To foster industry collaboration and business partnership among Taiwanese entrepreneurs at home and abroad, the Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) hosted the 2026 Global Young Entrepreneurs Stars—Young Entrepreneurs Exchange Forum on July 20. Over 70 outstanding young entrepreneurs from six continents and across Taiwan gathered for the event. Through master talks, panel discussions, and group presentations, participants explored the global political and economic landscape, evolving management practices, and new international market opportunities in the AI era.
OCAC Minister Chia-Ching Hsu attended the event to offer her encouragement. She urged that amid rapid shifts in the global landscape and industrial transformation, businesses must cultivate agility and organizational resilience to stay prepared and seize key market opportunities and business orders. She also highlighted OCAC's biennial Global Young Entrepreneurs Stars Award program, which recognizes and mentors promising young entrepreneurs. Through this cross-sector networking platform, OCAC aims to help young Taiwanese entrepreneurs around the world strengthen their professional networks, accelerate business growth, and ultimately grow into globally competitive "unicorn" enterprises.
In the master’s talk session, Chih-Yen Huang, a full-time assistant professor at Feng Chia University, gave an in-depth presentation titled “Business Agility and Innovative Operating Models in a Changing World.” He observed that constant global disruption has become the “new normal.” From geopolitical tensions to the impact of artificial intelligence, supply-chain restructuring has become one of the most pressing challenges facing businesses today. He emphasized that companies must strengthen data-driven decision-making and build agile organizations that balance stability with flexibility. Companies must also move beyond operating in isolation. By developing cross-industry ecosystems and engaging in global collaboration, they can strengthen their resilience and better withstand risk.
Professor Huang then moderated a panel discussion featuring three young entrepreneur representatives: KT Lin, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of UK-based Bellwether Industries; Cortilia Lin, Co-founder of Singapore-based Kyalio Pte. Ltd.; and Chien-Cheng Chou, Chief Legal Officer and Head of Strategy at Taiwan's Jiaotangfeng Restaurant Group. Together, they shared practical insights on building agility in day-to-day business operations and applying low-cost solutions that are smart and innovative.
Cortilia Lin shared that, while expanding into overseas medical education markets, her company faced exceptionally long sales cycles and had to make the difficult decision of cutting losses and modifying its business model to stabilize its international network. KT Lin noted that aerospace startups must remain agile and leverage strategic partnerships to secure their place within the global supply chain. Meanwhile, Chien-Cheng Chou explained how a traditional restaurant business has accelerated its digital transformation by adopting AI and IoT technologies to optimize scheduling and cost control. Through the exchange of these real-world experiences, the forum aimed to inspire more young entrepreneurs to expand beyond Taiwan and identify new opportunities for international collaboration.
Participants were divided into groups to discuss opportunities for cross-industry collaboration and resource sharing. During the group presentations, representatives from each group shared a wide range of practical AI applications. Professor Huang concluded by highlighting three key themes for young entrepreneurs: transformation, resilience, and collaboration. He encouraged businesses to initiate digital transformation by addressing their own financial and operational pain points. Amid fluctuations in raw material prices and the ongoing new energy transition, he stressed that companies must first strengthen their internal operational resilience to withstand external disruptions.
Professor Huang also encouraged young entrepreneurs to overcome their hesitation about entering unfamiliar markets. By pursuing cross-border collaboration, identifying upstream and downstream partners, and expanding beyond Asia, they can bring Taiwan's strengths to the global stage and jointly create new opportunities in international markets.
