Hualien Mayor Hsu Extends Invitation to Int'l Innovation Hub Venture Café to Evaluate Local Expansion

(中央社訊息服務20250418 10:09:41)Kristen Plymale, Global Expansion Lead of the internationally renowned innovation institution Venture Café, and Director Alex Cheung, recently visited Hualien to evaluate the potential for establishing a base in Taiwan. On the 16th, the Hualien County Government hosted a “Startup Exchange Night” at the Grand Cosmos Resort Ruisui. Mayor Hsu Chen-Wei led heads of various county departments, academic representatives, and 30 local startup teams in participating. The event was accompanied by Chen Cheng-Ran, Chairman of the Digital Economy and Industry Development Association (DTA). This international assessment was co-facilitated by DTA and Mayor Hsu, aiming to foster deep dialogue on Hualien's startup ecosystem and open doors for international cooperation.

Mayor Hsu stated that the county government has been actively promoting youth innovation and entrepreneurship in recent years, while also seeking international collaborations to help Hualien startups expand into global markets and attract international talent. With DTA's support, Hualien was successfully selected for the 11th cohort of the MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (MIT REAP) last year, further connecting Hualien with the global innovation network. She expressed gratitude to DTA for facilitating Venture Café's visit and evaluation, offering Taiwan a valuable opportunity to connect with the global innovation community. Hsu hopes Hualien will become a unique destination that harmonizes its mountainous and coastal charm, providing entrepreneurs with a balanced work-life environment.

Mayor Hsu emphasized that Hualien, with its abundant natural resources and multicultural heritage, is an ideal base for driving sustainable innovation. She hopes that through this on-site visit, Venture Café representatives will experience Hualien's unique natural setting and witness the achievements of local startup teams across various sectors. She is actively working to secure a future Venture Café base in Hualien, aiming to bring the world to Hualien and take Hualien's innovators to the world.

Since its founding in 2009 at the Cambridge Innovation Center in Boston, Venture Café has become one of the global pioneers of innovation ecosystems. Now operating in 13 cities worldwide and engaging over 550,000 entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders, it hosts regular events such as “Thursday Gatherings” to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and international market expansion. In March, Mayor Hsu led a delegation to visit the Cambridge Innovation Center and the Venture Café in Tokyo, where they were hosted by Venture Café's global founder Tim Rowe. During the visit, the feasibility study for a Taiwan base was officially announced.

During the exchange night, startups such as GuangTai Green Energy Co., Ltd., Jidi Culture Publishing Co., Ltd., and Tzu Chi University's innovation R&D team delivered English presentations to the Venture Café delegation, introducing micro-hydropower solutions, traditional ethnic culture curation, and AI applications. Their pitches demonstrated Hualien's international innovation capacity. The event featured nearly 30 local startups spanning green energy, indigenous culture, medical technology, tourism, food, and cultural creativity. The gathering encouraged vibrant dialogue on startup industries and enhanced the international visibility of Hualien's innovation landscape.