Since 2009, the Youth Development Administration of the Ministry of Education has continuously promoted the U-start Plan for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This plan integrates incubation and mentoring resources of universities, providing young entrepreneurs with initial funding and ongoing support to help them realize their entrepreneurial aspirations. ISU has received EC-SOS subsidies from the Ministry of Education for five consecutive years, accumulating over NT$10 million in funding. This year, ISU’s innovation and entrepreneurship program received an additional NT$2 million subsidy, continuing to nurture sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship talent. The outstanding achievements of ISU students in innovation and entrepreneurship education highlight their significant impact in this field
The team titled Guardians of Happy Cats in the Innovative Services category, guided by Dr. Ming-Chia Hsieh, the Director of the Center for Innovation and Incubation, and Dr. Chia-Jung Cho, the Director of the Sustainable Development Research Center, consists of Ting Chen, Shih-Yu Lin, Kuan-Yu Chen, and Hsuan-Kai Lin of the Department of Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Hui-Chun Huang of the Department of Public Policy and Management in the College of Management. This year, the team received NT$500,000 in the first phase of the U-start Plan for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s startup grant. Recognizing the increasing demand for pet companionship in an aging society, the team aims to achieve environmental sustainability and establish a friendly green cycle. They transform agricultural waste, specifically rice husks, into eco-friendly pet products. Their patented process ensures that the rice husk-based cat litter has excellent water absorption and odor reduction capabilities, addressing the issues associated with traditional cat litter. This innovation provides pet owners and their furry friends with a cleaner living environment.
Industry support for students’ learning outcomes is a significant affirmation. Junior student Ting Chen expressed that receiving this grant is not only a fruitful result of everyone’s hard work but also a recognition of their future career goals. Shih-Yu Lin mentioned that this experience has given her a profound understanding of the challenges and joys of entrepreneurship, helping her find a direction to continue moving forward and creating value for society. Senior student Hui-Chun Huang expressed gratitude for the opportunities and guidance provided by ISU. This support allows students to quickly connect with industry trends and gain insights into innovative perspectives. The knowledge gained in ISU, and the experiences from external activities greatly benefit ISU students in their future career development.
The team also won an NT$100,000 grant in the second round of the fundraising initiative, the Practical Simulation Learning Platform for College Entrepreneurship, organized by the Ministry of Education. Director Hsieh noted that over the past five years, ISU has successfully incubated several entrepreneurial teams. With ISU’s core focuses on health medicine and intelligent technology, alongside the AI technology wave and the S-shaped strip of semiconductors, ISU has unique advantages in innovation and entrepreneurship education. ISU will continue to provide comprehensive entrepreneurial support and guidance to students, fostering the development of next-generation innovators and entrepreneurs.
