In a recent interview, Taiwanese youth Lin Junyi expressed a strong desire for angel investors to take notice of his team’s smart manufacturing project, which recently competed in the “Athena Cup” Cross-Strait Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition in Shaoxing, Zhejiang. The project earned recognition as an outstanding project, and Lin is hopeful for opportunities to implement it on the mainland.
The finals of the competition, themed “Youth Unite, Create Across the Straits,” took place from October 24 to 25, featuring 21 teams from both sides of the Taiwan Strait presenting their ideas and competing for recognition.
Launched in June, the “Athena Cup” aims to inspire innovation and entrepreneurship among young people from Taiwan and the mainland, providing a platform for collaboration and exchange. The competition included multiple stages—registration, preliminary rounds, semifinals, and finals—divided into a main entrepreneurial track and specialized tracks for intelligent and innovative projects, each consisting of corporate and team categories.
The event attracted a total of 282 entries, with 159 from the mainland and 123 from Taiwan. At the finals, the 21 shortlisted teams performed project pitches followed by Q&A sessions with judges. Awards were given to distinguished projects in both the corporate and team categories, recognizing excellence and potential.
Lin Junyi and his team participated in the smart technology track, focusing on the intelligent transformation of warehousing. He emphasized the growing importance of efficient and convenient logistics in modern society and expressed confidence that artificial intelligence could bring significant changes to the warehousing sector.
The competition was held in Shaoxing, a city known for its solid manufacturing foundation and thriving digital economy, making it an attractive hub for investment by Taiwanese entrepreneurs. In 2023, the Cross-Strait (Shaoxing) Digital Industry Cooperation Zone was established, signing 24 projects backed by Taiwanese investments, amounting to a total investment of 56.39 billion yuan. This initiative aims to enhance collaboration among young people from both sides in various sectors, including trade, industry, culture, and technology.
A representative from the Shaoxing Taiwan Affairs Office stated that the local government would continue to focus on the needs and aspirations of young people from both sides, working to create a supportive environment for businesses and fostering deeper exchanges and cooperation across various fields. Through these efforts, they hope to enable more Taiwanese youth and Shaoxing to achieve mutual success.
