In order to effectively promote the innovation economy, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) is committed to supporting young scholars in technology entrepreneurship and pROViding them with comprehensive training. The "From IP to IPO Program", run by NARLabs' Science & Technology Policy Research and Information Center (STPI), plays an important role in accomplishing these goals. The second-round finalists and award ceremony for the 2021 "From IP to IPO Program" was held at Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) on December 10th, and three teams, Astron Medtech Co., Ltd., Rou-Kuang Technology, and MicroGas, were awarded Outstanding Entrepreneurship Awards and received corporate sponsorship of NT $1 million in funding. This honor not only recognizes entrepreneurship in high technology, but is also an important cornerstone for startup academic and research teams entering the market.
In total, 17 rounds of the "From IP to IPO Program" have been held so far. Through the program, promising young innovators continue to be discovered and trained, and the program creates a stage for them to showcase Taiwan's new technologies. The "From IP to IPO Program" not only pROVides training in various fields, but also connects professionals from at home and abroad with science parks. In addition, public matchmaking events are organized to help teams further network with local and foreign venture capitals and angel investors, so as to pROVide the best assistance for these entrepreneurs as they enter the business world.
This round's academic and research teams have shown excellent innovation and R&D capabilities, carried out their work with enthusiasm, shown determination to solve market issues with scientific research technology, and have proactively and bravely taken their first steps in entrepreneurship. In the first stage, 40 excellent research teams were selected to participate in six months of business model study and in-depth training, and after two team evaluations, seven of the most promising teams were selected as finalists. The judges ultimately selected three teams for the Outstanding Entrepreneurship Award based on market trends, the content of their technology, and their entrepreneurial determination.
MOST encourages teams to begin international deployment of scalable technologies from the outset, leveraging future-oriented science and technology and cross-disciplinary resources to solve global problems, and to maintain a positive mindset to foster sustainable growth.
