After a competitive judging process that included written review, on-site inspection and final judging, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced 50 winning companies for its 13th Business Start-up Award, 21st Innovation Award, and 17th Rising Star Award. The joint awards ceremony was held on Friday, November 21, at 2 p.m., in Hall 101 of the National Taiwan University Hospital International Conference Center. Minister Tyzz-jiun Duh attended to present the awards and offer encouragement to the winners.
Taiwan's small and medium enterprises occupy a crucial position in the national economy, whether in terms of number of businesses, sales revenue, or employees. The 50 companies awarded this year are all dynamic and unique players in their respective fields, representatives of Taiwan's vitality and spirit.
The 12 companies recognized with Business Start-up Awards all employ technology to observe consumer behavior. Always experimenting and improving, they have established a new model for businesses to strive towards. This year's winning companies are all unique in their accomplishments including the development of Taiwan's first optical coherence tomography scanner, allowing accurate and effective assistance for clinical optometrical diagnosis and evaluation; the use of smart 2D and 3D interior design platforms to link industry supply chains with specialist work teams and advance environmentally-friendly concepts in the design of portable, modular furniture; and the introduction of a social enterprise platform for young Taiwanese illustrators that presents their small but aesthetic works, bringing Taiwan's culture and art to greater prominence.
The 30 recipients of the Innovation Award this year all display amazing achievements! In addition to innovation and originality, the award's judges also looked at how each achievement introduces technology into real-life service experiences. Recognized achievements include patented 2D barcode scanning technology, developed domestically, that has made new choices possible for interactive media in conferencing both in Taiwan and abroad; and a new integration of technology and historical artifacts that uses sensor devices to make long-form scrolls and interactive spaces possible, creating new value for digital content through licensing, new markets and business opportunities for culture and creativity, and new service models that integrate multiple industries.
The eight companies recognized with the Rising Star awards all have unique and competitive products. One winner is an IT company that provides accurate, safe, and fast high-tech services such as cloud computing and internet security. Another winner is dedicated to transitioning to new business models and improving innovation and R&D; it has received international safety standard certifications and won Taiwan praise as the world's "spectacles kingdom."
The 12 winners of the 13th Business Start-up Award are: Crystalvue Medical Corporation, SKY-TECH Taiwan Electronics Co., Original Biomedicals, Ideal Home Interior Co., Quinoa Green, Natural Benefits, Damoculture Inc., 13techart, LBSTEK Inc., Jeansda Co., LimitStyle, and WasangShow.
The 30 winners of the 21st Innovation Award are: Funcode Technology, SFI Electronics, Chesen Electronics, Bethel Computer Consultant, ShareTech, Mashin Electric, Amaryllo, Chin Ying Fa, Assoma, Asia Neo Tech, Ko Win Yang, CCI Tech, Rhymebus, Ching Chan Optical Technology, Wish-Tech, Lytone, Coalition Technology, Formosa Saint Jose, Mortech, Pilot Biotechnology, gLac Biotech, Myhappyfarm, Bright Ideas Design, Openfind, Heartway, E-Make, Kotai Tannery, Perseidas, Totem Pak Solutions, and Labtech.
The eight winners of the 17th Rising Star Award are: Crystalvue Medical Corporation, Asia Neo Tech, Jonnesway Enterprise, Cada Industrial, Easywell Water System, Castaly Enterprise, Hwa Meei Optical, and Caswell Inc.
All of the winning companies are high-performing exporters in their fields, and place great emphasis on high added-value R&D, customer services, and marketing. Their dedication to innovation, building core competences, and establishing brands makes them the best representatives for Taiwan's small and medium enterprises!