Small and medium enterprises in Taiwan rely on innovation to push business to grow and expand in the highly competitive world of globalized economy. Entrepreneurs with global vision seek to get ahead by searching, exchanging and sharing information. Turning to an incubation center can save a lot of time.

Joe Mao-chiao Shih, the managing director of Epotech Composite Corporation, used to work for a firm engaged in nanotechnology. Having studied abroad and traveled extensively, he came back eager to work in support of new industrial concepts seen at trade fairs and exhibits abroad. Failing to convince the management to his way of thinking, he finally struck out on his own in May 2004.

"The Feng Chia University Business Incubation Center has been providing a good platform for material research and development," said Shih of his partner in meeting demands of customers. "The resources, which the university has easy access to, are very sufficient for my research needs. The team of faculty members has good contacts abroad. Those assigned to me help me deal with all kinds of issues, including patents and technology transfer. "

Shih's enterprise has been concentrating mainly on products like epoxy resin matrices applied on fiber composites and prepreg materials, which are impregnated by developed resin systems. Research has been directed towards "understanding the mechanics and the relevant properties varied with different nano-scaled particles (rigid and elastic) attended in epoxy matrices as well as evaluation of mechanical properties of these systems when co-operated with fibers."

Epotech Composite Corporation has developed nano-scaled elastomer for the aeronautical industry as well as the IT industry. Material made of carbon, described as meeting the demand for something very strong but very light, has already been tapped for use in many places.

Buyers of the resin systems or prepreg from Epotech Composite Corporation use them on composite bikes, rear fins of recreational planes, driving shafts of light racing cars, masts, light golf shafts and racquets. Yonex turns to Epotech for racquet material.

"Let's face it: we in Taiwan are behind Europe in the automobile industry," said Shih. "We don't even have such an industry. Europe, therefore, keeps putting forward new concepts for the industry. They are telling us the future of the industry - the direction it is going. While trying to catch up with them, we need to heed what they are saying and we need to develop products in support of the new concepts."

Shih's experience in material development has been given very positive boost by the involvement of the Feng Chia University Business Incubation Center in Taichung. The center integrates all the resources at the Feng Chia University, including professional expertise, research centers, laboratories, and various professional electronic databases, in order to provide an all-in-one development environment for SMEs like Epotech. The center likewise provides tight-bonded and high-calibrated cooperation between academies and industries.

The Feng Chia University Business Incubation Center was established in April 2001. Thus far, it has successfully helped clients obtain 7 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Projects, 5 National Science Council (NSC) programs, 38 new patents and 15 technology transfers. Increased capital for the clients has reached NT$971 million. Covered by the incubation center are the advanced material industry, information and telecommunication industry as well as precision machining and aeronautical industry.

"Within our limited space inside the campus," said Eric Kuo-hao Tang, director of the Feng Chia University Business Incubation Center, "we are able to accommodate 16 SMEs, often helping them deal with bottlenecks in technology and go the distance to emerge highly competitive. They stay for three years, possibly extending another year. After that, they need to give way for others to come in. But we like to keep up the relationship even after they have moved out."

According to Tang, who is also dean of the Office of Research and Development at Feng Chia University, the incubation center's sensitivity to the market is very high. Awareness of the needs of the market is very important.

As for technology, the university tries to get into exchange programs with different countries like Israel and Russia.

Joe Mao-chiao Shih, managing director of Epotech Composite Corporation, observes that Taiwan must keep developing products in support of new concepts from industries abroad.	Eric Kuo-hao Tang, director of the Feng Chia University Business Incubation Center, says helping SMEs deal with bottlenecks in technology is the center's concern.
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