The A Team Hub accelerator under TeaLa continues its expansion beyond Taipei, bringing the ESG innovation mentoring program to central Taiwan with the "Business Building and Sustainable Impact" forum in Changhua. By directly targeting coached ESG teams and local youth in related fields, the program aims to strengthen their basic skills in sustainability measurement, opportunity implementation, impact assessment, and business model building. The forum invited key speakers, including Dr. Steven Yang, CEO of Canopi, Taiwan's leading impact investment institution; Xu Wen-Yan, founder of OKO Cafe, a pioneer in fair trade in Taiwan; and Ye De-Wei, founder of Package+, a new-generation sustainable packaging startup, to systematically share their experiences from investment, concepts, to market establishment, and to pass on their knowledge to the teams present through their sharing and discussions.
Dr. Steven Yang, founder of Canopi, shared the company's outstanding achievements in promoting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the forum. Canopi is dedicated to driving positive social and environmental change and has made significant strides in the field of sustainable investment. The company actively supports entrepreneurial projects that align with impact investing by providing funding and professional support, fostering both sustainable development and social impact.
Dr. Steven Yang analyzed the long-term profitability impact of sustainability on businesses and provided practical cases of integrating sustainability into entrepreneurial ventures. He highlighted the key collaboration among large enterprises, sustainability reporting, and startups. "Sustainable impact is not only a corporate responsibility but also a key to creating long-term value," he stated. He emphasized, "We deeply understand the responsibility and importance of businesses in promoting sustainable development. By implementing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, we have enhanced corporate competitiveness while bringing positive impacts to global society and the environment." Dr. Yang specifically pointed out that young entrepreneurs' understanding and practice of the SDGs will have a profound impact on society and the environment. Canopi hopes that through forums like this, more young entrepreneurs will recognize the importance of sustainable development and integrate the concept of sustainability into their corporate culture from the early stages of their ventures, thereby establishing "impactful business models."
Xu Wen-Yan, founder of OKO Cafe, shared practical cases of his company selling fair trade coffee and discussed his experiences with fair trade and sustainable development. He emphasized the importance of fair trade, particularly to young entrepreneurs. As global demand for coffee continues to grow, farmers in the coffee supply chain often face numerous challenges, such as market price fluctuations, natural disasters, and exploitation, making them the most vulnerable link. The fair trade movement emerged to address these issues and has quickly gained traction worldwide.
Chairman Xu pointed out that OKO Cafe upholds the core values of "fairness, environmental protection, and health" and actively participates in and promotes fair trade products. By directly collaborating with international fair trade organizations, the company introduces high-quality fair trade coffee to the Taiwanese market, ensuring that these products are produced according to the highest environmental and social responsibility standards. He also demonstrated to young entrepreneurs in Changhua how to integrate sustainable thinking into their startups. He encouraged them, stating, "Entrepreneurs should dare to challenge traditional models and usher in positive social and environmental change through innovation."
Ye De-Wei, founder of Package+, delivered a speech on promoting ESG sustainable development, and shared his own journey of entrepreneurship. Package+ is dedicated to creating a green industry through the use of sustainable packaging materials, actively practicing environmental responsibility, and achieving significant results in reducing carbon footprints and resource waste. The company is currently striving for a circular economy, utilizing eco-friendly packaging materials, and employing advanced data analysis techniques to optimize manufacturing processes and reduce energy consumption.
In his speech, Mr. Ye emphasized, "We are fully aware of the responsibility and importance of the role that corporations play in promoting sustainable development. By implementing ESG principles, we have not only enhanced our competitiveness and created added value for our customers, but we have also brought positive impacts to society and the environment." Through this business model, Package+ has set an example of balancing sustainability concepts with business success. Ye aims to raise awareness among young entrepreneurs about the importance of sustainable development in their business operations and encourages them to consider how to integrate ESG into their corporate culture from the early stages of their ventures.
The forum, organized by Changhua County's Department of Youth Development, provided a platform for young entrepreneurs to learn and exchange ideas, helping them to focus more on the concept of sustainable development in their future entrepreneurial journeys. The Department of Youth Development stated that they will continue to hold related events in the future, integrating sustainable thinking into the growth and development of young entrepreneurs. They also look forward to more companies and institutions participating to jointly promote awareness of sustainable development in Taiwan.
English 
繁體中文