Stepping into the Global Entrepreneurship Arena: My Accelerator Experience | Hung-Han Lin, Bachelor's Program of International Business Administration in English, Feng Chia University

In July 2024, I represented Feng Chia University and traveled to Porto, Portugal, to participate in the European Innovation Academy (EIA) Global Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition.This event, known as the “world’s largest startup accelerator,” brought together over 400 young people from 40 to 50 countries, including students from top universities such as the National University of Singapore, Boston University, and the University of California, Berkeley. Competing alongside these international elites was both a challenge and an honor.During the competition, I teamed up with another Feng Chia University student and three American teammates to build a startup project from scratch—Virture Smart Waste Sorting Robot. Our goal was to combine AI and sustainability concepts to improve waste management and enhance recycling efficiency. I served as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), responsible for market research and partnership negotiations. After countless discussions and pitch revisions, we successfully established initial cooperation intentions with three companies and designed a comprehensive business model covering product sales, advertising screens, and data licensing, making the project more feasible for real-world application.

I worked with another student from Feng Chia University and American teammates from different universities in the same group.

In the end, our team not only made it into the Top 10 but also became the only team to receive nominations for both the Ed Quinones Spark Award (a $25,000 intellectual property scholarship) and the Patent Innovation Award.

The Virture Smart Waste Sorting Robot not only made it into the Top 10 but also received both the Ed Quinones Spark Award and the Patent Innovation Award.

Cross-Cultural Challenges and Gains: From Disagreement to Consensus

The most memorable part of this competition was not just the results, but the process of working with teammates from different countries. Language and cultural differences meant we spent days debating and coordinating just to settle on a project theme. My American teammates often cited cases I was unfamiliar with, and my perspectives were not always immediately understood. However, this taught me the importance of patient listening and cross-cultural communication. I realized that conflict is not an obstacle, but an opportunity to build consensus and spark creativity.

Together with four multinational teammates, through communication and listening, we turned language and cultural differences into opportunities for team creativity.

Outside the competition, we explored Porto on weekends, admiring the blue-and-white tiled historic buildings in the winding old town, chatting with locals in small restaurants, and searching for hidden culinary gems. I even tasted Portugal’s famous egg tarts—sweeter than those in Taiwan, but with an unforgettable crispy and rich flavor. After the competition, I took a short trip to Spain, walking 23,000 steps in one day and experiencing the thrill of cultural immersion and free exploration.

During breaks at the European Innovation Academy (EIA), I explored Porto, Portugal with friends.

I traveled in Spain, walking over 20,000 steps in a single day.

This journey made me realize that only by bravely stepping out of my comfort zone can I see the vastness of the world and discover a more complete version of myself.

The Power of BIBA: Nourishment for Dream Building Looking back on this challenge, I am even more grateful for the foundation built by the BIBA program. Marketing theory and STP analysis helped me quickly grasp market positioning; accounting and financial management knowledge enabled me to work with my team to design a concrete and feasible business model; and the creative thinking fostered in innovation and entrepreneurship management courses became the key to breaking through limitations during the competition.

More importantly, BIBA’s international learning environment made me comfortable with cross-cultural communication and teamwork, allowing me to showcase my strengths on the international stage in Portugal.

I hope that more students from Feng Chia University will bravely step onto the global stage in the future. Whether or not you win an award, such journeys will become the most valuable nourishment in life, making us more determined on the road to pursuing our dreams.

The practical experience and nourishment I gained from the Bachelor's Program of International Business Administration in English (BIBA) at Feng Chia University have become the driving force for my progress.