Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU) held the “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Carnival” on March 18-19 as one of the key events celebrating its 70th anniversary. With the theme “AI-Driven Future: Industry and Academia Co-Create Sustainability,” the carnival attracted over 600 participants from the industry, government, and academia. Through keynote speeches, entrepreneurship forums, technology exhibitions, and startup competitions, the event explored future technology and entrepreneurship trends, injecting new momentum into Taiwan’s innovation ecosystem.
Driving Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the AI Era
In his opening speech, CYCU President Dr. Ying-Ming Li emphasized that in an era of rapid digitalization and artificial intelligence, innovation and entrepreneurship are crucial forces driving societal progress. He highlighted CYCU’s long-standing commitment to technology research and development, industry-academia collaboration, and startup incubation. The university aims not only to be a hub for knowledge creation and dissemination but also a platform for innovation and entrepreneurship. Through the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Carnival, CYCU seeks to seamlessly integrate academic research with industrial applications.
Taoyuan City Mayor Chang San-cheng also attended the event and praised CYCU as a national leader in industry-academia collaboration. He noted that CYCU boasts a 100% freshman enrollment rate, outperforming many national universities and making it a source of pride for Taoyuan. Mayor Chang emphasized the city’s commitment to fostering local innovative and creative teams. He encouraged students with innovative ideas to engage with the Taoyuan City Government’s Youth Bureau, which is dedicated to supporting, promoting, and providing valuable feedback to young entrepreneurs. Through collaboration with CYCU, the city aims to cultivate outstanding local innovation teams.
Student Startup Competition: “YiZhi Tech” Wins First Place
The first day of the event featured the finals of the Student Startup Pitch Competition. The “YiZhi Tech” team, comprising students from CYCU’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Department of Commercial Design, won the championship and a prize of NT$10,000 for their innovative electric vehicle solution that integrates shock absorption and energy recovery. Their patented technology has also been submitted for participation in the 2025 MOE UStart Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program. The team expressed their hope that their solution will help EV manufacturers improve sales and reduce overall carbon emissions. CYCU’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Center will continue to provide mentorship and business model guidance to support the commercialization of student startups.
Transforming Academic Research into Startups
During the faculty research and entrepreneurship sharing session, Professor Shih-Lun Chen, Dean of CYCU’s College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, delivered a keynote speech on “Turning Academic Research into Startups.” Professor Chen, who won a gold medal at the 2024 Nuremberg International Invention Exhibition, successfully commercialized his self-developed pressure sensor technology by founding SiZhong Technology Co., Ltd. His startup serves as a successful model for commercializing university research. He encouraged professors with expertise in industry collaboration and patent development to create university spin-off companies for long-term business sustainability.
During the event, CYCU also recognized outstanding faculty contributions to industry-academia collaboration, awarding: Outstanding Invention Award: Professor Xia-Zong Chen, Excellence in Technology Transfer Award: Professor Shih-Lun Chen, Outstanding Industry Collaboration Award: Professor Yung Chang, Distinguished Industry Collaboration Award: Professor Chun-Huan Wang, Industry Collaboration Cultivation Award: Professor Shih-Che Hsu, Excellence in Industry Contribution Award: Professor Rui-Ming Yeh, Outstanding Industry Contribution Advancement Award: Professor Da-De Zhang.
Additionally, CYCU’s five major research centers showcased cutting-edge technology applications in thin-film technology, semiconductors, smart manufacturing, quantum information, and net-zero sustainability, helping industries upgrade and transform.
Successful Entrepreneurs Share Their Journeys
On March 19, CYCU’s Incubation Center hosted a panel discussion featuring successful alumni entrepreneurs, themed “Entrepreneurship at CYCU: The Resilient Path to Success.” Alumni shared their challenges and insights. They encouraged students to take risks, stay persistent, and leverage university resources and networks to achieve their entrepreneurial goals.
“CYCU Innovation Pitch Battle” Spurs Startups
The event concluded with the “CYCU Innovation Pitch Battle,” featuring 25 startup teams from CYCU’s Incubation Center and Youth Startup Command Office. With a grand prize of NT$50,000, the competition was overseen by Taoyuan City Government’s Youth Affairs Bureau Director Chia-Ling Hou, who encouraged participants to use judges’ feedback to refine their business models. She also urged them to utilize Taoyuan’s nine youth startup hubs to access funding, industry connections, and global expansion resources to accelerate their business growth.
A New Milestone for Industry-Academia Collaboration
As a driving force behind industry-academia collaboration, CYCU’s Industry-Academia Operation Office has actively promoted technology transfer and startup incubation in recent years. Director Yung Chang emphasized that the “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Carnival” is more than just a celebration of technology and creativity—it is a milestone in the sustainable collaboration between industry, government, and academia. Through this platform, CYCU aims to enhance industry-academia exchange, commercialize university research, and drive greater economic and societal impact while fostering Taiwan’s startup ecosystem and technological advancements.
