Mikah Ela J. Cabanilla, a senior from the Philippines majoring in business management, recently represented the Wallonia Export & Investment Agency (AWEX) at BIO Asia–Taiwan 2026, one of Asia's largest biotechnology and medical conferences. The unforgettable experiences, part of her international internship with AWEX, provided a front-row seat to global innovation.
Held annually in Taipei, the BIO Asia–Taiwan Conference brings together biotechnology and medical companies, researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors from around the world. Participants showcase medical innovations, pitch to venture capitalists, and build cross-border partnerships in healthcare and technology.
From Preparation to Experience
As a market research and digital marketing/project management intern, Cabanilla was assigned a number of roles and responsibilities during the event, which included interviewing delegates from the recent Global Innovation Hub 2026, helping attract and talk to visitors about what AWEX does, and introducing them to Walloon companies that were present at the event. She was also tasked with taking notes at the pitches she attended and documenting the conference through photography and videography.
Cabanilla said representing an international agency as a student was, at first, intimidating. “I was intimidated at first because I was surrounded by people who had years of experience in the industry, while I was an intern and a student,” she said. “Nevertheless, I set aside that thought and faced them confidently because I know what I can offer. I am capable of doing hard things because I am prepared.”
That confidence opened the door to genuine connection. Cabanilla spent much of the conference talking with entrepreneurs about their journeys—what drove them to build something from nothing. “I enjoyed getting to know their journey of building a business, their mission, and their vision,” she shared. “I honestly just wanted to know what drives them to take on that path. At the end of the day, we create the life we have.”
Finding Purpose in Innovation
Cabanilla often found herself inspired by conversations with entrepreneurs. The qualities she found most common among them were humility, commitment, and passion for the innovations that they’ve created. Along with that inspiration came a new way of looking at innovation.
“Innovation often starts with a simple idea,” she said. “Sometimes, we overcomplicate how we want to help or change the world. We may think the grandest ideas are the ones that will make a difference, but it can often start with something very simple.”
She said that innovation always starts with asking “How can I help?” or “What does the world need right now?” The answers, she said, tend to lead naturally to ideas that matter.
“This experience taught me that becoming an entrepreneur starts with a determined mind and heart. If you truly want to achieve or build something, failure doesn’t stop you. Rather, it helps you move forward. As a quote I read in our office says, ‘Fail often so you will succeed sooner.’"
Growing Through Experience
For Cabanilla, the experience was not only an opportunity to gain professional experience but also a chance to grow personally and feel more confident about her future. She described the internship as “a humbling experience” that helped her discover what she was good at, recognize areas where she could improve, and make the future feel less scary. Looking back, she traced much of her readiness to her time at BYU–Hawaii.
“I realized that many of the things I learned in school were not only preparation for exams or assignments,” she said. “It was also a preparation for the kind of work I would eventually experience outside the classroom.” Through classes, presentations, events, and the people she met, she developed skills that helped her communicate and work with others.
