businessmedia｜Reporter Ma Zhaolin/Comprehensive report
The second "2025 Innovation City Competition," hosted by StartUP Harbor and co-organized by the Taipei Angel Venture Capital Club, concluded successfully in Taipei last week. The event brought together over 30 startup teams, 100 investors, and industry advisors. Through hands-on pitching, discussions with judges, and collaborative discussions, it created an excellent platform for connecting entrepreneurial energy with the capital market.
The top three teams, Astrid, Drink Good IN HOUSE, and Gugu Coffee, stood out with their unique branding and clear business models, earning the attention of investors. They not only demonstrated their products' market potential but also entered into substantive discussions with potential partners. Several angel investors in attendance noted that these startups' maturity and development plans demonstrate their potential for international expansion.
This year's event featured a particularly impressive performance from young entrepreneurs. Chen Youhong, still in high school, proposed an innovative concept for "park sports energy storage equipment," combining urban public exercise with energy sustainability. His pitch garnered enthusiastic attention and applause from the judges. Ultimately, he was awarded the "Young Practitioner Special Award," sponsored by InventionSwitch, a youth invention education organization focused on fostering innovative thinking and practical skills among young people. The organization has long promoted invention education, cross-disciplinary learning, and the practice of the maker spirit. This participation further highlights the cross-disciplinary integration of education and entrepreneurship, showcasing the endless possibilities for the next generation in urban sustainability and technological application.
Since its inception, the "Innovation City Competition" has consistently emphasized the trinity of entrepreneurial platform, investment resources, and international perspective. Its core initiative is the introduction of "Harbor City Angels," an open platform connecting cities for venture capital presentations. Through CCSP ship model testing and investment matching modules, participating teams are able to quickly demonstrate their resource advantages, development positioning, and future potential. This competition is more than just a competition; it is a microcosm of the dialogue between startups and investors, showcasing the growing maturity of Taiwan's entrepreneurial ecosystem.
More importantly, the competition isn't the end, but the starting point for a global journey. After the competition, the organizers will lead the startup teams to Japan to participate in the "OVERSEA DEMO SHOW 2025 Cross-Border Resource Integration Conference" (Kyoto-Osaka Convention), where they will engage in in-depth discussions with startup accelerators such as Leave a Nest, Garage Minato, and Kyoto Chie Industry Creation Forest KOIN. They will also visit the Osaka World Expo. This not only expands the international connections of Taiwanese startups, but also symbolizes the beginning of a new chapter in collaboration between Taiwanese and Japanese startups.
