Over 70 Young Entrepreneurs Gather at Global Emerging Business Stars Forum to Forge Cross-Border Collaborations and Seize Global Opportunities

Amid rising geopolitical tensions, supply chain restructuring, and the rapid evolution of AI technology, how can young entrepreneurs seize the initiative in times of change? On July 20, the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Council (OCAC) hosted the 2026 Global Emerging Business Stars Young Entrepreneurs Exchange Forum, convening over 70 overseas Taiwanese and diaspora entrepreneurs, Taiwan’s next-generation business leaders, and second-generation successors. Representing diverse sectors—from aerospace startups and smart healthcare education to chain dining—they jointly explored new directions for cross-industry collaboration and business transformation.

The 2026 Global Emerging Business Stars Young Entrepreneurs Exchange Forum brought together more than 70 young business leaders from home and abroad to explore cross-domain cooperation and innovative business opportunities. (Photo: OCAC)

Seventy young leaders gathered as OCAC Chairperson Hsu Chia-ching urged entrepreneurs to seek partners across industries. Since 2021, the OCAC has promoted the Global Emerging Business Stars Program, supporting overseas Taiwanese entrepreneurs through selection, business consulting, and networking events to enhance their management capabilities and build a global business network. This year’s forum focused on how enterprises can respond to global disruptions, strengthen organizational resilience, and innovate operations, fostering face-to-face exchanges between young entrepreneurs from Taiwan and overseas.

Hsu Chia-ching emphasized that Taiwan’s export-oriented economy faces intense global trade fluctuations, making flexibility, timely adaptation, and proactive strategic planning essential for capturing market opportunities. She stressed that businesses can no longer thrive in isolation, urging young entrepreneurs to transcend industrial and geographical boundaries to find complementary partners. The OCAC will continue to support young entrepreneurs through consulting services and resource platforms, aiming to help high-potential enterprises demonstrate explosive growth and become internationally influential benchmark companies.

As a new global normal emerges, dual-axis transformation—digital and green—is critical. Assistant Professor Huang Chih-yen from Feng Chia University analyzed the challenges posed by geopolitical shifts, supply chain reconfiguration, and rapid AI advancements under the theme of “The New Normal in a Changing World.” He highlighted that businesses must first strengthen operational and supply chain resilience and implement dual digital and green transformations.

Huang recommended that Taiwan’s industries leverage their hardware manufacturing strengths while integrating software and service solutions. By adopting data-driven agile decision-making and shifting from solo competition to collaborative innovation, companies can enhance responsiveness to market changes and build sustainable competitiveness.

A panel discussion featured young entrepreneurs from aerospace startups, smart healthcare education, and chain dining, sharing practical insights on business resilience, AI applications, and overseas market expansion. (Photo: OCAC)

Three industries in practice: AI adoption must return to human needs. The panel included Lin Kai-tse, Co-Founder and COO of UK-based Ruixian Aerospace; Lin Kuan-hua, Co-Founder of Singapore’s Kyalio; and Chou Chien-cheng, Strategy Director and Legal Counsel at Taiwan’s Jiaotangfeng Culinary Culture. Each shared frontline experiences from aerospace innovation, smart healthcare education, and chain dining.

Lin Kai-tse noted that the defense and aerospace industry is highly political, requiring companies to closely monitor supply chain trends and integrate physical AI to enable hardware-software integration and cross-domain collaboration. Lin Kuan-hua shared experiences in entering Southeast Asian and Indian markets, emphasizing the need for courage to adjust strategies and cut losses amid long sales cycles, and stressing that technology applications must return to human-centered experiences and intellectual property protection.

Chou Chien-cheng discussed practical outcomes of implementing AI for smart scheduling, precise inventory management, and cross-industry customer referrals in traditional food manufacturing. He demonstrated how traditional industries can improve operational processes through technology, enhancing resilience against market volatility.

In-depth dialogue among global young entrepreneurs: Cross-domain exchanges spark new collaboration possibilities. The event concluded with group discussions, allowing young entrepreneurs from Taiwan and abroad to deeply exchange views on operational challenges, organizational resilience, and potential collaboration paths. Participants explored cooperation opportunities in technology, distribution channels, talent, and market resources by sharing diverse industry experiences.

The OCAC stated it will continue leveraging the Global Emerging Business Stars platform to connect overseas entrepreneurs with Taiwan’s industrial strengths, transforming one-time exchanges into long-term partnerships and laying the foundation for young entrepreneurs to expand into global markets.