rennet business venture

Date

4-2011

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Faustino Q. Arrienda

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Abstract

The general objective of this study is to document a technopreneurial start-up and reflect on the insights gained from such experience. The specific objectives of this study were: 1.) present a business plan for a technology-based enterprise; 2.) describe the processes in setting up and starting a technology-based business; 3.) present the start-up problems and issues encountered in starting a techno-venture; 4.) to assess the initial performance of the start-up; 5.) reflect on the knowledge, skills, values, work ethics, and insights gained/developed from the start-up experience; and 6.) come up with courses of actions for the implementation of the business plan, the enterprise, and the AFNR Program, and to identify investment and development entry points for potential stakeholders in technology-based enterprises. The technopreneurship student under the UPLB Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources (AFNR) project used action research and descriptive research designs to address the objectives of the study. A business plan is implemented and documentations of the processes of initial operations in setting up the business were conducted. ZMJ Enterprises’ microbial rennet is produced from clone by liquid fermentation using 4% coconut paring meal as substrate made from bacteria Rhizopus chinensis. It is a product less expensive but with comparable quality. It has two forms; granulated and liquid. Microbial rennet is an enzyme preparation that can substitute animal rennet as milk coagulant in cheese making. It is a produced from a locally isolated Rhizopus chinensis by liquid or solid fermentation of coconut paring meal. The microbial rennet has similar properties as chymosin, has low proteolytic activity which makes it an ideal milk coagulant. The products were to be marketed to dairy farmers, cheese processors and interested users in Batangas through Tarnate’s farm as an intermediary. The business was to be provided initial requirements and toll processing service from the UPLB Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (BIOTECH). The business obtained financial support from the AFNR Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD) project subsidizing the cost of the business. Direct materials and manufacturing overhead comprise the bulk of the start-up’s expenses and product sales were expected to be the main source of revenue. This study also presents and described the technology utilized in the product. The processes involved in microbial rennet include: preparation of materials, mixing of coconut pairing meal and water, transfer of mixture, centrifuge to separate the biomass from the culture broth, harvest of culture growth, incubation, inoculation, concentration of culture broths, placing to packaging materials in liquid form. For the granules, process of mixing, drying and granulation of solids will be added before placing to packaging materials. The UPLB BIOTECH and the Department of Agribusiness Management provided technical and entrepreneurial mentoring during the initial operations of the start-up. Three production runs were conducted during the first four months of operations with an average of 5.5 liters/kilograms of produce. Granules are highly sold because of its easy transport and storage. The business encountered problems during the production runs which led to financial losses in the beginning. These include poor inoculums growth, limited volume capacity and long production time. Also, getting a market and failed sample products worsen the business’ pursuance. The business is unattractive to have invested at the beginning because of the business start-up failures. Nevertheless, the technopreneur’s new gained knowledge especially in terms of technicality and in production aspect, experiences and values inculcated were invaluable. The internet helped her promote the products efficiently and effectively recovering the losses without more ado. The technopreneur identified the online community as an opportunity for selling the products since most of her sales lately were all from this. The growing population of Filipinos buying online is a good sign of arming technology to sustain business. From what she had learned through the business start up’s experiences, the technopreneur is aspired to join trainings and seminars regarding cheese technology so as to expand her horizons as an entrepreneur. The B.S in ABM should include more of technical and technopreneurship courses as elective for the students who would be engaging in technopreneurship in order for them to be prepared enough in managing business start-ups. Early trainings for the technopreneurship students on production runs and marketing should be done early so as prolonging the implementation schedule of the AFNR project for running the business start up effectively.

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

LG 993 2011 M17 J38

Document Type

Thesis

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