The recent trade delegation to the Republic of Korea and Taiwan led by Markéta Pekarová Adamová, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, will be remembered as the largest foreign trade mission in the history of Taiwan.
The delegation built on the success of the TaiwanCZ Business LevelUP 2020, a trade delegation led by Miloš Vystrčil, the President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, with a fresh wave of prospects. The motto of the delegation was 'to be at the right time at the right place,' and the Czech-Taiwanese Business Chamber paid close attention to creating opportunities for the participating businesses in the fields of semicon, nanotechnology, e-mobility, innovations in healthcare, artificial intelligence, circular economy, smart cities, ICT and energy. Aside from the regular B2B meetings and investment forums, CTBC introduced various novelties. So what are the highlights of the recent trade delegation?
1. Putting Together Czech PopUP Store in the Heart of Taipei
To ease the hurdles of testing the waters of a new market, the CTBC introduced Czech PopUP Store held in the bustling Songgao Road Xinyi District on March 26 in Taipei. For Czech manufacturers, PopUP Store created an affordable way to test the potential of the Taiwanese market while enjoying significant media support from the trade delegation, targeted support, and oversight.
(Photo source: 朱悅寧Eileen Chu)
With attractive on-spot activities for potential customers, PopUP Store attracted plentiful local visitors who admired the craftsmanship of both traditional and modern Czech brands, such as KLIMCHI, Hedva Český Brokát, Mašek Puppets & Toys, Vinařství Nešpor & Rajský wines and Bombus energy snacks also flattered the taste-buds of the local visitors.
2. Co-Organizing the First Czech-Taiwanese Ideathon
With Startup Kitchen, the CTBC organized the first Czech-Taiwanese Ideathon, Dumpings Hack 1.0.1. The main goal was to deepen cooperation between the two countries in the field both countries dearly love — innovation. The teams had 24 hours to brainstorm solutions for one of six compelling challenges and prepare final presentations. The winning team BUSINESS COPILOT, which included Czech and Taiwanese innovators, focused on tackling the issue of expanding to a new market by creating a platform powered by artificial intelligence. This idea earned the team the title of the most innovative dumpling of 2023.
The partners of the ideathon were Taiwania Capital, Startup Terrace, CzechInvest, Taiwan Digital Diplomacy Association, Meet Global by Business Next Media, Roklen24, Newstream.cz, CzechStartups.org, StartupJobs.cz, and TaiwanPlus.
3. Landing Soft — Opening Czech Hub in Taipei
The trade delegation brought another milestone in Czech-Taiwanese relations in the making. In cooperation with the European Values Center for Security Policy (EVCSP), CTBC launched a new platform to support existing and new projects in business development and soft-landing, economic diplomacy, science, research, education, and culture. During her visit, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, officially opened the Czech Hub alongside Pavel Diviš, Chairman of CTBC, and Jakub Janda, Director of EVCSP.
The main objective of the Czech Hub is to facilitate a physical space in the heart of Taipei that gathers know-how, resources, and a relevant network of contacts for soft-landing and entering the Taiwanese market. Located at a central position in Songshan District, Taipei, the Hub offers coworking space for newly arrived entrepreneurs, academics, or soft landing program participants to get connected with the Taiwanese startup network.
4. Facilitating Action-Packed, Tailored-Made Program for Participants
When preparing the program for the trade part of the delegation, the CTBC paid close attention to accommodating the specific business needs of the participants. Aside from facilitating more than 200 B2B meetings, CTBC also introduced four main groups, Aerospace, Smart City, Smart Machinery, and Startups, with a tailored-made agenda.
The Aerospace group traveled the most, visiting Hsinchu, Chiayi, and Taichung, being warmly welcomed by TASA/TSIDA, and holding business talks with Geostat, AIDC, and Air Asia. The group also visited the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology and Asia UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center.
The Smart City group's participants promoted their products and services at the Czech booth of the Smart City Summit & Expo (SCSE), officially opened by Markéta Pekarová Adamová. More than 15 Czech companies utilized the heightened interest boosted by the trade mission at the SCSE. The group also traveled to Kaohsiung for the 5G AloT Track, which focused on experiencing virtual reality at VR FILM LAB and Brogent, getting to know the Kaohsiung Bay Area through smart tour-guiding windows, and visiting the smart office at the AUO Solution R&D Center.
The Smart Machinery group headed to Taichung to hold talks with She Hong Industrial and meet with Buffalo Machinery and Hiwin Corporation while meeting with important local partners, AXILE Machines, Hartford CNC, and Wistron.
Aside from attending the 2-day-long Ideathon Dumplings Hack 1.0.1, the Startup group visited major startup platforms in Taipei, including Taiwan Tech Arena, InnoVEX, and Startup Terrace, networked at the Smart City Expo visit, and held talks with BNEXT and Taipei Computer Association.
CTBC also facilitated various tailored-made programs for individual companies, such as the Czech company Wikov, which visited Formosa Heavy Industry Corporation and Fusheng Industry to further elaborate on their talks. Furthermore, CTBC organized a site visit of 21 Czech enterprises to Wistron.
5. Assisting the Process of Signing 7 Memorandums of Understanding
Memorandums of Understanding act as a meaningful instrument to boost cooperation in concrete areas. CTBC was, therefore, delighted to manage the negotiation process that built up signing the memorandums of understanding between SMS Infocomm and Stimvia as well as SMS Infocomm and IBG Czech Republic. During an invitation-only dinner for the Aerospace group hosted by Air Asia, additional two memorandums were inked between Air Asia and VZLU as well as Air Asia and SpaceKnow.
At the 18th Session of the Taiwan-Czech Joint Business Council Meeting Networking Reception, five Czech companies from health care, engineering, energy, and ICT inked memorandums of understanding with their Taiwanese counterparts. Chen Chern-Chyi, The Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan, and the Director of CzechInvest, Petr Očko, attended the signing ceremony.
SMS Infocomm and IBG Czech Republic inked an MoU in lithium battery recycling. STIMVIA and SMS Infocomm will deepen cooperation in medical devices for non-invasive treatment for incontinence, while Apex Dynamics and APEX DYNAMICS Czech signed MoU to strengthen cooperation in the area of highly precise reductions. Cpc Chieftek Precision Co Ltd and RAVEO will foster closer collaboration in drive units, robots, and the creation of SW for microrobots, and TaiDoc Technology Corporation and ICONTIO signed an MoU in e-healthcare technologies.
6. Pavel Diviš Presenting CTBC at the Joint Business Council Conference
The program in Taipei included the Joint Business Council Conference that focused on deepening of the Czech-Taiwanese business relations on a high political level. The highlight of the Conference were keynote speeches by Mei-Hua Wang, Minister of the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan, Markéta Pekarová Adamová, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Henry C.S. Kao, Chairman of Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association (CIECA), Taiwan, and Jaroslav Hanák, President of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic.
Our Chairman, Pavel Diviš, had a unique opportunity to hold a speech introducing the Czech-Taiwanese Business Chamber, the recently opened Czech Hub, and newly introduced activities accompanying TWN:ROK:CZ 2023 trade delegation, such as Ideathon Dumplings Hack 1.0.1, Czech PopUP Store, and the magazine TaiwanCZ Business Special.
7. Facilitating a Successful PR Campaign
In order to maximize the business potential of the TWN:ROK:CZ 2023, the CTBC facilitated a PR campaign to boost Czech-Taiwanese business relations as well as endorse the interests and opportunities of Czech entrepreneurs. The PR campaign targeted both Czech and Taiwanese audiences.
Besides the regular press releases and general media coverage, various Czech and Taiwanese outlets held in-depth interviews with the organizers and participants of the trade delegation, such as Hospodářské noviny, Respekt newsmagazine, iHNed.cz, Český rozhlas, Lupa.cz, CNN Prima News, E15, Živě.cz, Roklen24, or Newstream from the Czech side. From the Taiwanese side, TaiwanPlus, Formosa TV English News, and RTI - Radio Taiwan International covered the trade mission in both Mandarin and English language. The articles covering TWN:ROK:CZ 2023 can be found here.