Taipei Entrepreneurs Hub’s Demo Day 2.0 focuses on new business opportunities in blockchain, ESG and Web3

The Taipei City Government is committed to promoting the “International Startup Soft-Landing Program” and Demo Day 2.0 was held on November 18, 2022 by the Taipei Entrepreneurs Hub (TEH). Thirteen start-up teams from home and abroad showcased their innovative ideas in some of the hottest technological trends such as fintech, blockchain, ESG and Web3.

On behalf of the city government, Chung-Chieh Lin, Commissioner of the Department of Economic Development, welcomed all startup teams to this event. He also indicated that Taipei City offers one-stop service for the startup community and is open to all startup teams worldwide. He hopes that all the teams can find the best support and opportunities to grow here.

Molly Jou, director of TEH, introduced the activities they have organized this year, including inviting international entrepreneurs and companies to share their startup experiences, and organizing startup venture capital matchmaking events for entities from home and abroad. From these events, TEH has fostered a close collaboration with the international venture capital environment.

Blockchain provides rapid Fintech growth, and new business models provide new ideas

Nicholas Yang, head of Cathay Financial Holdings’ blockchain team, attended the event as a fintech expert. He explained that for the financial industry, where decision-making traditionally takes place at headquarters, decentralization technology has led to revolutionary opportunities for innovation. Blockchain technology in particular has currently received the most attention. Furthermore, startups bring new business models to the banking industry. It has also brought collaboration opportunities for Cathay Financial Holding and the start-up teams. He hopes their partnership can help accelerate the digitization of the financial industry.

Ensuro, an Italian startup team, uses decentralization technology to provide solutions for the insurance industry. Using smart contract system via blockchain technology, an estimation model and asset risk analysis can be used to assess the liquidity of insurance collateral and collateral. The Services also involve cryptocurrencies as asset usage.

HedgeSPA is a Singapore start-up offering smart analytical solutions for private equity investments. It analyzes market movements through the massive use of blockchain technology and AI algorithms. The founder of HedgeSPA, who studies the performance of private equities, has a PhD in finance, thus giving the company an edge in professional expertise. HedgeSPA hopes to find local partners to create new business opportunities.

Germany-based MotionsCloud sets its sights on the digital solutions for insurance claims. Currently, the original market has been focused on vehicle insurance, home insurance or baggage insurance for the airlines. Via automotive IoT sensors and mobile phone images, it uses image processing and cloud-based platforms to assess the reasonableness of claims and provide verifications for those claims.

Coming from the UK, Stratiphy is a software that helps shareholders or financial investors perform stock analysis and evaluation. It searches for recommended stocks or investments through blockchain technology and AI analysis. It integrates ESG data analysis and compilations in the industry to accommodate the future trend, where global financial investors pay more attention to ESG issues. The software thus provides user-friendly solutions for new investors.

Soft Solvers Solutions (agiliux) from Singapore, targets the insurance industry in Asian countries and is committed to providing solutions for digital transformations. It solves the cumbersome processes of having many documents and a lot of manual filing in the insurance industry. So far, it has gained traction in Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and India.

CoolBitX is a startup team that seeks to popularize cryptocurrencies. Founded in Taipei, it provides a credit card-sized and highly secure Bluetooth-enabled storage device dedicated to storing personal encrypted currency wallets. It also undertakes the management of the corresponding market for cryptocurrency services (Market Place) and offers various cryptocurrency platforms and B2B services.

Commercial real estate company focuses on ESG, providing new opportunities for startups

Jeff Tsai, chairman of GlobalTown Development Corporation, indicated that he came from a massive and traditional commercial real estate industry. As the ESG trend emerges, his company has developed a strong need for digital transformation, and he hopes to work with start-up teams to find collaborative opportunities in the commercial real estate market.

Rootie Robot hails from Tel Aviv, Israel, and is a startup that has developed robotic technologies for self-driving vehicles. It has developed sensors and integrated common surveillance cameras to measure important environmental parameters and physical quantities. All the technologies serve to provide evaluation and form a detection system for the on-site environment. Using a huge amount of image processing, artificial intelligence and cloud technology systems, it aims at ESG monitoring and energy consumption forecasting in commercial areas and shopping malls. Customized services are also offered.

JGB Smart Property is a Taiwanese startup that has built a cloud-based property lease management platform to provide comprehensive property and business management functions, from lease signing, billing data management, maintenance management, to smart device and installation integration. The goal is to help businesses or property owners save significant costs and improve business performance. JGB Smart Property hopes to be able to offer strong support to businesses or property owners.

Blockchain and Web3 innovations shine new light on the travel industry

Chia-Ching Shen, Chief Investment Officer of Lion Travel, pointed out that the travel industry will be hugely affected by technological innovations. From past successes of the Internet to smartphone apps, blockchain and Web3 will be the next turning point. He hopes innovative ideas from startups will bring new prospects to the tourism industry.

The business model of TUBUDD, a start-up managing a travel network platform in the Vietnamese market, seeks to nurture, train and build a network of travel managers with various professional competencies. These professionals have become tour guides to find new opportunities, thus paving the way for tailor-made travel options. Currently, there are more than 300 tour guides across Vietnam who have been trained and matched to provide services to international tourists.

Like It Formosa is another Taiwanese startup team. It is dedicated to introducing Taiwanese scenic spots to foreigners through hiking. It recruits groups formed by foreign students in Taiwan, who act as storytellers. By providing unique travel experiences, the students engage in interactions and in-depth communication with the foreign tourists.

Choose-Eat is a startup that develops customized menus by partnering with restaurants. It designs personalized menu systems based on consumer preferences, food and beverage quality and nutritional value, while creating dishes with local distinctiveness. In doing so, it provides new operating and business models for customized services in restaurants.

Hepta Protocol is a team that uses blockchain and Web3 technologies to monitor how effective social welfare donations and sponsorship money contributed by businesses are used. The contribution from the businesses can be channeled to the schools, creating a mechanism that links professional achievements to incentives. The Hepta Protocol seeks to create corporate donation utilization that is transparent, globally traceable and efficient.

Tsunagaru Edutech is a Japanese startup dedicated to providing corporate education and training solutions. It uses e-learning tools to provide corporate training evaluation and improvement in the post-pandemic. For example, Chile has used its service to promote natural disaster response and evacuation learning programs in local schools.

By matching investors in Taipei, these international startup teams hope to find space to test and develop their innovative ideas. They are also able to seek better and more successful entrepreneurial opportunities, which can open doors for future collaborations.