專攻 3D 空間感知與邊緣 AI 系統的 LIPS，憑藉深厚的底層技術，已成功獨家供應德國 BMW 工廠自主移動機器人(AMR)的 3D 視覺導航大腦。此外，LIPS 更為新北市打造了全台最大規模的 7×24 智慧交通數位孿生監控系統，實績橫跨智慧製造與城市基礎設施，展現極高技術壁壘與跨國大廠的商業落地實力。
SixSense 則是專為半導體與電子製造業打造的 AI 平台，能精準辨識產品缺陷並預測設備維護需求。透過先進的電腦視覺模型，全自動檢測並精準分類晶圓上的微觀缺陷，有效取代了耗時的工程師人工複查流程，顯著加速產線週期，並為全球半導體晶圓廠預防因良率損失造成的巨大經濟折耗。
打破跨境文化與數據壁壘：韓國優質新創強勢登陸台灣
本屆 Demo Day 的另一大核心亮點，在於成熟營收能力的韓國新創，開始選擇台灣作為跨國擴張的樞紐。
NOTAG KOREA 由深耕跨境貿易運營逾十年的創辦人 Aiden 創立 。由於跨國電商平台碎片化、物流體系繁雜且跨境數據格式極不標準，自動化營運難度極高，所以目前成功進軍東南亞與台灣的韓國時尚與美妝品牌不到 0.3%。NOTAG KOREA 獨創 AI 自主運營引擎，一鍵打通多國銷售通路與物流鏈 ，目前已成功將 Emis、HDEX、Covernat 等 204 個韓國知名品牌引進海外 105 個銷售通路，創造高達 400 萬美元的跨境年營收 。
韓國的 Deep Tech 代表 Clika，推出邊緣運算 (Edge AI) 的自動化模型壓縮平台。針對企業在工廠與裝置端部署 AI 時，面臨晶片太貴、太耗能的痛點，Clika 的核心技術能在不犧牲精準度的前提下，大幅壓縮 AI 模型體積，使其能流暢運行於低算力的微型晶片中，直接降低企業導入 AI 的硬體門檻與成本。
Notifly 創辦團隊來自 Airbnb、Coupang、Toss 與 Naver 等大廠，深諳亞洲通訊服務底層架構 。他們打造出 Kakao 原生且完美適配 Line 生態的 AI 企業訊息自動化平台，已協助包含 CJ Logistics在內的 143 家大型企業客戶自動化經營用戶旅程，月處理訊息量破億，在年化營收(ARR)突破百萬美元大關的同時，寫下 96% 的客戶留存率 。
Krush 是專為全球泛亞洲族群打造的跨國社交網路與實體社交俱樂部。團隊打破傳統交友軟體的單向框架，透過 AI 人臉防偽驗證與實體活動媒合，寫下 57% 的次週留存率，預估年化營收將達 200 萬美元。
SINGAPORE, 9 June 2026 — AppWorks Accelerator has officially introduced its latest batch, AW#32, a cohort that has marked the leading startup incubation program’s deliberate shift toward deep tech through its specialized Requests for Startups (RFS) recruiting process – Manufacturing AI, Defense Tech, and On-Chain Banking specifically for this batch. Operating an equity-and-fee-free program, AppWorks continues to grow Asia’s largest startup network, which now encompasses 663 active companies and over 2,189 founders collectively generating USD 18.6 billion in annual revenues.
This cohort reflects a powerful evolution within the regional tech landscape: the convergence of critical hardware infrastructure with advanced software, alongside a highly mature wave of South Korean startups utilizing regional networks to execute cross-border expansion strategies..
As a long-term investor and strategic partner of AppWorks funds, K.S. Pua, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Phison, joined the event to mentor and exchange insights with the next generation of founders.
Reflecting on his own journey, he shared: “As an engineer by training, I co-founded Phison with just a $1M seed fund – nothing more. We bootstrapped our way to profitability within our first year, turning Phison into the publicly traded memory solutions powerhouse it is today. As a founder, your survival depends on agility. In this AI era, Phison has pivoted to deliver energy-efficient, high-performance, and secure computing storage solutions, capturing strong market demand. For today’s founders, this is a golden age for AI entrepreneurship, but this window of opportunity will only last for the next 3 to 5 years – act now before it’s too late.”
To further accelerate this momentum, Phison is currently planning to launch a Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm to back startups and drive future growth.
Revolutionizing the Factory Floor: The Rise of Manufacturing AI
By tying into Taiwan’s global hardware manufacturing and supply chain ecosystem, AppWorks has positioned itself as the premier launchpad for builders deploying production-ready AI within complex industrial environments.
Leading this charge is Innowave Tech, an enterprise autonomous factory platform spearheaded by founder Jinsong, who brings over 25 years of semiconductor fab leadership experience from GlobalFoundries. Innowave Tech addresses critical industrial labor shortages and operational bottlenecks by replacing slow human defect inspection with a proprietary foundation model capable of millisecond-level, closed-loop autonomous decision-making. Deployed globally across semiconductor fabs, the system has successfully automated defect processes while driving measurable enhancements of over 10% in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
Complementing this industrial revolution is LIPS, which delivers a comprehensive “Digital Eye” spatial compute infrastructure tailored for smart factories and smart cities, deploying high-precision 3D vision systems that have already secured tier-one validation from global automotive manufacturing giants such as BMW.
The New Cross-Border Pipeline: South Korean Startups Scaling Internationally
A standout paradigm shift in Batch #32 is the high concentration of mature South Korean ventures scaling across Greater Southeast Asia and Taiwan.
Leading this narrative is NOTAG KOREA, a commerce and logistics automation AI engine founded by Aiden, an entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in e-commerce-based trade and distribution. The platform automates logistics and distribution, overcoming the high entry barriers that prevent 99.7% of Korean brands from expanding into SEA. Through real-time data analysis and sales forecasting, their engine cuts inventory costs and expansion friction. To date, NOTAG KOREA scales 204 brands across 105 hubs, capturing USD 4 million in cumulative revenue.
Refundy introduces an automated refund optimization system for global B2B marketplaces when platform prices fluctuate, empowering merchants across 55 countries to recapture margins while driving strong, profitable monthly recurring revenue (MRR) of nearly USD 150,000.
Meanwhile, Krush breaks the mold of standard matchmaking apps by engineering a transnational social network and “social club” for global Asians, capitalizing on cross-border interaction to achieve a 57% Day-7 retention rate — proving that people are looking for more than matches; they are looking for a sense of belonging.
Driving Global Innovation Across Deep Tech, Web3, and Enterprise Software
The remaining cohorts of the Singapore showcase highlight highly specialized applications tackling complex multi-market operational workflows.
In the deep tech and dual-use space, unmanned vehicle architect Juan Herrero founded Hyarks to deploy autonomous fleets of marine vessels that source real-time oceanic data. This marketplace solution eliminates the USD 1.9 billion in searching waste endured by commercial fishing fleets while simultaneously tapping into a USD 500 million defense opportunity in APAC.
On the financial security front, Novo AI enables health insurers to detect fraud, abuse and hidden claims leakage within complex, unstructured medical and billing documents. Founded by former Google leaders, the company works with enterprise insurers like Tokio Marine and April Group to improve loss ratios, automate workflows and drive smarter decisions across 4 continents.
Infrastructure capabilities are further advanced by Pathors, which supplies a hyper-low-latency enterprise Voice AI engine delivering response times under one second to optimize call-center efficiencies.
Catering to the building sector, Rosary Labs deploys AI agents for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, converting drawings from PDF to CAD to BIM, and automating BIM review and bill of quantity generation, reducing costly human error, ensuring compliance for public sectors and increasing tender success rate for top developers.
In market research, Decisions Lab shortens standard corporate go-to-market lifecycles through an AI buyer simulation engine that role-plays target consumer personas with high accuracy.
Last but not least, Shieldbase, founded by Diego Rojas, it’s an AI operating system for the enterprise with strong focus on governance and security
The presentation of these 11 standout teams at Demo Day #32 marks just the beginning of their cross-border growth journeys. By equipping this batch with rigorous pitch reframing, tailored corporate matchmaking, and localized landing infrastructure, AppWorks continues to solidify its role as the ultimate launchpad for deep technical moats and cross-border expansion in Greater Southeast Asia.
Alyssa Chen, Principal at AppWorks, noted: “AI is transitioning from a digital efficiency tool into a core operational necessity for frontline industries. In our AW#32 batch, founders are moving far beyond pure-software applications to embed AI directly into manufacturing and defense, sectors hardest hit by labor deficits. This industrial push inherently anchors their technology in Taiwan’s global hardware infrastructure, creating an unassailable tech moat that is now drawing mature Korean startups to actively scale into our GSEA platform. At AppWorks, we are actively enabling this next generation of pan-Asian winners to orchestrate cross-border resources and execute deep, real-world localization.”
About AppWorks
Founded in 2009, AppWorks is one of Asia’s leading startup accelerators and venture capital firms, supporting over 663 active startups and 2,189 founders. Its equity-and-fee-free accelerator program nurtures founders at every stage, backed by strong regional networks and deep alumni engagement. By focusing on frontier AI and specialized Requests for Startups (RFS) verticals, AppWorks positions itself at the forefront of the region’s digital transformation, providing founders with institutional capital, mentorship, and a vibrant community. For more information, visit appworks.tw.
AppWorks Demo Day #32 Singapore Pitching Teams
Innowave Tech (SG): An enterprise autonomous factory platform powered by a proprietary industrial foundation model enabling millisecond-level, closed-loop defect detection and operational decisions.
NOTAG KOREA (KR): An AI-driven cross-border operations engine that unifies multi-country e-commerce channels and logistics for globalizing Korean fashion and beauty brands.
Refundy (KR): An automated B2B marketplace refund optimization platform that helps international merchants automatically recapture lost margins from platform price fluctuations.
Krush (KR): A transnational social network and physical social club engineered for global Asians utilizing AI anti-fraud verification and high-intent community matching.
LIPS (TW): High-precision 3D vision systems and spatial compute infrastructure designed for industrial automation, smart factories, and automotive manufacturing.
Hyarks (TW): An autonomous marine vessel and drone fleet establishing a global data marketplace to optimize commercial far-sea fishing and regional maritime defense.
Rosary Labs (MY): Specialized AI agents for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry that automate manual drafting conversions and quantity estimation workflows.
Pathors (TW): A hyper-low-latency enterprise Voice AI infrastructure engine delivering real-time voice response times under one second to optimize call-center conversion.
Decisions Lab (HK): An AI-powered buyer research simulation engine that role-plays target consumer personas to compress corporate go-to-market validation cycles.
Novo AI (SG): An advanced anomaly detection and risk management model engineered by ex-Googlers to systematically catch paper-heavy leakage and billing abuses for global insurance brands.
Shieldbase (SG): An enterprise-grade data security and privacy infrastructure engine focusing on automated sensitive data de-identification and cross-border compliance.
Founded in 2010 by Jamie Lin, AppWorks Accelerator is a startup community created by founders, for founders.
Every six months, we welcome founders who are building on the edge of what’s possible – those pushing the boundaries of technology and creating what the world has yet to imagine. We equip them with the necessary resources, mentorship, and community to turn bold visions into lasting impact.
We know there are many considerations for founders when applying to an accelerator. That’s why we’ve created an FAQ page to help you decide whether or not AppWorks is the right fit for your startup.
As of May 2026, AppWorks #33 is open for applications. You can find important information about the Accelerator experience on our main page.
The FAQs
1. What do I need to know before joining the accelerator? What is AppWorks doing to help founders make the most out of the accelerator?
We understand the unique needs and aspirations for founders, and we’re committed to providing an experience that’s both flexible and deeply supportive:
a. Tailored Events for Founders:
No two founder journeys are alike — whether you’re just getting started, actively scaling, based in Taiwan, or operating from anywhere in the world, we’ve designed a flexible accelerator that blends online and offline experiences. You’ll have access to the resources, mentorship, and connections that best fit your unique path, ensuring that you get what you need, when and where you need it.
b. A Pan-Asia Founder Network:
Beyond flexibility, what truly sets AppWorks apart is our expansive presence across Asia. Our active founder and investor network now spans Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Hong Kong. Wherever you are, you’ll find peers, mentors, and partners who can share local insights, facilitate introductions, and open doors to new cross-border opportunities.
c. Taiwan: Your Strategic Base for Innovation:
Taiwan stands at the intersection of technology, manufacturing, and finance, making it an ideal base for founders building in AI, manufacturing, defense technology, and on-chain banking. Its world-class engineering talent, reliable manufacturing partners, and robust supply chain give startups the speed and stability to develop and scale products efficiently. Combined with an open, innovation-friendly environment and strong digital infrastructure, Taiwan provides everything you need to move from prototype to market with confidence. We encourage founders to join our in-person activities whenever possible. Face-to-face engagement within our community in Taiwan and across Asia builds deeper relationships, sharper insights, and opportunities that online meetings cannot fully replicate.
Your success is at the heart of what we do. We can’t wait to embark on this journey with you.
2. I already raised a Series A / I’m profitable, is AppWorks right for me?
The short answer is, yes!
The long answer is, reaching a funding goal can be a cause for celebration, but it’s also a relatively minor part of the founder journey. So many more things can go right or wrong, even with a funding round. There are many other facets to overcome and master. When we admit founders into the program, it is because we have carefully considered what they need as a founder, and how our resources and network across Asia can help them grow.
Joel Leong and Henry Chan atShopBackhad already built a business model and received seed funding in 2015 when they launched in Singapore before they came to AppWorks Accelerator #13 in 2016.
Joel told us that had the team known about Taiwan’s massive US$20 billion GMV e-commerce market and all the region-wide technical and tactical innovations that it would eventually yield, they would have made the move to Taiwan much sooner. Taiwan has since become one of ShopBack’s biggest markets and R&D centers. It demonstrates that funding rounds and business model maturity do not limit founders in learning something new.
As long as you think that AppWorks can help you in the entrepreneurial learning process, you should apply.
3. What is an RFS? What kind of support can AppWorks Accelerator provide for startups in AW#33 RFS#1: Manufacturing AI, RFS#2: Defense Tech, RFS#3: On-Chain Banking, and RFS#4: PQC?
A Request for Startups (RFS) highlights the specific problem spaces AppWorks is most focused on each batch – areas we believe have strong growth potential and for founders to make a meaningful impact.
A RFS is not a restriction; it’s a signal. It helps founders understand where AppWorks can provide the most value and resources in this batch. If you’re already building in one of these areas, we’d love to meet you. But even if not, as long as your startup aligns with our focus or could benefit from joining the AppWorks founder community strategically, you are very welcome to apply.
For AppWorks #33 (AW#33), we’re looking for founders building in Manufacturing AI, Defense Tech, On-Chain Banking, and PQC — four verticals that will redefine Asia’s industrial and economic foundation in the coming decade, and where Taiwan and the AppWorks community can provide a unique advantage.
AW#33 RFS#1: Manufacturing AI
Over the past two years, the rapid progress of AI has begun to fundamentally reshape manufacturing — from design and production to operation and maintenance. Now is the time for the industry to embrace intelligent transformation.
With Taiwan’s world-class manufacturing and supply chain ecosystem, AppWorks helps founders directly connect with leading OEMs, manufacturers, and cross-industry partners to co-develop and validate PoCs, as well as build AI-driven solutions for automation, quality inspection, and predictive maintenance.
Our community already includes startups deeply rooted in manufacturing innovation, such as NunoX (AW#31), which accelerates textile development with generative AI; Relajet (AW#17), which delivers advanced sound separation for smart acoustics; and Groundup.AI (AW#27), which enables predictive maintenance through acoustic monitoring.
Through collaboration, sales partnerships, and shared know-how within our network, AppWorks helps your solution validate faster, scale faster, and reach real-world impact.
AW#33 RFS#2: Defense Tech
In an era of geopolitical uncertainty and growing emphasis on supply chain and technological sovereignty, dual-use technologies such as unmanned systems, sensing, cybersecurity, AI models, and advanced materials are becoming critical to both national and industrial resilience. This shift is also creating unprecedented opportunities for startups innovating in high-barrier sectors.
AppWorks Accelerator, together with Wistron Accelerator, has long focused on hardware, AIoT, and deep tech, providing a full-scale environment for manufacturing, prototyping, and validation.
Our community already includes deep-tech startups delivering cutting-edge solutions across both defense and commercial domains — such as Aliena (AW#30), developing propulsion systems for small satellites; Aonic (AW#30), Southeast Asia’s largest industrial and agricultural drone operator; and Mapxus (AW#30), offering precision mapping and geospatial intelligence.
Through this ecosystem, AppWorks helps founders connect with manufacturing and enterprise partners, develop and test PoCs, access investors and R&D talent, and accelerate both technological development and market adoption.
AW#33 RFS#3: On-Chain Banking
We believe the future of finance will be programmable, transparent, and borderless.
AppWorks is looking for founders reimagining financial infrastructure through Web3 technologies. From asset tokenization and decentralized clearing and settlement, to cross-border payments and on-chain compliance and regulatory tools.
As you build toward this new financial architecture, AppWorks helps you understand Asia’s fintech landscape, connecting you with regional financial institutions, compliance advisors, and investors.
Through our community of FinTech, LegalTech, and Web3 founders and mentors across nine markets in Asia, we provide hands-on insights and strategic guidance for scaling within regulated markets and driving real-world adoption. Our community already includes on-chain finance pioneers like StraitsX (AW#21), a MAS-licensed stablecoin infrastructure provider powering cross-border payments and regulated settlement across Asia.
AW#33 RFS#4: PQC
The cryptographic foundations protecting the global digital economy are mathematically vulnerable to quantum computers, and the threat is closer than most assume.
In March 2026, Google’s research showed that quantum computers may break today’s encryption with far fewer qubits than previously estimated, prompting Google to set 2029 as its internal PQC migration deadline. Meanwhile, “Harvest Now, Decrypt Later” attacks — where adversaries collect encrypted data today to decrypt once quantum capability arrives — are widely believed to already be underway.
Taiwan is uniquely positioned to lead this transition. Taiwanese semiconductor companies are already producing PQC-hardened hardware at scale: Winbond became the first memory vendor in the world to integrate PQC into its secure flash, now deployed across IoT, industrial, server, and automotive applications. AppWorks’ own community includes Chelpis Quantum (AW#10 / Wistron Accelerator #5), a PQC migration specialist already serving multiple financial institutions.
The verticals where PQC is most urgently needed: finance, telecom, manufacturing, and defense — map precisely onto AppWorks’ LP base and ecosystem. For founders building the security layer that every other industry will depend on, there is no better time, and no better place to start, than Asia right now.
Whether you’re building the next-generation AI factory, advancing dual-use technologies, constructing the foundation of on-chain finance, or pioneering the quantum-safe security infrastructure of tomorrow, AppWorks is more than an accelerator — we’re your strategic partner for entering Taiwan and scaling across Asia. Helping you go from prototype to scale, from the lab to the real world.
4. How can AppWorks Accelerator help a web3 founder?
a. Grow with one of the largest web3 founder communities.
AppWorks has built a Web3 ecosystem of more than 152 active teams and 313 founders. Our accelerator alumni includePendle (AW#20), a DeFi yield-trading protocol enabling the tokenization and trading of future yield, andStraitsX (AW#21), a MAS-licensed stablecoin infrastructure provider powering cross-border payments and regulated settlement across Asia. Beyond our accelerator alumni, our fund portfolio includes Sanctum, the largest Solana liquid staking token infrastructure with 16.25M SOL (US$1.45B) under management, and SignalPlus, a leading platform for digital asset options trading.
b. Build PoC and product integrations with key Web2 and Web3 partners.
Through deep collaborations with leading financial institutions, telecom operators, and exchanges in Taiwan, AppWorks provides Web3 startups with real PoC opportunities to test and refine products in a trusted and compliant environment. Beyond Web3, our large Web2 founder community spanning B2C and B2B sectors offers potential partnerships that help you reach new user profiles and accelerate adoption.
c. Stay ahead of the game to capture the pulse of the ecosystem and access premium development partners
Within the AppWorks community, nearly 95 teams are already building on major public chains such as Ethereum, Solana, Arbitrum, Hyperliquid, Sui, and Base.
We maintain close ties with leading L1 and L2 ecosystems, and partner with global blockchain infrastructure players including GSR, Alchemy, Quantstamp, and Chainlink, ensuring founders can access reliable tools, liquidity partners, and expert support to scale faster in the region.
5. How does AppWorks Accelerator help founders enter new markets?
Since 2010, AppWorks has made close connections within founder communities and throughout the venture capital ecosystem. When startup teams decide to enter a new market, we can quickly help them learn from local partners to tap into key resources and business models that are specifically tailored to different regions.
Today, the AppWorks community brings together over 600 active technology startups, of which more than 300 operate across multiple Asian markets. The network spans founders from Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan—ensuring that wherever you plan to expand, there’s already an AppWorks founder community on the ground ready to exchange insights, share local know-how, and open doors.
This community is supported by a strong layer of mentors, alumni founders, and seasoned operators, many of whom have built, scaled, or exited successful companies. Together, they form a trusted network that helps new founders navigate everything from product localization to cross-border partnerships.
Beyond the founder network, AppWorks actively invests in over 25 venture funds across AI and Web3, including AC Ventures, Golden Gate Ventures, Openspace Ventures, Ascend Vietnam Ventures, Figment Capital, and Pantera Capital. This extended capital network gives founders exposure to top investors and potential follow-on funding partners throughout Asia.
AppWorks also partners with leading corporate LPs across manufacturing, finance, media, and telecommunications. Our funds are backed by institutions such as Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund and Korea’s government investment agencies, giving our founders privileged access to regional corporates, pilot opportunities, and distribution networks.
6. What does AppWorks look for in applications?
When AppWorks reviews applications submitted by founders, we pay special attention to a founder’s north star. Some questions that might help you think about whether AppWorks is a good fit for you:
Why did you launch your startup?
What problem do you want to solve and why?
What do you believe fundamentally needs to exist in this world that doesn’t already?
What kind of future do you want to create and how will you get there?
What have you already done to demonstrate your commitment to tackling this problem?
AppWorks Accelerator’s online application covers about 30 topics related to team background, product/service, business model, market analysis, and more. It is very detailed and requires time to complete. It also includes a required one-minute self-intro from the founder (CEO) for us to know you better.
7. Does AppWorks Accelerator cost anything?
No. AppWorks Accelerator has always been free for founders. We will not charge rent or service fees, nor will we require any form of compensation, such as sweat equity, tokens, options, revenue, or profit-sharing. Our exclusive mission is to help founders.
8. We need funding now, can we get an investment by joining AppWorks?
The short answer is you will have much better access to us than non-AppWorks accelerated teams. We will discuss with you and help you figure out at this stage of your startup’s journey if capital can give your startup a significant edge and/or take it to the next level, or if there are other more burning issues, e.g., achieving stronger product-market fit, figuring out a working go-to-market strategy, recruiting a solid co-founder, etc.
Any AppWorks founder is welcome to start a discussion with us on fundraising anytime. We will do our best to advise and support you with US$ 386 million in total fund size behind us.
9. My service (or product) has not yet started to make money. Can I still apply?
Of course! There probably isn’t a better time to learn in an accelerator than as a founder just starting out. This period before a founder has built a startup into a scalable business model with Product-Market Fit is called the “seed stage.” During this period, founders always need more than funding; they need a variety of entrepreneurial-related insights, inspiration from other founders, and room for trial and error. AppWorks Accelerator, with over 15 years of experience, was built to provide these lessons and more.
10. I’m planning to expand my business into Taiwan, however, since I am not a Taiwanese citizen, can you help me obtain a proper visa?
International founders admitted to AppWorks Accelerator, according to your qualifications and needs, AppWorks can help with your application for theGold Card, or Entrepreneur Visa in Taiwan. This enables founders from overseas to concentrate on work in Taiwan without traveling abroad to sort out troublesome visa issues. We can offer guidance on this process.
11. Do I have to set up a company to join AppWorks Accelerator?
Not necessarily, but we recommend founders to set up an office when entering a new market, especially those of you that are B2B facing. This may enable you to build relationships with business partners and make negotiating commercial agreements smoother in the future.
For the founders who are planning to land in Taiwan, AppWorks has professional accounting and legal specialists who can assist in managing the necessary procedures, making the process of setting up much easier and more efficient.
12. What is the difference between applying during the first round vs. the final round?
The application period is split into two intakes, with interviews and admissions facilitated on a rolling basis. Based on past experience, teams that submit their application earlier tend to have a higher chance of being admitted and are also immediately granted access to all the resources that AppWorks Accelerator has to offer.
13. I have previously applied to AppWorks and have been rejected, can I apply again? Will it affect the chances of admission?
Reapplying represents the determination of the founder and is a positive signal for us. Therefore, we will re-evaluate all aspects, not only for the growth of the founder but also for the progress of the company. In the past, some entrepreneurs applied 2-3 times before being selected. In some cases, after unsuccessful applications, they continued to explore and eventually achieved more user growth and deeper insights. In other cases, they honestly faced the fact that there was no Product-Market Fit (PMF), changed their topic, found a scalable business model, and reapplied. These entrepreneurs have performed well after graduating from the accelerator.
We hope the above FAQ can help clarify your questions about AppWorks Accelerator. If you seek more clarity, please write to:[email protected], and we will try to answer your questions.
If you’re a founder creating what the world doesn’t know it needs yet, you’ve come to the right place! Applications forAppWorks #33 will be open until July 19, 2026.
這股對於「動員群眾，齊心達成目標」的信念及熱愛始終如一，但 Tim 對於政治的想法隨後發生了改變。身為少數族裔，看著茶黨運動（Tea Party Movement）重塑美國政治版圖，Tim 開始思考：從政真的是他能發揮最大影響力的一條路嗎？
帶著這樣的疑問，他跟隨同儕來到矽谷，並在普林斯頓大學就讀期間，透過引薦認識了 Jack Dorsey 並加入 Square。這段經歷徹底改變了他的視角。他意識到，打造一家公司和打一場選戰的驅動力如出一轍：一個值得解決的問題、一股支撐你走下去的強大信念，以及號召眾人與你同行的能力。唯一的差別是，商業世界的反饋速度快多了。
從父母的地下室走向紐約證交所
2013 年，Tim 與共同創辦人 Jonathan Chen 拿著 Plug & Play 的一筆小額種子資金，創辦了政策與市場情報 SaaS 平台 FiscalNote。在初期為了省錢，公司註冊地直接登記在 Tim 父母的地下室，整個創辦團隊更是擠在一間狹小的 Motel 6 的房間內長達數個月，只為打造出 MVP。之後，在急需資金又欠缺人脈的情況下，他們在某天半夜寄了一封 cold mail 給知名投資人 Mark Cuban，沒想到 Cuban 馬上回信。這封信件隨後開啟了一場長達六小時的即時 Due Diligence ，面對許多沒準備過的問題，兩位創辦人甚至得臨場即興發揮才能招架他犀利的提問。但這招奏效了，Cuban 最後決定投資 FiscalNote。
2018 年完成 D 輪融資後，FiscalNote 迎來了與經濟學人集團旗下 CQ Roll Call，也是 FiscalNote 主要競爭對手的正面對決。Tim 找上一位與著名的羅斯柴爾德家族（同時也是經濟學人集團大股東）有交情的大學好友，成功約到了 CQ Roll Call 的執行長。對方以為這只是一場前輩指導後輩的閒聊，不料 Tim 直接攤牌：若不把數據部門賣給 FiscalNote，就準備迎戰一個資金充沛、且產品明顯優於 CQ Roll Call 的強勁對手。這場會面結束後，那位執行長帶走了一份被收購的投資意向書。最終，收購案順利落幕，奠定了 FiscalNote 在產業中的霸主地位。2022 年 8 月，公司正式在紐交所掛牌上市，如今服務全球超過 6,000 家機構，涵蓋過半的財富 500 強企業與破千個美國聯邦政府機構。
公司成功上市後，Tim 轉換了自己的角色，開始經營一家橫跨金融科技、國防與氣候科技的 Venture Studio。儘管有趣，但他總覺得少了點什麼。經過一段時間的探索後 Tim 才找到答案：他懷念那種捲起袖子在第一線拚搏的實戰感。與此同時，上述提到美國診所體系中的不效率，作為他職涯中所見過最大的未解難題，不斷在他眼前浮現。於是，他與 Jonathan Chen 再次聯手創立 Nitra。
醫療產業看似遙遠，但 Tim 在 FiscalNote 累積了十年的實戰經驗完美契合醫療市場的特性：如何贏得非科技原生傳統機構買家的信任、駕馭與合規高度相關的工作流程，並開發出能無縫融入日常營運的軟體。政府機構、律師事務所和醫療診所其實非常相似：它們都是在繁瑣法規限制下運作的專業服務機構，任何帳務疏失都會帶來財務與合規的雙重災難。當 Tim 和 Jonathan 重新踏上旅程打造 Nitra 時，他們帶著的是在 FiscalNote 打磨了十年的歷練。
