According to government statistics, one out of forty workers in Taiwan comes from ASEAN countries. There have been more than 540 thousand foreign spouses since 1998, and one in three of them is from ASEAN countries. On top of that, 20 percent of newborn babies are these ASEAN workers’ descendants. As a consequence, these ASEAN fellows and their children are significant to us. However, we found that they are mainly blue-collar workers. Despite the fact that some may open start their own business, these businesses are mostly restaurants or food stands.
In order to improve current situations, STARTBOARD is going to launch the “#NewImmigrationVoice” project, hoping that through the support from the government, we can cooperate with these spokesmen to build up a platform for starting up their own business and addressing their thoughts.
This forum is the bridge of connection and the prologue of the “New Immigration Voice” program, allowing each of us to have a more profound understanding of the descendants of ASEAN immigrants.
To most descendants of ASEAN immigrants, the discovery of self-identity is a time-consuming journey. Along the way, they may encounter numerous ups and downs. However, as they move on, more thoughts and opinions regarding their parents’ hometown and their identity may come to them.
The three descendants of ASEAN immigrants are fortunate to find their roles in life. They are now proud of who they are, able to make use of their strengths to begin a new chapter of their lives. Yet, not all descendants of ASEAN immigrants are fortunate enough. Some may still be searching, while some may still be in shadows.
This is the point of the “New Immigration Voice” program. Through the collaboration between STARTBOARD and descendants of ASEAN immigrants, we hope to raise more voice and bring about a friendlier environment for ASEAN immigrants and their descendants alike.
Dr. Jan mentioned that the purpose of this event was not only to integrate the resources of various ministries but more importantly, the connection of people. In this venue, there are lots of startup teams, media, startup hubs and government departments from various fields and industries. This was a fascinating opportunity to meet with those elites surrounding you and having further discussions with them. You may have a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, and even find a partnership opportunity with other attendees. At the end of the speech, Dr. Zhan encouraged everyone to expand their networking by starting a conversation with at least three people and answering to more than three questions.
Betty Hu, Deputy Director-General of SMEA, was delighted to see those entrepreneurs with passion and talents gather together in this meetup. Meanwhile, she announced the grand opening of Startup Terrace will be officially held in September. Besides, she talked about the top-notch startup ecosystem in Linkou area and its modern facilities which support international entrepreneurs to safely land their business in Taiwan.
Brandon Hsu, Country Manager of Regus Taiwan, quoted that there are only 46% of employees working near their residencies. The commute is leashing the efficiency of work and time-consuming. Working at home creates other problems because home is not a professional working environment. Also, working at home has many disadvantages like the distractions, work-life mixups and so forth. Regus spotted the enormous demand of the flexible working space. Regus provides satellite offices for businessmen to work in their co-working space. By building co-working space all over the world, Regus does not only offer alternative office space for its members but also provides geographic-advantage and flexible working space. The new trend of co-working space is taking down the wall of conventional offices, facilitating communication among different industries and broadening the horizon of business. 
Mr. Goller is the senior manager of Market Entry Service at German Trade Office Taipei. The mission of the office is to improve the business cooperation between Taiwan and Germany by providing professional legal services, financial consulting services, and other support for Taiwanese startups to expand their business in Germany. Mr. Goller said there are about twenty Taiwanese enterprises in Germany. Gogoro is a good example. It has noticed the automobile is the leading industry in Germany and drives the innovation of engine design and manufacture. Gogoro wanted to collaborate with the unique automotive supply chain in Germany to boost its electric scooter engine to the next level. Therefore, Gogoro decided to choose Germany as their first destination in the European market.
Uniform Lin, COO of STARTBOARD ASEAN-Indian Startup Incubator, indicated the potential of ASEAN-Indian talents in Taiwan. He mentioned that the number of South-East Asian talents in Taiwan has increased from thirty thousand to sixty thousand since 2015. Well-educated professionals are seeking for a better connection with the integrated high-tech supply chain in Taiwan. Staying in Taiwan is their first step to open the grand Chinese market. When it comes to “international markets,” many people only think about the U.S.A and Europe; however, Venture Capitals gradually shift their capitals to fast-growing markets like South-East Asia and India. Mr. Lin said, “There are three things VCs looking for in a startup. First, courage and confidence are the fuel to overcome the struggles in entrepreneurship and help you through the obstacles with agility. Secondly, the balance of bold ambition and practical strategy is important. You have to be keen on the new trend and carefully set forth your plan both financially and strategically. At last, business reputation and credibility is the baseline. There is nearly no VC would make an investment on startups which have a dishonest or unethical history.”
