VSU officially rolled out LIYAB SparkLab 2025 at the VSU Smart Classroom in Visca, Baybay City, Leyte, on December 16, 2026, to kickstart a new wave of youth-led business ideas. The program is built to spark grassroots innovation across Eastern Visayas, offering hands-on training, mentorship, and vital resources for young people eager to reshape sustainable farming and aquaculture technology.

The event featured a series of inspirational messages from university officials and partner institutions. These messages emphasized the importance of youth engagement in addressing pressing agri-aqua challenges. One of the program’s standout features was the dynamic Reverse Pitching Session. The Reverse Pitching Session was a highlight, featuring industry leaders and experts who presented real-world challenges, encouraging participants to create solution-driven startup ideas.

LIYAB SparkLab 2025 is part of Project LIYAB, supported by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development through the 2024 Innovation Grants Program, in partnership with the Wadhwani Foundation Philippines. The program is designed to guide aspiring youth innovators through an idea-building and pre-incubation journey, helping to transform early-stage concepts into viable and impactful agri-aqua solutions. It helps transform early-stage concepts into viable and impactful agri-aqua solutions.

The initiative strategically targets youth innovators aged 18–30 from Region VIII, a region known for its rich agricultural potential and youthful demographic. They undergo structured training, workshops, and mentoring focused on agri-aqua innovation. The initiative supports participants in refining early-stage ideas and developing venture-ready concepts. The top five teams will then advance to full incubation under the VSU Technology Business Incubator.

Through LIYAB SparkLab 2025, VSU commits to fostering an inclusive innovation ecosystem by providing accessible resources and mentorship to young innovators from diverse backgrounds. It contributes to sustainable development in Eastern Visayas by addressing specific local challenges, such as improving food security through innovative farming techniques and enhancing disaster resilience with climate-adaptive technologies.