OM DENNE EPISODE
Re-upload from the PDF Podcast for archival purposes. Find out more about PDF here: https://professionaldevelopmentforum.org/
Listen to this episode if you want to find out more about Taiwan’s startup ecosystem or if you simply want to hear about Elisa’s unique journey. We talk about:
- Elisa’s story about building a career in high finance, then giving it all up to pursue her passion.
- The cultural & gender barriers she faced and other struggles along the way.
- Advice for young professionals in building their careers.
- Overview of the Taiwan startup scene (VC players + accelerators).
- Reasons to consider Taiwan as a place to build or grow your startup.
Show Notes: https://bordersless.com/business/elisa-chiu-anchor-taiwan/
Timestamps
1:00 – Introduction
2:35 – Journey from Taiwan to Canada. Navigating a new environment and cultural barriers.
6:10 – Working as a junior trader.
6:40 – Was this your passion? Why did you go down the finance path?
10:45 – Navigating cultural and gender barriers in a male dominant environment.
13:20 – Importance of finding a mentor and support systems. Turning bad situations into an advantage and bring value to others.
17:30 – Are there gender barriers in Taiwan?
18:50 – Working at a Hedge Fund, living in a bubble, resigning from a comfortable life, throwing yourself into the unknown.
22:45 – The motivation for living a different life. Overcoming fears and perceived limitations. Pursuing your passion, finding fulfilment, why you should give things a try.
30:20 – Experiencing Silicon Valley, getting into innovation + technology, impact investing and the startup world, moving back to Taiwan to setup Anchor Taiwan.
36:15 – Reasons for setting up Anchor Taiwan.
38:00 – The beginning of Anchor Taiwan.
40:10 – Tackling challenges and the unknowns. The difficulty of marketing Taiwan.
43:50 – Thoughts around leaving and returning to Taiwan. Gaining perspective.
45:30 – What is Anchor Taiwan + Anchor Venture Partners?
50:40 – Overview of Taiwan market – VCs + Accelerators (AppWorks, Cherubic Ventures, Cornerstone Ventures).
55:35 – Government initiatives for foreign startups.
57:20 – Corporate Venture Capital in Taiwan.
59:20 – Why should I go to Taiwan over Singapore or HK? What sort of startups should go to Taiwan?
1:01:30 – Google expansion into Taiwan.
1:05:00 – Impacts of Coronavirus on the startup space in Taiwan. Initiatives to help startups.
1:08:00 – How can startups navigate this tough period?
1:10:00 – Investment trends and opportunities in this period?
1:14:25 – Would you have done anything differently? Career advice for young professionals?
1:17:45 – Overseas born Taiwanese coming to Taiwan. E.g. the co-founders of YouTube and Rotten Tomatoes.
1:19:05 – Thoughts on young Taiwanese + how Taiwan can stay competitive.
1:21:40 – Last words + how to contact Elisa.
