I just finished my first day of auditing New Taipei City in Taiwan for renewal of its Intelligent Community Certification. Along the way, we had lunch, as the picture shows. But in between the glasses of iced tea, I picked up noteworthy, new ways that local governments can help their existing and new companies succeed: 

#1 Improving the Odds of Startup Success with Crowdfunding

New Taipei selects startups each year – including indigenous and new residents – to benefit from crowdfunding campaigns. In six years, the city has helped nearly 80 startups each crowdsource an average of US$120,000. The money isn’t really the point. It is to help startups identify their value and road-test their messaging early in their development, based on feedback from the crowd. The city team provides a professional-grade crowdfunding campaign and supplements it with product and target market analysis, media exposure, industry and government connections and access to grants. It’s an imaginative way to support the early development of new companies.

#2 Helping Workers and Companies Grow Together

Upskilling the workforce is on the to-do list for most cities. In New Taipei, they have a university with four campuses that does it – but with a difference. Competency courses help workers maintain proficiency and develop new skills to meet changing demand. The unique element is education on labor laws, insurance, workplace communication and dispute mediation. The goal is to help workers understand their rights but also their responsibilities and the most effective way to pursue change when they have issues with management. This education has been going on for 25 years, and the payoff is more harmonious and productive companies.

Read more about New Taipei City: https://www.intelligentcommunity.org/new_taipei_city

Read more about Certification: https://www.intelligentcommunity.org/certification