關於 i hope that my working experience and education can be of ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

We didn’t wait till we were ready, we just took the risk and said ‘YES’ to the opportunity when it was presented to us.

It’s been slightly more than a month since our fitness charity event with Voice For Paws, a non-profit organisation that rescues, rehabilitates and rehouses strays in Malaysia.

Back then, Kevin and I were working on having a space to train our clients and we figured before that happens, it would be amazing to first introduce @movementdynamicsfit through a collaborative effort for a ‘Paw-sitive’ cause. We both love animals and are huge supporters of animal adoptions, so it only made sense to join forces with an NGO to raise funds & awareness about a cause that is close to our hearts.

At Movement Dynamics, we strive to help our clients embrace the winners in them and become relentless in pursuing the goals they set for themselves.

Through constant education, support and accountability, we coach our clients to take back control of their lives starting with their bodies and health.

We wanted to motivate and encourage people to adopt a healthier lifestyle while contributing to a great cause at the same time.

We had only 2 weeks to set up the entire event and of course just like any event planning and management, there were hiccups along the way which we were grateful for. Grateful for the lessons because we learned so much from this experience which we can apply to our next event to make the experience better for us and everyone else.

Situations and ideas are fluid, so if we adopt an adaptable mindset and play to our strengths, it makes the process easier.

I just wanna say, thank you to my family members and friends for showing up and moving for our furry friends 🐶
I hope everyone had a great time with us!

A big shoutout to my partner, @kevinkhaandor for being so open and supportive of my ideas. Don’t think I could do this without you!

@thebeemy for providing your beautiful venue.
@voice_for_paws @lydiasheena @ssubyy for collaborating with us and helping to raise awareness on dog adoption.
@themegantan for doing such a kick ass job hosting our event.
@markjason_mj for leading the group workout.
#adidasMY for the comfy workout outfits.

Eric's English Lounge 到底在做什麼啊？是補習班嗎？
　
Recently, I have gotten quite a few emails asking if I do private tutoring. Some have asked if I have a bushiban or run the page with a team. While our readers know we publish English learning posts, what exactly is it that we do?
　
最近，我收到一些信件，詢問我是否有提供私人家教，也有人問我是否為補教業者或有一個團隊在經營這個頁面。我們的讀者都知道，我們在粉專上發布英語學習的貼文，但我們究竟是做什麼的？
　
★★★★★★★★★★★★
　
To be completely honest, I am not sure if there is a category suitable for our page. My current positions are a doctoral student and an educational consultant for e-learning companies and policy makers. In addition to hosting my classes, I use the page mainly to provide free resource and perform charitable activities.
　
坦白說，我不確定是否有相關的類別適合我們的粉絲專頁。目前我是一位博士生，也是網路公司的教育顧問。除了我開設的課程之外，我主要透過本專頁來提供免費的英語學習資源，並執行慈善計畫。
　
★★★★★★★★★★★★
　
I started the page in 2012 as a lecturer and the general manager of an overseas study company, and the aim was to share learning materials with my students. I would occasionally compile information online, edit them, and publish them for free. I started investing more time around 2014 and 2015, and we had about 20K fans at this point. I did not commercialize the page, so people did not know what I was doing (they literally wrote and asked me). I left my position as the general manager, and I was unsure of my next move.
　
起初，我以海外留學公司總經理兼講師的身份，於２０１２年設立了這個粉專，以便與學生們分享資訊。我偶爾會整理網路上的資訊並加以編輯，免費與大家分享。在２０１４年與２０１５年期間，我開始投入更多時間，當時我們約有２萬名粉絲。我並沒有將粉專商業化，所以很多人確實不清楚我在做什麼。之後，我辭去了海外留學公司的所有職務，但不確定自己的下一步是什麼。
　
★★★★★★★★★★★★
　
I did not want to open a test prep center like many suggested. I did not want to sacrifice my ideals to meet business goals, and I felt I could do more to make use of my experience and strengths as a curriculum writer and teacher. I started consulting educational organizations and worked on my own online classes. It was a difficult path because there was simply very little demand for “educational consultants” in Taiwan. I had to carve my own path, and worked with numerous organizations such as ETS-Taiwan and the British Council to do so. Meanwhile, I kept writing and compiling information on our page, and it became arguably one of the largest databanks of free bilingual learning resources in Taiwan.
　
我知道自己並不想如許多人建議那樣，開設一間補習班。我不想犧牲自己的理想來實現商業目標，而我也覺得可以發揮身為課程編寫者及老師的經驗與力量，做更多的事。因此，我開始為教育機構提供諮詢，並開設自己的線上課程。這是一條艱難的路，因為臺灣對「教育顧問」的需求非常少。我必須開闢自己的道路，並與許多機構合作，像是「ＥＴＳ－臺灣」以及「英國文化協會」。同時，我持續在粉專上撰寫與整理資訊，而這似乎也讓粉專成為臺灣最大的免費雙語學習資料庫之一。
　
★★★★★★★★★★★★
　
It was around late 2016 when I started regularly posting news in English (https://bit.ly/36o3Z1e). I felt that students need to be aware of current events and think critically rather than focusing only on basic linguistic features. While vocabulary and grammar are undoubtedly important to second language learners, there are already ample resources in these domains. Given my interest in international news and years of experience living and working in both Taiwan and the US, I aim to offer language learners a unique perspective in learning. My posts began to cover the news, social issues, and educational editorials. We reached about 30K subscribers around 2018 with this approach.
　
大約在２０１6年，我開始定期用英語發布新聞 (https://bit.ly/36o3Z1e)。我覺得學生需要關注時事，並能從不同的角度思考，而非只是專注在語言本身。儘管詞彙與文法對第二語言學習者而言無疑是重要的，但在這一方面已經有相當多的資源。鑒於我對國際新聞的興趣，以及在臺美兩地生活與工作多年的經驗，我想為語言學習者提供獨特的觀點。我的貼文開始涵蓋了新聞、社會議題與教育觀點。藉由此一方式，我們的粉專約於２０１８年突破了３萬名的追蹤人數。
　
★★★★★★★★★★★★
　
Early 2020, we broke 50K fans on FB, and I knew it was time for me to post more regularly. I added two people to my team of one, and we started regularly posting bilingual news, education editorials, posts on empathy, and of course, free English learning resources. We also have periodic giveaways of books and educational materials. Our subscribers now include students, parents, and teachers primarily from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the US.
　
２０２０年初，我們的追蹤人數突破５萬，我便知道是時候定期發布貼文了。我邀請了兩位成員加入這個原本只有我一人的團隊，我們開始發布雙語新聞、教育評論、翻轉視界的系列貼文，當然還有免費的英語學習資源。我們也定期贈送書籍與教育資料。現在，我們的訂閱者包含了學生、家長與教師，主要是來自臺灣、香港與美國。
　
★★★★★★★★★★★★
　
Some have advised me to just completely turn the page into a business since we have significant following. However, I have held back from doing so because I view myself more as a teacher and not a business owner or a social media influencer. It is not all about traffic flow and commercialization. In fact, I place many restrictions on commercial cooperation, turning down opportunities to advertise and work with many large language edu companies.
　
有些人建議我將這個粉專完全轉為商業用途，畢竟我們擁有可觀的追蹤人數。然而，我之所以不這麼做是因為，我認為自己是一位老師，而非公司的老闆或網紅。並非所有的事物都關乎流量與商業化。事實上，我為自己以及商業合作設下許多限制，婉拒了諸多廣告宣傳以及與許多大型語言教育公司合作的機會。
　
★★★★★★★★★★★★
　
Currently, Eric’s English Lounge is not a company. I do have online classes through VoiceTube and other platforms, and I do have a team of two editors. However, all other sources of income from collaboration with businesses and influencers on my page are donated to charities in a transparent manner: https://bit.ly/3fKytik. I started this project (http://bit.ly/3990snT) this past year and plan to move the page in a sustainable, non-profit direction.
　
目前，Eric’s English Lounge 並不是公司。雖然我在 VoiceTube 確實有線上課程，也有一個團隊（我與兩位小編），但其餘與企業或具有影響力的人（influencers）合作所帶來的收益，均以透明的方式捐贈給慈善機構：https://bit.ly/3fKytik。
　
去年，我開啟了公益講座計畫（http://bit.ly/3990snT），並計劃讓粉專朝著可持續且非盈利的方向發展。
　
★★★★★★★★★★★★
　
I hope to provide as much free resource as I can. You might have noticed that I am in my 40s, a tad older than most online influencers. I come from a low-income, divorced family, and I started working when I was in junior high. I became independent when I turned 18, and took numerous jobs just to make ends meet. I am already fortunate compared to many, as I had some remarkable teachers and received aid and scholarships from the government. Nevertheless, it has been a long climb, and this has allowed me to empathize and connect with some disadvantaged students.
　
我希望竭盡所能地提供免費資源。也許你已經注意到我４０幾了，比多數在網路上有影響力的人（online influencers）要稍年長一些。我來自一個低收入的單親家庭，國中時便開始打工。１８歲那年我開始獨立自主，從事許多工作以維持生計。與多數人相比，我已非常幸運，因為我遇到許多非常傑出的老師，也獲得政府的補助與獎學金。這無疑是段漫長的過程，但也正因如此，讓我得以更加瞭解那些缺乏資源與引導的人，並與他們有所連結與擁有同理心。
　
★★★★★★★★★★★★
　
Thus, this is the general background of the page. In all honesty, our page is still growing and evolving. It is used to provide free resources, to spread ideals of empathy, to do charity, and to sustain myself. I aim to continue using the page to provide educational resources, raise awareness of social issues, and offer students diverse perspectives. These are my current goals for this page. After eight years, Eric’s English Lounge is still going strong. May we all continue to learn, think, and grow together.
　
以上便是粉專的基本背景。老實說，我們的粉專仍在持續成長。粉專旨在提供免費的資源、提倡同理心、做慈善，並維持我個人的生活。我的目標是繼續藉由粉專為各位提供教育資源，提升社會議題的關注度，並為學生帶來不同的觀點。這些都是我當前對粉專的期許。歷經八年的風風雨雨，Eric’s English Lounge 仍屹立不搖。願我們繼續學習、持續思考，並且共同成長。
　
★★★★★★★★★★★★
　
P.S. You know that ERIC stands for Education Resources Information Center, right?
　
It is an online digital library of education research and information sponsored by the US Department of Education: https://bit.ly/2TzYF5L
　
Vision & Mission 宗旨與目標: https://bit.ly/2Uo9sAK

Equity in Education 教育公平: https://bit.ly/36qYor4

Developing Empathy 同理心的發展: http://bit.ly/3990snT
　
★★★★★★★★★★★★
　
公益講座計畫：http://bit.ly/3990snT

慈善機構捐贈：https://bit.ly/3fKytik

英文學習資源大全: http://bit.ly/2klC66h

昨天台灣大哥大發布訊息，自 2019 年 4 月 1 日起將聘任 AppWorks 創辦合夥人 Jamie 林之晨為總經理，長期關心 AppWorks 的朋友，或許會有些疑惑。其實不是 Jamie 換工作，而是 AppWorks 將與台灣大一起，挑戰一個放大 10 倍的計畫。在此跟大家分享 Jamie 的聲明，有更完整的敘述。

#以下是_Jamie_聲明全文

稍早台灣大哥大發布訊息，自 2019 年 4 月 1 日起將聘任為我為總經理，我的朋友們，以及長期關心我與 AppWorks 的媒體，一定會有許多疑惑，請容我在此統一向大家說明。
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#EnglishBelow 稍早台灣大哥大發布訊息，自 2019 年 4 月 1 日起將聘任為我為總經理，我的朋友們，以及長期關心我與 AppWorks 的媒體，一定會有許多疑惑，請容我在此統一向大家說明。

首先，我不是接下了台灣大總經理的職位，而是接下了整合市值美金 120 億、營收美金 38 億的台灣大與市值美金 36 億、營收美金 25 億的 AppWorks Ecosystem，放大出 10 倍成果的任務。

這得從我的故事說起，如果您還沒聽過的話，我原本已經移民美國，和老婆小孩開心的住在紐約，2008 年，我在美看到 iPhone、Android 相繼問世，Facebook、Twitter 等社群媒體成為主流，意識到軟體的力量將越來越大，而硬體將越來越沒有價值，換言之，台灣的國際經濟地位將受到極大挑戰，因此決定舉家搬遷回台，推動台灣的轉型升級，以免我熱愛的福爾摩沙從世界經濟奇蹟變成失落的遺跡。

這是一個很大的決定，不僅我要放棄自己的美國夢，老婆、小孩都得跟著改變職涯、學涯，因此既然要做，就得發揮最大的 Impact。所以回台之後，我每天思考、決定、努力的，都是最大化我對台灣的貢獻。

因此這些年來我戴了很多帽子，表面看起來沒什麼相關性，但背後都有一個共同的目的，那就是推動台灣的改變。首先，我長期寫網誌、經營 Facebook 等網路社群、在《天下》等期刊寫專欄、出書、演講、接受採訪，心想的是分享新知、新觀念，散播進步需要的養分。

我與夥伴們成立 AppWorks，有系統的幫助年輕人創業，為的是培養千千萬萬帶領台灣前進的下一代生力軍。這也是為什麼 AppWorks 從 2010 年啟動半年一期的創業加速器，至今一直堅持免費提供。目前 AppWorks Accelerator 共畢業的 17 屆、925 位創業者，由他們成立的活躍企業高達 328 家，2018 年產值 760 億，提供 9,500 個工作機會，非常確切的為台灣貢獻一股向上動能。更重要的是，這些創業者們因 AppWorks 而相識相惜，形成一個緊密互助的網路，更是社會的長期資產。

當 AppWorks 在台灣站穩腳步，2014 年我們開始積極走訪東南亞，邀請優秀的東協創業者前來加入，希望透過串連跨國創業者網路，促進台灣的區域化，同時貢獻東協的數位發展。經過 5 年的推動，這個工作也有大幅進展，即將在 3 月進駐 AppWorks 的 33 組 AW#18 團隊，將有高達 19 組來自東南亞，包含他們在內，AppWorks 有 160 家企業在台灣以外的大東南亞市場有據點，形成一個真正區域化的網路。現在，來自台灣、香港、新加坡的 AppWorks 創業者要前往印尼、越南發展，可以很容易的找到 AppWorks 校友帶路，大大降低了區域化的門檻。

除了創業加速器，透過 AppWorks，我們同時努力創造更多台灣改變需要的新典範。以創業投資為例，我們 2012 年成功募集 3.2 億 Fund I，2014 年募得 15 億 Fund II，在 AppWorks 團隊的努力經營下，目前兩支基金的投資績效都是水準以上，其中 Fund II 至今的年化內部報酬率 (IRR) 達 29%，遠高於歐美同期創投基金的 Top Quartile (前四分之一) 指標。透過追求與國際一流基金同等的表現，我們希望促進台灣 LP (創投投資人的簡稱) 更有信心支持本土新興 GP (創投管理公司的簡稱)，進而推動台灣創投業的復甦。

2016 年，我們出資成立 AppWorks School，每 4 個月一期，免費幫助年輕人透過實作學習程式、轉職工程師、加入成長中的數位行業，提升他們的職涯的同時，也為台灣貢獻人才。目前 School 已畢業 106 位學生，其中 85% 成功轉職，第一年起薪中位數達 67 萬。雖然杯水車薪，但我們希望拋磚引玉，刺激台灣教育的現代化，幫助年輕人準備好面對 AI 時代。

此外，AppWorks 雖然仍是中小企業，但受到的關注較多，因此也經常以身作則，為台灣業界示範新時代企業可以有的新思維。除了看齊國際優質創投的薪資獎金水準、年假無上限、自由選擇工作時間地點、新年假期長達三、四週外，我們更在日前啟動交棒計畫，讓年僅 30 歲的 Jessica 劉侊縈、40 歲的 Andy 蔡欣翰升任合夥人，希望激發台灣企業勇敢讓年輕人當家。

私部門之外，有機會推動台灣轉型的公領域活動，我也積極參與。2016 年，我從詹宏志先生手上接下 TiEA (台灣網際網路暨電子商務產業發展協會) 理事長，上任後便努力推動網路電商正名運動，成功說服了櫃買中心創立電子商務分類；2017 年起我開始擔任亞洲·矽谷民諮委共同召集人、數位國家諮詢委員、代表台灣參加每年四次的 ABAC (APEC Business Advisory Council) 會議，2018 年又奉總統之命擔任 APEC Vision Group 代表，與其他 20 會員國派出的先進，一起定義 APEC 未來的 20 年願景。這些雖然都是義務工作，但我都當作正職全力以赴，因為都有機會大大影響台灣的命運，以及在經濟領域的國際能見度。

最後，我去年決定再次舉家，準備遷往雅加達，同樣還是以為台灣貢獻出發。我觀察到 2.6 億人口的印尼正在快速崛起，短短 5 年內從有限的新創活動，到 4 隻本土獨角獸加 3 隻外來獨角獸的蓬勃景況，必須要幫助台灣抓住這個成長機會，但印尼商業生態與台灣大不相同，所以我決定進駐雅加達、深耕當地，希望能因此扮演帶領 AppWorks 新創進入印尼的嚮導，縮短我們與世界第四大國、東南亞第一大國的距離。這麼做得犧牲一些我在台灣的工作，但這些工作多半我的夥伴們可以承接，因此我便毅然開始行動。

講了這麼多，我其實只是希望您能了解，我大老遠從紐約搬回來的目的就是改變台灣，所以這些年來我做決定沒什麼懸念，因為不需要考慮自己的利益，只需要考慮在這個時間點，我做這件事情，是不是最能貢獻台灣。

如此我們便可以回到正題，這次的「台灣大 + AppWorks」專案。

不久前，蔡明忠董事長約我談話，詢問我有沒有興趣接下台灣大總經理的職位，一開始我其實是無法答應的，首先我已經決定搬去印尼，再來我也不確定接這個位子，跟貢獻台灣的關係。回去想了兩整天後，我有了答案，我跟蔡董事長說，必須有四個先決條件：

第一，結合台灣大和 AppWorks，用 AppWorks 生態系去幫助台灣大轉型為科技企業，同時以台灣大為平台去加速 AppWorks 新創的成長，因此創造更多成功的企業，為台灣示範成熟企業如何與新創實際合作；

第二，由 AppWorks 帶路，推動台灣大 + AppWorks 走出台灣，成為一個大東南亞科技集團，為台灣企業的區域化寫下典範，同時也成為能加速 AppWorks 新創區域化的大平台；

第三，以建立一個市值 1,000 億美金 (US$ 100B) 的科技集團為目標，創造第一個由台灣出發、真正達到國際級的非代工企業；

第四，所有因為台灣大 + AppWorks 集團未來的價值成長，公司依規定希望給予我個人的獎勵，要能全數由集團捐為公益使用，且專注在推動台灣的教育改革與電影工業上。

我跟蔡董事長說，如果以這四個目標為前提，那就值得我花 10 到 15 年的生命去推動。這基本上是我的夢幻清單，如果這麼做的話，能為台灣創造的貢獻，比 AppWorks 繼續獨立營運還會巨大許多，想不到蔡董事長毫不猶豫的答應。也因此，我回頭與 AppWorks 的夥伴們溝通，得到大家的支持後，我們決定一起接受這個挑戰。所以開頭我說，我不是接下了台灣大總經理的職位，而是接下了整合台灣大與 AppWorks，放大出 10 倍成果的任務。

當然，這不是一件容易的工作，發展新的商業模式，我或許有 20 年的創業、工作經驗作為後盾，但對於管理電信事業，對於領導一個 7,000 人的大集團，我有太多需要學習的地方，所以，我請蔡董事長務必持續扮演我的 Partner，在這個過程中一起確保電信本業的營運，好讓我們有最大的空間與時間，去爭取新事業的發展，為所有「台灣大 + AppWorks」的 Stakeholders，爭取最佳的長期利益。

未來幾年，將是電信業轉型的關鍵時期，去年 499 之亂加速電信用戶 ARPU (平均每戶營收) 的下滑，消費者換機時間拉長導致手機營收停滯，接下來資本支出是 4G 近 4 倍的 5G 即將到來，更讓電信長達 20 年紅利時代難以延續，AI、IoT、Blockchain、Cloud 等巨型典範轉移接連的到來，進一步逼迫電信業者不能繼續防守。

另一方面，電信業已經建立的品牌、長期客戶關係、大量用戶數據，卻是極有價值，可以更全面應用的資產。透過台灣大 + AppWorks 的結合，目前已經產生 760 億年營收的 AppWorks 的 328 家新創，以及未來將持續培養的更多新興企業，都有機會透過與台灣大的合作加速成長，而台灣大也能因此取得新的營收引擎，創造雙贏的局面。

所以，在可預見的未來，AppWorks 的方向不會改變，我們將持續邀請優秀的創業者加入，透過 AppWorks 原有的能量，以及新增的台灣大平台幫助他們。AppWorks 基金的營運也不會改變，事實上，加入了台灣大的能量，我們有信心能為 LP 們創造更好的財務、策略報酬。我的角色，除了新增台灣大總經理以外，也沒有改變，將持續擔任 AppWorks 的董事長、合夥人，戮力確保台灣大 + AppWorks 的整合能順利成功、長長久久，創造多贏。唯一改變的，大概是我的工作時間將會增加，因此要犧牲與家人的相處，在此先跟偉大的老婆、兩個可愛的兒子道歉，感謝他們對這個決定的支持與諒解。

至於搬遷至雅加達、引導更多 AppWorks 新創進軍印尼的計畫，很遺憾必須暫緩，所幸 AppWorks 的新任合夥人 Jessica (劉侊縈)，已經承諾會扛起這個責任，相信在她的帶領下，AppWorks 的印尼計畫還是能夠大鳴大放、開花結果。

以上，就是針對此次台灣大 + AppWorks 的重大發展，向各位好友、媒體朋友的報告，懇求你們的支持。無論如何，我會持續為貢獻台灣而努力，希望我們這一輩的小孩們長大後，可以和我們一樣，以做台灣人為榮。

最後，預祝 您

新年快樂 諸凡順遂
助君張目 豬滿福保

Earlier today, Taiwan Mobile published an announcement communicating their intention to appoint me as the company’s general manager as of 4/1/2019. I’m sure this announcement may come as a surprise to many of my friends in the startup community, likely leaving you all with ample questions, concerns, and potentially even doubt. Let me take the opportunity to clarify the situation and explain the reasonings behind my decision for everyone.

Firstly, I must clarify that I am not merely taking over as GM of Taiwan Mobile, but taking on the bigger job of integrating Taiwan Mobile, a $12B market cap & $3.8B revenue company, and AppWorks, a $3.6B valuation & $2.5B revenue ecosystem, to amplify our impact by 10x.

But to adequately understand where we’re going, I think it’s important for everyone to know where we’ve come from. This begins with my story—for those of you that haven’t heard it before—which dates back to my time living in New York. It was around 2008 when I saw the launch of iPhone and Android, as well as the advent of Facebook, Twitter, etc, collectively catapulting social media into mainstream use. It was clear that software was increasingly taking over the world while the value of hardware was becoming more and more commoditized. This posed a dire existential threat to Taiwan, whose global economic contributions had been primarily driven by hardware and semiconductor manufacturing. This eventually prompted my resolve to move back to Taiwan and prevent our country from becoming a relic of the past.

This was by no means an easy decision. Not only did I have to give up my American dream, but my wife and child would have to completely uproot their lives, changing jobs and schools. It was a huge sacrifice on their end, so after moving back I dedicated myself to working hard every day to maximize my contribution to Taiwan and exert the greatest impact possible.

I have worn a lot of hats since, and it may seem that there is no correlation on the surface. But, there is indeed a common purpose behind them, which is to promote change in Taiwan. First of all, I have long written posts and columns in online communities such as my own blog, Facebook, and journals like “The Commonwealth Magazine,” while also giving speeches and interviews for a variety of outlets whenever possible. I see these activities as a way to share new knowledge, new ideas, and disseminate the nutrients needed for progress.

I set up AppWorks with my partners to systematically help young people start their own businesses and cultivate the next generation of business leaders that will steer Taiwan forward. That's why AppWorks started its semi-annual startup accelerator in 2010, and has been offering it for free ever since. With the addition of the latest batch AW#17, the AppWorks Ecosystem encompasses 328 active startups and 925 founders, having collectively generated US$ 2.5 billion in revenues and created 9,586 jobs—not an immaterial contribution to Taiwan’s economy needless to say. More importantly, we’ve created a tight-knit community where founders can form lifelong relationships, while seeking advice from both peers and mentors in good times and bad. I see that as a long-term value to society.

Once AppWorks took a firm foothold in Taiwan, we began targeting Southeast Asia in 2014 to invite outstanding ASEAN entrepreneurs to join us. We hope to promote Taiwan's regionalization through a network of international founders, and in turn, facilitate the development of SEA’s digital economy. We've made significant strides these past five years. AW#18 will kick off in March 2019, and consists of 33 teams, 19 of which hailing from countries across SEA and beyond. Spanning our entire ecosystem, AppWorks encompasses 160 companies currently operating in Southeast Asia, forming a truly regional network. Now, AppWorks founders from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore are expanding to Indonesia and Vietnam, and it is easy to find local AppWorks alumni to lead the way, greatly reducing the barriers for international expansion.

In addition to AppWorks Accelerator, we have been working hard to create more examples for a modern Taiwan. Taking venture capital as an example, we successfully raised US$ 11 million for Fund I in 2012 and US$ 50 million for Fund II in 2014. Under the efforts of the AppWorks team, the investment performance of the two funds is currently above the industry average, of which Fund II has achieved an annualized internal rate of return (IRR) of 29%. This is much higher than the top quartile of VCs in both Europe and the United States. By pursuing the same performance as international first-class funds, we hope to encourage Taiwanese LPs (short for venture capital investors) to be more confident in supporting local emerging GPs (short for venture capital management companies) and to promote the recovery and ultimate longevity of Taiwan's VC industry.

In 2016, we created AppWorks School with the aim of helping the younger generation pick up new skill sets, enhance their careers, and join the growing tech industry. The school offers four-month free programs and has now graduated 106 students, 85% of whom have secured jobs as software engineers, with a median starting salary of US$ 21,833. Although our scale is still tiny compared to larger institutes, we hope our efforts have inspired others to promote the modernization of Taiwan’s education system and equip young people with the necessary skills to thrive in the AI ​​era.

In addition, although AppWorks is still a small to medium-sized enterprise, it has received a lot of attention. Therefore, it often leads by example and demonstrates how to apply new thinkings to modern corporate management. In addition to internationally-competitive salaries, our colleagues enjoy flexible working hours and locations, unlimited vacation days, and several weeks off around Chinese New Year. AppWorks also recently launched an internal promotion track, promoting two of our very own staff to partners, Jessica Liu (30) and Andy Tsai (40). We hope that this move will also create a ripple effect across traditional Taiwanese industries, inspiring more local enterprises to put their faith in younger leaders.

Alongside the private sector, I am also actively involved in promoting Taiwan’s transformation through public sector activities. In 2016, I took over as chairman of TiEA (Taiwan Internet and E-Commerce Association) from Mr. Hung-Tze Jan (詹宏志). After taking office, I have worked hard to promote our industry and successfully convinced government cabinet members to create a separate category for e-commerce companies, which didn’t previously exist in Taiwan’s stock market. Since 2017, I have been the co-convenor of the Asia-Silicon Valley Development Agency Advisory Committee, advisor of DIGI+ Taiwan, and the country’s member in ABAC (APEC Business Advisory Council). Most recently in 2018, I was appointed by the President to represent Taiwan in the APEC Vision Group, where 21 member states come together to define APEC's vision for the next 20 years. Although these are all voluntary work, I have treated them as full-time jobs because they produce opportunities that can greatly influence Taiwan’s future.

Finally, last year I was prepared to uproot my family again and move to Jakarta. With a population of 260 million people, I observed that Indonesia was a rapidly emerging economy, producing many areas where Taiwan and Taiwanese companies can contribute. In the span of just five years, Indonesia went from a barren startup landscape to producing four local unicorns and attracting the presence of three international unicorns. Although the opportunities are abundant, Indonesia’s ecosystem was much different from Taiwan’s, creating immense cultural, regulatory, and competitive barriers for Taiwanese companies. I had thus planned on relocating to Jakarta in hopes of better leading AppWorks startups into Indonesia and shortening our distance from the world’s fourth most populous country and GSEA’s biggest economy. I would have had to sacrifice some of my roles and responsibilities in my Taiwan, but I put faith in my partners and co-workers to fill the void.

With all that said, I want you to understand that the underlying mission to change Taiwan has never faltered. With this mission in mind, I’ve never hesitated in making decisions over the years because I’ve never needed to consider my own interests—but only the things I can do at the moment to best contribute to Taiwan and generate the most impact. It’s what prompted my resolution to move back from New York, my intent to move to Jakarta, and now my decision to take on this new opportunity with “Taiwan Mobile + AppWorks.”

Not long ago, the Chairman of Taiwan Mobile Daniel Tsai reached out and asked if I was interested in taking over as General Manager of Taiwan Mobile. At first, I was unable to take his offer because I was getting ready to move to Indonesia and I didn’t know how this would contribute to making Taiwan better. After allowing myself a few days to contemplate, I found an answer. I told Chairman Tsai that I would take on the position, but only if I can pursue these 4 ambitions:

First, leverage the AppWorks ecosystem to help transform Taiwan Mobile into a true technology company. At the same time, leverage Taiwan Mobile as a platform to accelerate the growth of AppWorks startups, thereby creating a successful collaboration template for other Taiwan & SEA large corporations to work with startups.

Second, with AppWorks leading the way, establish Taiwan Mobile + AppWorks into a regional technology group across Greater Southeast Asia, in turn, inspiring other Taiwanese companies to explore Southeast Asia as well as becoming a platform for startups to go regional.

Third, build Taiwan Mobile + AppWorks group to a market cap of US$ 100 billion and create the first non-OEM company that originates from Taiwan and truly reaches a global scale.

Fourth, throughout the process, all the bonuses I am entitled to shall be donated by the group to public welfare, focusing specifically on promoting education reform and the film industry in Taiwan.

I told Chairman Tsai if these are the goals, it’s worth dedicating the next 10 - 15 years of my life to achieve. This is basically my dream list. If I do this, the contribution to Taiwan and the GSEA region as a whole from the combined entity will be much greater than the continued independent operation of AppWorks. Chairman Tsai agreed on these four goals and gave me his promise, but it was still not a decision that I could make on my own--after all building AppWorks into what is it today was not something I did alone. Therefore, I went back to communicate with the AppWorks partners and team, and with everyone's support, we decided to accept this challenge together.

Thus, at the beginning of the post, I said, that I am not only taking over the position of Taiwan Mobile’s GM, but undertaking the task of integrating Taiwan Mobile and AppWorks to amplify our impact by 10x. Of course, developing a completely new business model is not an easy job. I may have 20 years of entrepreneurship and work experience under my belt, but I still have much to learn when it comes to managing a massive telecoms operation with over 7,000 people, most of whom are much more familiar with the industry than me. Therefore, I asked Chairman Tsai to act as my partner through the process to ensure the continued operations of the telecoms unit. This will enable more time and space to develop new businesses, benefiting all “Taiwan Mobile + AppWorks” stakeholders in the long run.

The telecoms industry will likely undergo a crucial transformation in the next few years. Last year’s “NT$499 war” accelerated the decline of telecom subscribers’ ARPU (average revenue per household). Longer replacement periods for smartphones have led to the stagnation of mobile phone revenues and the rollout of 5G will cost four times the capex as 4G. These factors all threaten the industry’s ability to maintain the fluid growth it’s experienced for the past 20 years. Furthermore, the arrival of paradigm shifting technologies such as AI, IoT, Blockchain, and Cloud have put all telecom operators on the defensive.

On the other hand, the telecoms industry has established brands, long-term customer relationships, and a massive amount of user data—all valuable assets that can be better maximized. Through the combination of Taiwan Mobile + AppWorks and the 328 startups that AppWorks has cultivated, all emerging startups will be able to look to the combined platform as a strategic engine for cooperation and growth. This is will also enable Taiwan to develop new sources of value creation--a win-win for both sides.

Therefore, in the foreseeable future, AppWorks will not change direction. We will continue to invite outstanding entrepreneurs to join our accelerator, staying true to the original ethos of AppWorks, while leveraging the new Taiwan Mobile platform to help them. The operation of AppWorks Funds will not change. In fact, with the backing of Taiwan Mobile’s resources, we are confident that we can create better financial and strategic rewards for LPs. My role at AppWorks will not change. I will continue to serve as a partner of AppWorks. I will ensure that the integration of Taiwan Mobile + AppWorks will be a successful, long-lasting win-win situation for all stakeholders involved. The only change is probably that my working hours will increase, effectively cutting into my family time. So first, I must apologize to my great wife and two lovely sons, and thank them for their continued support and understanding of this decision.

As for the plan to move to Jakarta and guide more AppWorks startups to enter Indonesia, regrettably it must be suspended. Fortunately, Jessica Liu, AppWorks’ newest partner, has promised to take up this responsibility. I believe that under her leadership, AppWorks' Indonesia initiative will still be able to make a big splash and develop fruitfully.

Hopefully, this post has provided you with all the relevant details regarding the Taiwan Mobile + AppWorks announcement. To friends and media, I sincerely appreciate your continued support. At any rate, I will continue to work hard to contribute to Taiwan. I hope that the children of our generation will grow up and be proud of being Taiwanese.

Finally, I wish everyone all the best. Have a wonderful and prosperous pig year!