科技部新聞稿

科技部聯手國際大廠高通、全球頂尖加速器 Techstars

再添台灣新創躍升動能

日期:108年12月10日

發稿單位:產學及園區業務司

聯絡人:林冠儀專員

電話:02-2737-7981

Email: kylin@nstc.gov.tw

三方合作推動台灣新創生態圈發展計畫

為推動台灣新創國際化發展，科技部攜手半導體大廠高通與頂尖新創加速器 Techstars，於臺灣科技新創基地（Taiwan Tech Arena，TTA）宣布共推「台灣新創生態圈發展計畫」。Techstars為美國頂尖加速器，在全球逾 150 個國家擁有豐富網絡與業師資源，加上國際大廠高通充沛的產業能量，將深化台灣與國際生態圈的鏈結、加速創業者成長，並推動企業、新創合作。預期促成40組以上團隊於國際新創生態圈成長，並創造新臺幣10億元以上之投資與商業成果，進一步壯大台灣的科技新創生態系。

深化國際鏈結，健全新創發展良好環境

Techstars 於2007年成立以來，投資並輔導超過1,800間早期公司，其中已有超過170間企業成功獲併購或上市出場，輔導領域包括AI、金融科技、行動應用、軟體等，並被美國知名種子期加速器評比計畫(Seed Accelerator Rankings Project)評為白金級加速器，為全球最活躍之早期投資者。

「新創生態圈發展計畫」為Techstars 自 2019 年發起，考量我國在全球科技發展之重要地位，特別選定台灣作為亞洲第一個推動的據點，也是繼美國水牛城（Buffalo, N.Y.）與路易威爾（Louisville, K.Y.）後的第三個計畫。將與科技部TTA合作，對新創生態圈進行深度調查、導入國際業師輔導，並於台灣設立據點聘雇專人執行計畫內容。

科技部許有進次長表示，盼透過「台灣新創生態圈發展計畫」引進國際頂尖創新創業能量，進一步協助新創團隊鏈結國際市場，同時將台灣打造為更活躍的國際科技創業環境。

Techstars全球創新副總裁 Chris Heivly 表示，台灣作為亞太區的創新樞紐，長久以來以豐沛的高科技研發能力、優質的人才與充滿活力的創業家社群而聞名。Techstars很榮幸能與科技部及台灣優秀之創業者、新創輔導社群及企業合作，藉由「台灣新創生態圈發展計畫」連結各方能量，與台灣科技新創共同營造國際級創新創業生態圈、支持台灣新創成功。

納入高通產業能量，加速台灣新創生態系發展

除了新創圈資源，本計畫更納入國際大廠高通為合作夥伴。高通致力支持台灣新創，今年與TTA合作推動第一屆「高通台灣新創競賽（Qualcomm Innovative Challenge in Taiwan, QITC）獲熱烈回響。2020年高通更將與Techstars合作推動多項培訓，及提供新創進入全球市場的最佳策略，讓台灣產業與新創圈更緊密地整合。

高通副總裁暨台灣與東南亞區總裁劉思泰表示，高通很榮幸參與科技部TTA及Techstars共同推動「台灣新創生態圈發展計畫」，加速台灣新創鏈結國際，尤其進入5G時代後，尖端科技創新研發競爭將益形激烈，高通透過與Techstars合作，導入更多國際專業資源協助台灣新創迎接嶄新的時代、加速提升台灣新創競爭力。

TTA領臺灣科技新創 用科技力向全球發聲

TTA從2018年6月成立以來，吸引來自各國科技新創相關的組織如French Tech Taiwan、Canadian Technology Accelerator （CTA） 及全球加速器SOSV MOX、SparkLabs Taipei、IAPS和比翼加速器等進駐，持續引介來自矽谷等在國際新創生態系中具有舉足輕重地位的聚落資源，與TTA共同為進駐的科技新創團隊與公司提供高質量的支持，配合CES等國際大型展會爭取大量國際曝光，促使以臺灣新創團隊與跨國企業、海外投資人展開實際且深度的產業合作。

Press Release

December 10th, 2019

Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) Announces Startup Program with Techstars and Qualcomm

Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA), the flagship startup ecosystem building program organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan(MOST), and Qualcomm, a worldwide leading semiconductor company, along with Techstars, the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed, announced plans to partner on a Startup Ecosystem Development Program to further develop entrepreneurial community with a series of activities focused on entrepreneurs, universities, corporate innovation, cross-border startup support and community building. The program aims to create a vibrant, high growth startup ecosystem that can assist over 40 startups to grow on global stage and result in over US$30Mn business value in the next two years.

Enhancing connections between Taiwan Startups and international startup community to create fast-growing ecosystem

Founded in 2007, Techstars has invested and fostered over 1,800 early-stage startups, in which more than 170 startups have been successfully exited through M&A or IPO across the fields of Artificial Intelligence, fin-tech, smart mobility, software. Techstars is also viewed as one of the most well-known platinum accelerators in the U.S. by Seed Accelerator Rankings Project.

Techstars has been dedicated to the Startup Ecosystem Development Program since 2019. In view of the important role Taiwan plays for global technology development, Taipei is the first city outside of the U.S. and the third city overall for this program, following the program launch in Buffalo and Louisville. Techstars will partner with TTA to conduct a series of in-depth surveys, introduce alumni from all over the world to mentor startups, as well as setting up a base with dedicated staff who have a startup background to implement this program.

“We want to introduce the top global startup resources to Taiwan,” said Dr. Yu-Chin Hsu , Deputy Minister. “And help the startups to further connect to international markets . "

“As the innovation hub of the Asia-Pacific region, Taiwan has been renowned for outstanding high-tech R&D capacity, highly-trained professionals and a thriving network of entrepreneurs,” shared Chris Heivly, VP of Innovation for Techstars. “Techstars is honored to cooperate with the MOST and Taiwan ’s outstanding entrepreneurs, start-up mentoring communities and enterprises. This program will connect Techstars’ global network to help build an international innovation ecosystem, as well as supporting and assisting new startups in Taiwan on their way to success.”

Facilitating the development of Taiwan startup ecosystem with Qualcomm’s capacity

In 2019, Qualcomm worked with TTA to promote the first "Qualcomm Innovate in Taiwan Challenge (QITC)", a contest and incubation project that was well received by the startup community. In 2020, Qualcomm’s collaboration with TTA and Techstars will focus on leveraging international resources to help corporates, startups, and accelerators.

“It is our great pleasure to collaborate with TTA and Techstars in promoting the Startup Ecosystem Development Program in Taipei. This is a critical step to bridge Taiwan startups with the global community, ‘said ST Liew, Vice President of Qualcomm Technologies and President of Qualcomm Taiwan & SEA. ‘Entering the 5G era, the competition in cutting-edge technology innovation will be fierce. In 2020, we will collaborate with Techstars in introducing more international resources to prepare local startups for a new and exciting time.’

Taiwan Tech Arena: a network where talents, investors and technologies converge to reach to international markets

TTA, organized by MOST, is a tech startup ecosystem program launched in 2018. TTA has partnered with overseas innovation organizations such as French Tech Taiwan、Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) and well-known accelerators like SOSV MOX、SparkLabs Taipei、IAPS and BE, to progressively integrated startup programs including training provided into an innovation resources platform which can be leveraged by all the actors in the startup ecosystem in Taiwan. It continues to direct resources from major startup clusters around the world, such as Silicon Valley, and to cooperate with impactful international entrepreneurial events, such as CES. Its visions are to be the foundation of global tech venture, to be the cultural fusing hub of startups, and to be the voice of Taiwan tech startup ecosystem.

Media Contact

Kuan-Yi Karen Lin

Specialist

Department of Academia-Industrial Collaboration and Science Park Affairs,

Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)

Tel : 886-2-2737-7981

E-mail: kylin@nstc.gov.tw