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【Meet Taipei 2024】Japanese Startup Takes First Prize at Meet Neo Star 2024
The 2024 Meet Taipei Neo Star Demo Show, held on November 22 at Taipei Expo Park, crowned Cool Innovation as the first-place winner. This startup, founded by Taiwanese and Japanese members, specializes in low-temperature, high-humidity refrigeration technology to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.
Out of nearly 250 applicants, 30 teams were selected through interviews by Business Next and Meet, with guidance from industry experts. The competition featured a prize pool of NT$600,000, sponsored by the Taiwan Stock Exchange.
The most iconic event in Taiwan's startup scene, the "Meet Neo Star Demo Show," has officially concluded. After two stages of selection, semi-finals, and finals, the competition was intense.
Ultimately, Cool Innovation, Alpha Intelligence Manifolds, and JelloX Biotech were awarded first, second, and third prizes, respectively, becoming the top startups of 2024.
For the Special Enterprise Awards, the AWS AI Special Award went to Avilon Intelligence, MetAI Technology Co., and pxCode; the PwC Award for Innovation went to Taiwan Carbon Materials Corp. ;the Chunghwa Telecom Special Award was once again given to MetAI Technology Co.; the KPMG Special Award went to SteadyBeat Technology, while the Chunghwa Development Innovation Accelerator Special Award was awarded to Cool Innovation and Alpha Intelligence Manifolds.
Emerging Startups Compete, Biotech and Healthcare Dominate the Spotlight
Katie Chen, CEO of Business Next Media, mentioned that Meet Neo Star has become an important indicator of Taiwan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem since its inception in 2011.
Unlike previous years, the 2024 Neo Star Demo Show adopted a two-stage selection process. On November 21, two semi-final Demo Pitch sessions were held, selecting 11 teams to advance to the final competition on November 22.
The 11 finalist teams—JelloX Biotech, Alpha Intelligence Manifolds, StreamTeck, Cool Innovation, Avilon Intelligence, MetAI Technology Co., Blutech, SteadyBeat, Taiwan Carbon Materials Corp., Black Solution, and pxCode—represented five major sectors, with healthcare and biotech being the most prominent.
Notably, Dr. Ping-Hang Fan, Deputy Director of the Research Institute at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, mentioned during his “Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Presentation” that despite a global decline in venture capital markets, Taiwan’s early-stage investment momentum has grown against the trend, particularly in fields like healthcare and energy development, which align with the focus of this year’s Neo Star finalists.
2024 Winners Announced: Cool Innovation, Alpha Intelligence Manifolds, and JelloX Biotech Take the Top Prizes
In addition to showcasing local talent, the Meet Neo Star Demo Show has increasingly become a platform for international entrepreneurs. This year's competition saw the inclusion of several global startups, underlining the growing global nature of Taiwan's innovation ecosystem.
One notable example is Cool Innovation, the first-place winner, which is is an international startup, with founding members from Taiwan and Japan. which develops low-temperature, high-humidity refrigeration technology to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. Cool Innovation has expanded into the Southeast Asian market. The team has already expanded its reach into Southeast Asia, demonstrating how Taiwan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is attracting global talent and fostering international collaboration.
The second prize went to Alpha Intelligence Manifolds, which develops AI image recognition technology to assist doctors in diagnosing cardiovascular diseases and chronic conditions. The third prize was awarded to JelloX Biotech, which focuses on tissue transparency and 3D pathological image analysis, all within the biotech and healthcare sector.
In addition to receiving NT$300,000 (≈ USD 9,200), NT$200,000, (≈ USD 6,140) and NT$100,000 (≈ USD 3,070) in prize money, the top three teams also gained the opportunity to participate in the AAMA Taipei Cradle Program’s final entrepreneur selection interview, access to startup community events throughout the year, and resources like the online courses from Giant Thought Culture’s "New Business School."
Cool Innovation and Alpha Intelligence Manifolds, which both received first and second prizes, also won the Chunghwa Development Innovation Accelerator Special Award, gaining a letter of intent for investment from the accelerator.
Cool Innovation's COO, Daniel Chang, shared that the large number of AI-related teams at this year's Meet Taipei made their win unexpected but greatly appreciated. Alpha Intelligence Manifolds, the second prize winner, expressed that the award is an important opportunity for exposure, raising awareness about cardiovascular diseases, and they will continue to push forward. JelloX Biotech, the third prize winner, emphasized the importance of support in biotech startups, as they are long-term projects, and they will continue to use groundbreaking technologies to change the medical landscape.
As Taiwan continues to attract entrepreneurs from around the world, the Meet Neo Star Demo Show has become a key event for foreign startups seeking to expand in Asia, offering access to funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities with investors and partners. This growing international participation highlights the global recognition of Taiwan as a thriving hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
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