The College of Management at National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) cooperated with the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, the American Institute in Taiwan, and the Sun Yat-sen Management Education Foundation (established in 1996 with support from the university’s professors) to organize the “AWE Indo-Pacific Women in Tech Summit” from November 13th to 17th. The summit invited NSYSU’s representation, with Associate Professor Fang-Yi Lo from the International Business Administration Program attending the welcome dinner on November 13th and the opening ceremony on November 14th. Associate Professor Lo delivered a keynote speech at the welcome dinner on November 13th.
8 international ambassadors from College of Management supported the event: Information Management PhD. student Yepuru Prasanthi from India, IBMBA student Natchaya Marithida from Thailand, IBMBA student Wu Meng Hsuan from Taiwan, IBMBA student Lina Zerrad from Belgium, IBMBA student Lim Yin Hui from Malaysia, IBMBA student Ysanne Chen from Taiwan, Business Administration student Chen Chun Han from Taiwan, and GHRM MBA student Trinh Hoa Minh from Vietnam. The international ambassadors engaged in full English communication with female entrepreneurs throughout the event, demonstrating our university’s students’ international diversity and language proficiency.
Over the five-day summit, the 8 representatives from National Sun Yat-sen University College of Management engaged in comprehensive learning opportunities, including plenary sessions, interactive group discussions, and networking occasions, connecting with female entrepreneurs from 9 Indo-Pacific countries. The summit focused on the impact of technology on the evolving ecosystem. It featured keynote speeches, interactive group discussions, and Q&A sessions with industry experts. The event specifically invited female tech entrepreneurs from nine countries within the Indo-Pacific region. Among the students supported by our institution were classmates from Thailand, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Belgium, and Taiwan. Witnessing entrepreneurs from their home countries warmed everyone’s hearts, fostering vibrant exchanges and networking, aspiring for future business development or collaborative opportunities.
On November 15th, the summit spotlighted female leaders driving technological advancements. The day began with a keynote speech titled “Impact of Technology to Change the Ecosystem,” followed by lively group discussions and interactive Q&A sessions. Students were divided into different groups attending various talks and had opportunities for mutual exchange during evening breaks. The summit also arranged visits to Taiwanese startups, where students from the College of Management collectively visited Meta Taiwan Office, American Innovation Center, and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. These activities provided entrepreneurs with deeper insights into the innovative environment and facilitated interactions among themselves. The summit concluded with the presentation ceremony of the Women Entrepreneurs Excellence Awards organized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan.
During the summit, students from the National Sun Yat-sen University College of Management established connections with tech entrepreneurs worldwide, gaining insights into the latest trends and innovations while creating invaluable personal relationships. The AWE Indo-Pacific Women in Tech Founders Summit underscored the importance of supporting women in the tech field and fostering diversity and inclusivity.
The National Sun Yat-sen Management Education Foundation, established in 1996, has been hosting the “Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE)” program jointly promoted in Taiwan by the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Small and Medium Enterprise Administration and the American Institute in Taiwan since 2021. The program offers opportunities for Taiwanese female startup entrepreneurs or aspiring female entrepreneurs, strengthening international networks for female entrepreneurs by providing online entrepreneurship courses, online and offline gatherings, connecting with successful local female entrepreneurs, and global trend partners, fostering an exclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem for female startups. To date, the program has successfully trained 205 Taiwanese female entrepreneurs.
The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) originates from the U.S. Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative (W-GDP), launched in 2019 to empower women economically and politically, promoting global peace and prosperity. Thus, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs proposed the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program to drive the W-GDP initiative, aiming to nurture women to successfully establish and own businesses, ensuring women’s participation in the global economy.
