MOST Deputy Minister Hsu Yu-chin (third right) is joined by business representatives and entrepreneurs from home and abroad at the launch of Techstars Startup Week Taiwan Dec. 3 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of MOST)
Techstars Startup Week Taiwan kicked off Dec. 3 in Taipei City, bringing together more than 300 business leaders, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists from nearly 20 countries and territories.
Jointly organized by Taiwan Tech Arena under the Ministry of Science and Technology and U.S.-based seed accelerator Techstars, the five-day event is aimed at bolstering the nation’s innovation ecosystem and strengthening links between emerging enterprises from home and abroad.
The conference at TTA comprises lectures, mentoring sessions, networking activities, panel discussions and workshops on topics spanning artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, financial technology and women’s participation. Attendees include 30 local and foreign startups as well as representatives of major enterprises like Taipei-based CTBC Bank Co. and U.S.-headquartered Nvidia Corp.
According to MOST Deputy Minister Hsu Yu-chin, this marks the first time Techstars has staged one of its startup week conferences in East Asia. Taipei was chosen as host due to the research and technological expertise of entrepreneurs at TTA, he said, adding that the event will help build lasting connections between top-level talents from Taiwan and around the world.
Echoing these remarks, Techstars Co-CEO David Brown said that the forum spotlights Taiwan’s growing entrepreneurial environment. The accelerator looks forward to supporting further initiatives aimed at enhancing the nation’s innovation economy, he added.
Located in Taipei’s Songshan District, TTA is part of government efforts to foster at least 100 startups each year in emerging sectors such as AI and Internet of Things. A number of local and foreign accelerators have set up shop at the facility, including Taipei-based MOX, U.S.-headquartered Berkeley SkyDeck, Startupsbootcamp from the U.K. and Techstars, which holds some 60 startup week events around the world each year. (KWS-E)
