By Felicia Lin
With all of the mom and pop shops and businesses in Taiwan, it seems like the Taiwanese are born entrepreneurs and self-starters. One could also say that the entrepreneurial spirit of the Taiwanese transformed Taiwan’s economy over time, from agrarian to high tech.
Now, that Taiwanese entrepreneurial spirit is being nurtured here in the United States. For the second year in a row, the New York chapter of the Taiwanese American Professionals (TAP-NY) is organizing the Entrepreneur Challenge and Competition (ECC).
Recently, I interviewed Crystal Tang and Jacqui Wu of TAP-NY about the ECC for the Talking Taiwan podcast. I learned that the ECC is the only competition of it’s kind specifically aimed at Taiwanese and Taiwanese American entrepreneurs or those with a business related to Taiwan. It’s a chance for entrepreneurs to win a cash prize of up to $10,000, thanks to the sponsorship of the Taiwan Merchants Association (TMA).
This year, a non-profit category, and mentorship component have been added to the competition. Once the top eight contenders are selected, they will receive mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and venture capital investors before the final competition day on September 14.
While the July 31 deadline for submissions has passed, the ECC is still looking for additional sponsors. This is a great way to support the competition and to help it grow. Sponsorship doesn’t necessarily have to be in the form of cash. There are several other forms of sponsorship; for example a public relations firm has donated a public relations consultation.
You can learn more about sponsorship and the ECC’s judging criteria by listening to part two of my Talking Taiwan podcast here: https://soundcloud.com/talkingtaiwan/crys-jacq-2/s-ygtus
Visit the ECC website here: http://competition.tap-ny.org/competition-overview/
Felicia Lin is based in NYC. She is currently writing Su Beng’s biography: The Conscience of Taiwan: The Memoirs of Su Beng. She is also the host of the Talking Taiwan podcast.
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