Wistron Accelerator

Wistron Accelerator #8 Applications is Now Taking Applications!

Calling founders working in AI, IoT, Cloud, Cyber Security, EdTech and MedTech to join us.

Wistron is one of the world’s leading manufacturers in the ICT industry. In recent years, Wistron has been investing in R&D, tech innovation, and diversified product development, and has also seized on the growing trend of cloud applications. They have successfully integrated a multitude of hardware devices, software services, and cloud applications, and offer technical service platforms and solutions. During this time they have also expanded their business to new fields like education, corporate services, and medical care.

With an eye toward building a sustainable, long-term business, Wistron is actively looking into growth opportunities for the next decade, including strategic investments and technology partners, and in recent years has already invested more than NT$10 billion in over 60 companies.

To foster collaboration with new startups, Wistron has set up the investment office (CVC) in 2020, and launched the Wistron Accelerator Program with AppWorks, a leading launchpad for bold and ambitious entrepreneurs targeting Greater Southeast Asia (GSEA). The Wistron Accelerator is operated by AppWorks and will be held twice a year and recruit a limited number of 7 startups per batch. A total of 37 startups were selected to join the first seven batches, and they’ve been working with various business units of Wistron Group and its affiliates:

1. Wistron Group (including Innovation Integration Center, and the CVC team)
2. Wiwynn
3. Wistron NeWeb Corporation 
4. WITS (Wistron ITS)
   
5. Wistron Medical Technology
6. WiAdvance

Wistron has been working closely with AppWorks since 2014 as one of the major limited partners of AppWorks Fund II, Fund III and Fund IV. In addition to AppWorks Funds, Wistron also invested in AppWorks Accelerator startups such as MoBagel (AW#16), ANIWARE (AW#17) , Authme (AW#18) and Aiello (AW#20), building up long-term partnerships and relationships with each company.

Since 2010, AppWorks has been committed to helping founders seize the new wave of technology, bet against the consensus and drive the change they want to see in the world. By 2024 Q3, there were up to 607 active startups, with a total of 1,846 founders in AppWorks Accelerator’s ecosystem. Total revenue reached $15.3 billion and 24,570 jobs have been created in the ecosystem.

The startup ecosystem has reached a considerable scale and is ripe for the next stage. Many of the once early-stage startups have scaled up and are ready to work with large-scale customers or expand into new industries and new markets – Successful enterprises have the resources for startups to experiment and grow, and startups can provide enterprises with opportunities to innovate. We hope that through this collaboration between Wistron and AppWorks, we can help accelerate the growth of startups and create a win-win situation with enterprises.

Recruiting info

There will be two batches per year, each limited in size and admission by application. Enrolled startups will directly work with the designated Mentor from Wistron Group or its affiliate companies. Some domain-specific perks include:

1. Access to C-level Mentors from Wistron subsidiaries and business units
2. PoC with Wistron
3. A subsidy of NT$ 200K sponsored by Wistron
4. Microsoft / GCP / AWS Cloud Credits

Requests for Startups

Wistron Accelerator hopes to recruit startups that can utilize cutting-edge technology and find growth momentum for the next decade. Focus criteria includes (but are not limited to) AI, IoT, cloud, cybersecurity, EduTech and MedTech.

We recommend startups that have completed product development and have experience working with enterprises to apply, as this might be a more appropriate stage to try out PoCs and fully utilize the program.

We hope that through this accelerator program, startups and Wistron can work together and experiment with new technology solutions that could bring about growth opportunities beyond Wistron’s existing business. We are also looking forward to helping startups scale up faster by providing the direct support and resources offered by Wistron Group.

AppWorks startups invested by Wistron

1. AppWorks #16 MoBagel (AI、Big Data)
2. AppWorks #17 ANIWARE (AI、IoT)
3. AppWorks #18 Authme (AI、Cybersecurity)
4. AppWorks #20 Aiello (AI、IoT)

Wistron Accelerator #8 Application Timeline

Admission is on a rolling basis. Teams that pass the application review will receive an interview invitation. Teams that pass the interview will receive an admission notice.

1. Application opens Nov 4 2024
2. Early Bird Deadline Dec 19 2024
3. Final round Deadline Jan 9 2025
4. Program Starts in Mar 2025

Questions? Check out our FAQs

 

緯創集團第 8 屆垂直加速器啟動，
邀請優質 AI、物聯網、雲端、資安、教育與醫療新創加入

緯創資通集團身為全球 ICT 產業領導廠商之一，正積極佈局未來、邁向永續。憑藉堅強的研發及技術創新能力，以及多元化產品發展，將硬體設備結合軟體服務、雲端數據系統，提供技術服務與解決方案，建立新技術產業鏈以及創新平台，大力將事業擴展至教育、企業服務、物聯網及醫療等新領域。

緯創邁向永續的關鍵作法之一，就是採取積極的前瞻性投資，引進策略技術夥伴，投資並攜手新創團隊。緯創近幾年已投入超過新台幣 100 億元，共有 60 家投資或長期經營的案例。

為了擴大與新創合作的廣度與深度，緯創分別在 2020 年，成立企業投資辦公室 (CVC)；在 2021 年與大東南亞領先的新創加速器 AppWorks 合作啟動 Wistron Accelerator 緯創垂直加速器（官網），透過策略投資與結盟，積極佈局未來的成長引擎，由 AppWorks 提供營運等核心業務，並以每年舉辦兩屆、限額招募 7 家新創來進行。前七屆加速器共有 37 家新創獲選加入，與緯創各事業單位，以及集團旗下多家企業共同合作與加速：

1. Wistron 緯創資通 (包含 IIC 新創整合中心、CVC 企業投資辦公室)
2. Wiwynn 緯穎科技
3. WNC 啟碁科技
4. WITS (Wistron ITS) 緯創軟體
5. WMT 緯創醫學
6. WiAdvance 緯謙科技

緯創與 AppWorks 從 2014 年就開始展開策略結盟，不僅是 AppWorks Fund II、Fund III 的主要股東之一，之後也陸續投資了 MoBagel (AW#16)、ANIWARE (AW#17)、Authme (AW#18) 與 Aiello (AW#20) 等自 AppWorks Accelerator 畢業的新創校友，雙方有長期的策略合作關係與綜效。

AppWorks 從 2010 年開始經營創業加速器，一直致力於協助創業者把握科技浪潮，抓住下個十年的成長機會。截至 2024 下半年，AppWorks 新創生態系中，活躍新創累積至 607 家、共 1,846 位創業者；全體營收達到 153 億美元，提供的就業人數更達 24,570 位。

如今生態系已具相當規模，不少當初的早期新創，已陸續規模化，具備能力與企業客戶深度合作、跨足新的產業或新的市場。 AppWorks 決定藉由與緯創垂直加速器，扮演橋樑的角色，媒合新創與大企業深度合作，為新創提供實驗、成長場域，同時為大企業帶來外部創新機會。

獲選加入緯創垂直加速器的新創團隊，將獨享緯創集團旗下事業單位的合作，包含：

1. 緯創集團各企業 / 事業單位 C-level 高階主管提供產業面的專業建議
2. 與緯創獨家合作 PoC
3. 由緯創提供新台幣 20 萬研發費用贊助 
4. Microsoft / GCP / AWS Cloud Credits

申請條件

我們希望透過垂直加速器的合作，讓新創和緯創能共同提出解決方案，往未來十年看，為緯創帶來原有事業以外的成長機會。另一方面，我們也希望導入大企業的資源，幫助新創更快達到規模化。

緯創垂直加速器希望招募的新創團隊，範圍包含 (不限於) AI、物聯網、雲端、資安、教育與醫療科技領域。我們建議新創最好已經完成產品開發，並已有與用戶合作的經驗，將會有更好的合作體驗。

緯創參與投資的 AppWorks 新創校友

1. AppWorks #16 MoBagel (AI、Big Data)
2. AppWorks #17 ANIWARE (AI、IoT)
3. AppWorks #18 Authme (AI、Cybersecurity)
4. AppWorks #20 Aiello (AI、IoT)

Wistron Accelerator #8 申請時程

申請採先到先審制，通過申請審核的團隊，將會收到面談邀請。通過面談的團隊，將會收到錄取通知。

1. 開放申請 Nov 4 2024
2. 早鳥輪截止 Dec 19 2024
3. 最終輪截止 Jan 9 2025
4. 加速器開始 Mar 2025

延伸閱讀

• 緯創資通集團主管專訪：

劉展豪 (緯創行業智能產品事業群副總經理)：積極投資技術與人才，成為與 IoT、Smart Device 新創合作的重要推手

洪麗甯 (緯穎科技執行長)：擁抱科技創新，是我們 Day 1 就建立的 DNA

緯創軟體執行長蕭清志：企業需與善用軟體、數據創造價值的新創，共同探索未來

秦北辰 (緯創資通價值創新中心總監)：打造新價值，來自與新創合作的加乘

• Wistron Accelerator 校友專訪：

專訪黃朝秋 (BSOS 執行長)，用 Blockchain 連結實體資產，將是另一個更寬廣的賽道

聯發科出身的余嘉淵，如何帶領 3drens，走過無數 Pivot，在車聯網找到成長引擎

農家出身、台大機械所畢業的 iCHASE 張光甫，運用 AI / IoT 加速畜牧業智慧化

Questions? 緯創加速器常見問題