The 6th Taiwan Yunus Social Business Innovation Award Provides Over NT$1 Million in Resources to Support Youth Entrepreneurship

(中央社訊息服務20260622 15:55:11)The Foundation for Yunus Social Business Taiwan, established under the authorization of Professor Muhammad Yunus, recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, has long been dedicated to promoting the 3ZERO Vision—Zero Net Carbon Emissions, Zero Poverty, and Zero Unemployment—as well as the concept of Social Business in Taiwan. Through education, competitions, and cross-sector collaboration, the Foundation cultivates talents with a strong sense of social responsibility and innovative thinking. This year, the 6th Taiwan Yunus Social Business Innovation Award invites youth and social innovators from Taiwan and around the world to develop innovative solutions that address today’s pressing social challenges.

Continuing its dual-track structure of the Student Division and Social Division, this year’s competition further expands opportunities for international participation and welcomes proposals from individuals and teams of diverse backgrounds, including overseas participants. In addition to offering prizes and support resources valued at over NT$1 million, the competition integrates capacity-building workshops and professional mentorship to help participants transform ideas into actionable projects. The 6th edition places greater emphasis on feasibility and impact growth, encouraging teams to develop prototype products and service concepts while proposing executable and scalable Social Business models that create long-term social value.

This year’s competition is also proudly supported by Dale Carnegie Training and the Innoart Cultural Foundation, further strengthening youth empowerment resources. Student Division finalists will have the opportunity to compete for 15 fully sponsored seats in Carnegie’s University Program. Through systematic training, participants will enhance their communication, leadership, and teamwork skills, building a stronger foundation for driving social innovation initiatives. As part of this year’s outreach efforts, seven campus information sessions were held nationwide, attracting nearly 400 participants. Dale Carnegie Training joined three of these events, sharing its philosophy that “80% attitude and 20% professional knowledge” contribute to success. Through interactive discussions and experiential learning activities, students were encouraged to reflect on personal growth, teamwork, and the importance of maintaining a positive mindset when creating social impact.

Since opening participation to international students for the first time last year, the Taiwan Yunus Social Business Innovation Award has received enthusiastic responses from overseas teams. Among them, the international student team “D’ventura” won Second Place with its proposal focused on sustainable youth tourism. This year, the Foundation invited the team to share its competition experience on campuses, inspiring more students to recognize that social innovation transcends nationality and background. Anyone who is willing to observe social issues, propose solutions, and take action has the potential to make the world a better place.

Philippa Tsai, President of the Foundation for Yunus Social Business Taiwan, noted that this year’s competition successfully concluded its application period in May, attracting 233 team registrations. With more than 800 teams participating over the past six editions, the Taiwan Yunus Social Business Innovation Award has gradually become one of Taiwan’s leading platforms for cultivating social innovation talent. It serves as an experimental space that supports young people in transforming ideas into action and enables promising solutions to enter society and generate meaningful impact.

Juno Wang, CEO of the Foundation, emphasized that Social Business is not merely a tool for solving problems but a practical approach that integrates sustainability with business thinking. Through the Taiwan Yunus Social Business Innovation Award, the Foundation hopes to encourage young people to start from social issues, combine market mechanisms with innovative design, and develop solutions that are both impactful and sustainable—ultimately contributing to Taiwan’s journey toward a 3ZERO future.