I. Team Selection Purpose

National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (hereinafter referred to as Taiwan Tech) aims to encourage faculty and students to cultivate innovation and entrepreneurship, further enhance the connection between Taiwanese entrepreneurial teams and the world, provide opportunities to communicate with various entrepreneurs and experience Silicon Valley as well as American culture, and ultimately bring innovative ideas back to Taiwan. For this reason, Taiwan Tech has pooled its alumni resources to establish the Taiwan Tech Silicon Valley Center in Silicon Valley, United States of America, and to promote the Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Incubation Program of Taiwan Tech (hereinafter referred to as the Program). Through the Program, Taiwan Tech hopes to select campus teams with potential for international market development to travel to Silicon Valley and other regions in the United States. The Program also pools alumni resources and partners with enterprises to organize training, internships, and visits in the United States, thereby allowing startup teams to interact with entrepreneurs from different parts of the world who are willing to share and pass on their entrepreneurial experiences. In addition, the Program aims to gather investors from emerging industries and actively facilitate exchanges with entrepreneurial mentors with successful business experience to help startup teams develop international markets, successfully combine Silicon Valley resources, and effectively boost the development of international innovation and entrepreneurship.

II. Eligibility

Campus startup teams: Teams must consist of at least two members. Main team members must be current Taiwan Tech students, with at least one Taiwan Tech teacher or industry expert serving as advisor.
Team members’ language proficiency: Team members must possess good English listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Applicants who have obtained language proficiency certificates through tests such as TOEFL, IELTS, or the General English Proficiency Test (GEPT) are particularly preferred.
Members who were part of any entrepreneurial team that has received subsidy from the Program within two years prior to the submission of the current application may not submit their application.
Campus startup teams shall focus on the following industries: (a) biotechnology, (b) medical equipment, (c) information and communications technology, (d) Internet of Things, (e) cloud applications, (f) advanced materials, (g) precision machinery, (h) smart robots, (i) integrated circuit design, (j) green energy and environmental protection, (k) net-zero carbon emissions, (l) AI applications, (m) blockchain, (n) big data, (o) 5G, (p) cloud services, and (q) others, such as those related to SDGs or other topics (areas confirmed to have technological characteristics after review).

III. Selection Method

The implementing unit shall invite experts from industry, government, and academia to form a review committee. The selection process shall be divided into three stages: preliminary review, interview, and final review:
Preliminary review: The Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator shall be responsible for reviewing the eligibility of applicants and the documents submitted. The Incubator shall inform applicants of any missing documents. If an applicant is declared ineligible or missing documents are not submitted within a specified deadline, the documents shall not be returned.
Interview: Teams that have passed the preliminary review must be interviewed by the consultants of the Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator. The results of the interview shall be provided to the review committee as a reference for scoring.
Final review: After the teams have passed the preliminary review and completed the interview process, scholars and experts from Taiwan Tech and other institutions shall be invited to hold a review and selection meeting. All teams are required to prepare an oral presentation for the meeting. Both the teams’ presentations and their answers to the committee’s questions shall be in English. The results of the review shall be announced on the Incubator’s website after the review and selection meeting.
The selection criteria applied by the Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator are as follows:
Absolute determination and positive attitude toward entrepreneurship with interest in developing an international market
Characteristics of an innovative and creative team (such as unity, complementarity, and creativity)
Market feasibility of the team’s product or service
Degree of innovation of the respective technology, product, or business model
Completeness of the prototype or business model
Competitive advantage of the product or service
Execution capabilities of the team
Thoroughness of the business plan design
Investment value
The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Concept Proposal, the submitted videos, and the presentation for the review and selection meeting shall all be in English

IV. Use of Subsidies and Funds

A team can only receive one subsidy for the same innovative product or service.
Team members who were part of any entrepreneurial team that has received subsidy from the Program within two years prior to the submission of the current application may not submit their application.
Startup teams whose applications have been approved can travel to Silicon Valley from the day of the announcement of the review results and must complete the Program in Silicon Valley no later than November 30 of this year. The Program’s schedule shall be adjusted in line with the arrangements of the Alumni Association of Northern California for this year. The program is tentatively scheduled to take place between September and October. The exact dates will be announced after confirmation by the Alumni Association. Teams are advised to carefully assess their availability and overall planning before submitting an application, and to apply only if they are able to fully commit to the proposed schedule.
Teams are encouraged to apply for other relevant government overseas subsidy programs, such as the Taiwan Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubator’s Program to Select Startup Teams to Visit Silicon Valley.
Subsidy amount and restrictions for Taiwan Tech campus startup teams:
The total subsidy amount is limited to NT$250,000 per team (excluding the advisor).
Each startup team must have at least two members going to the United States. The startup team subsidy is only available to current Taiwan Tech students (who must prove their identity as current students from the selection period of this year’s Program until the completion of reimbursements to be eligible) staying at least 14 days (including the days of departure and arrival) in the United States. If a team traveling to the United States consists of fewer than two Taiwan Tech students, the subsidy amount shall be adjusted proportionally. For example, if only one Taiwan Tech student travels to Silicon Valley, the subsidy will be NT$125,000.
To encourage advisors from Taiwan Tech to travel with their teams, the Program provides reimbursement for round-trip plane tickets and daily expenses for the advisors (only available to teachers from Taiwan Tech) in addition to the aforementioned subsidy. The reimbursement is available to one person only for a maximum of five days of daily expenses.
Principles for using the subsidy funds: The subsidy funds may be used to pay for round-trip plane tickets, food, accommodation, and other daily miscellaneous expenses in accordance with the actual charges incurred and the Guidelines for Overseas Business Trip Expense Reimbursement.
Procedures for requesting subsidy funds:
Startup teams participating in the Program must bear the expenses incurred during their stay abroad by themselves and submit the original receipts of expenses within 10 working days after completing the Program and returning to Taiwan. In addition, the Overseas Progress Report shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of the Program to complete the subsidy reimbursement request. Moreover, requests for subsidy funds must be submitted no later than December 10 of this year to comply with Taiwan Tech’s accounting regulations governing annual budget reimbursements and settlements. Late requests shall not be accepted.

V. Program Procedures and Timeline

Procedure	Timeline
Application period	From today until May 6
Applicant eligibility review	May 7 to May 8 (applicants who did not pass the eligibility review must submit all missing documents within two working days)
Interview with consultants	May 11 to May 24 (applicants who passed the eligibility review must contact the consultants to conduct an interview)
Review and selection meeting	Early June (conducted entirely in English; the actual dates shall be announced separately)
Announcement of the selected teams on the Incubator’s website	Late June
Program execution	The Program’s schedule shall be adjusted in line with the arrangements of the Alumni Association of Northern California for this year. The training period will be around September or October. Exact dates shall be announced upon confirmation by the Association. However, the deadline for completion of the Program is November 30.
Submission of the Overseas Progress Report	Within 10 working days after returning to Taiwan
Request for funds	Teams that have completed the Program shall submit the original receipts of expenses within 10 working days after their return to Taiwan but no later than December 10.

VI. Application Method and Required Documents

Startup teams wishing to apply for the Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Incubation Program of Taiwan Tech must submit the following application documents and required information within the application period. All relevant documents and forms can be downloaded from the “Latest News” section of the Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator website (https://www.bic.ntust.edu.tw/). Information related to the Program and the list of selected startup teams shall be announced on the Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator website:

Application stage
- [Appendix 1] Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Incubation Program of Taiwan Tech Application Form
- [Appendix 2] Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Incubation Program of Taiwan Tech Innovation and Entrepreneurship Concept Proposal (limited to 20 pages)
- [Appendix 3] Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Incubation Program of Taiwan Tech Entrepreneurship Training Plan (limited to 10 pages)
- [Appendix 4] English resumes of all team members applying for the Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Incubation Program of Taiwan Tech
- [Appendix 5] Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Incubation Program of Taiwan Tech Affidavit
- [Appendix 6] Personal Data Collection Notice and Personal Data Provision Consent Form (required to be completed by all team members)
- Eligibility supporting documents: Taiwan Tech campus team proof documents (students are required to submit their student ID and proof of enrollment; faculty and staff are required to submit scanned copies of their faculty/staff ID and proof of employment)
- Startup team introduction video in English (including self-introduction, description of the team’s innovative or entrepreneurial idea, and Silicon Valley development plan, no longer than one minute). After creating the introduction video, startup teams must upload it to YouTube and provide a link to the video along with the application.
- English proficiency certificates, e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, General English Proficiency Test (GEPT), or TOEIC (applicants presenting one of the above certificates shall be given preference)

The above application documents must be submitted within a specified deadline in digital form (the Application Form, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Concept Proposal, and the Entrepreneurship Training Plan must be submitted both as Word and PDF documents, while the rest must be in PDF format) via e-mail (jessie.ou@mail.ntust.edu.tw). The application process shall not be considered complete until all of the above documents have been submitted.

Conclusion stage
- [Appendix 7] Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Incubation Program of Taiwan Tech Overseas Progress Report (a physical copy, a Word document, and the original image files used in the Report)
- Post-training reflections in the form of a video (within three minutes) and images of the sites visited
- Original receipts of overseas expenses for reimbursement

VII. Rights and Obligations

Rights
- Activity resources: Participating in a series of entrepreneurship-related activities organized by the Taiwan Tech Silicon Valley Center and the Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator.
- Industry expert resources: Taking advantage of alumni resources presented by the Taiwan Tech Silicon Valley Center and receiving feedback from industry experts.
- Counseling resources: Getting advice on entrepreneurial issues from the Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator.
- Financial resources: Getting introduced to Silicon Valley venture capital firms through the Taiwan Tech Silicon Valley Center and receiving investment opportunities through the “Taiwan Tech Silicon Valley Center Alumni Resources.”
Obligations
- After receiving the Program subsidy, the team agrees to cooperate in the following matters during the Program implementation period:

Before Departure to the U.S.

The selected team must evaluate their own situation in advance and be responsible for their personal safety while traveling to the United States. The team must also understand and comply with all disease control regulations in the country of the training. If any of the team members becomes infected during the trip, they shall be responsible for all associated expenses.
Selected teams must submit all required documents in accordance with the organizer’s regulations and instructions. If supplementary documents or revisions are requested, teams must respond promptly and cooperate accordingly. Should failure to comply result in the cancellation of the U.S. trip, the team shall bear full responsibility.

During the U.S. Program

Participation in a series of entrepreneurship-related activities organized by the Taiwan Tech Silicon Valley Center and the Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator: Visits to companies and related institutions as well as exchange meetings with the Alumni Association of Northern California during the trip to Silicon Valley.
Teams are required to participate in all scheduled activities in accordance with their proposed itinerary and maintain regular communication with the Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator.

After Returning to Taiwan

Submission of reports: Teams that have completed the Program in the United States must submit the Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Incubation Program of Taiwan Tech Overseas Progress Report within 10 working days after returning to Taiwan. The Report must be submitted as a Word document. For the content and format of the Report, please refer to Appendix 7. In addition, post-training reflections in the form of a video (within three minutes) and image files of the sites visited shall be provided. Lastly, teams are required to give an oral presentation at the Innovation Incubator.
Submission of reimbursement documents: All reimbursement documents must be submitted at the same time with reports. If the team travels with its faculty advisor, the team is responsible for collecting and submitting the advisor’s reimbursement documents together. If supplementary documents or revisions are required, teams must cooperate promptly. Failure to comply those results in unsuccessful reimbursement shall be the sole responsibility of the team.
Assistance in the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship: Teams are expected to share their entrepreneurial journey and outcomes through written reports, videos, or images, and to participate in promotional activities, such as the Silicon Valley Program experience-sharing orientation.
Performance tracking: After starting a company, the team shall provide relevant descriptions and information, such as their experience running a business. In addition, the team shall cooperate with the Program by providing information about their development and the members’ entrepreneurship career paths.
Joining the Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator: If the team establishes a company in the future, the company must join the Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator.
Students who encounter issues with regard to enrollment shall contact the relevant units on campus and handle the issues by themselves.
Violations of the rights and obligations of the Program shall lead to the automatic termination of the subsidy:
- The penalties for contract violations or the circumstances and effects of termination are clearly stated in the Program description and affidavit. Therefore, the Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator has the right to reduce the subsidy amount due to breaches of contract.
- If the Program is terminated, the startup team must return the subsidy received and repay the training expenses paid by the Program.

VIII. Other Matters

As mentioned in the Affidavit, the affiant certifies the originality of their competing work (and the ideas/technologies used) and that they have not plagiarized the work of others.
The affiant certifies that the competing work (and the ideas/technologies used) is their intellectual property and that it does not violate the intellectual property rights of others.
The Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator reserves the right to amend and interpret the content and activity timetable of the Program.

IX. Contact Information

Contact	Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator Ms. Jessie Ou, Project Manager
Phone Number	02-2737-6944
E-mail	jessie.ou@mail.ntust.edu.tw
Program Announcement Website	https://www.bic.ntust.edu.tw/

Taiwan Tech Innovation Incubator reserves the right to amend the above Selection Regulations

Documents Download

Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Incubation Program of Taiwan Tech Team Selection Regulations：PDF
【Annex 1】Application Form：WO RD
【Annex 2】Business Plan：WORD
【Annex 3】Entrepreneurship Training Plan：WORD
【Annex 4】English Resume of Team Members：WOR D
【Annex 5】Affidavit：WORD
【Annex 6】Personal Data Provision Consent Form (For every members including advisor)：WORD
【Annex 7】Samples and Format of Closing Report：WORD

Contact Us

Ms. Jessie Ou (jessie.ou@mail.ntust.edu.tw)

Silicon Valley Program Graduates

Year	Teams
2025	Anx.IO Bio, Ergonome, Boring AI
2024	MIT Studio, COTWO, B-ECO
2023	Myogai, Begain, Pillow, Andgree Co. Ltd
2019	ROGO, Swirl Studio, APOLLO, Ticsee
2018	BioKnee, Bookie, Elefindr, 太陽能節能玻璃(HISG)
2017	Kitchbot, Showhue, Future Book, 3Egreen