In recent years, with the rise of sustainability awareness, businesses need to achieve high performance while ensuring sustainable development. Bella Wang, the CEO of the Taiwan Digital Enterprise Alliance (TDEA), known in the industry as the “Second-Generation Queen,” is also one of the key promoters of TDEA’s “Zero⁺ College.” With her outstanding leadership and resource integration capabilities, she continues to provide support to young entrepreneurs. In an interview with《The Icons》international magazine, she stated:
“TDEA’s goal has always been clear: to help the second generation ‘transform’ and ‘move towards sustainability.'”
Years of accompanying young entrepreneurs and business growth have allowed her to build deep friendships with many business managers and successors. This has also given her various insights into different industries. Bella Wang has come up with the idea of integrating the first and second generations of enterprises to jointly face the intense international competition. Her concept includes assisting companies in planning sustainable “zero-carbon transformation” while undergoing “digital transformation.”
“To help businesses find the most suitable solutions in the dual challenges of ‘digital transformation’ and ‘zero-carbon transformation,’ and to stand out in fierce global competition, we established ‘Zero⁺ College’.” TDEA and Bella Wang, with this goal, lead second-generation business leaders to join the learning team personally and implement the latest management and operation strategies. As a result, “Zero⁺ College” has become an important incubator for business transformation and innovation.
“Dual-Axis Transformation” Has Become a Mandatory Path for Businesses at the Crossroads
For many years, TDEA has been actively promoting “digital transformation” and “zero-carbon transformation,” integrating expertise horizontally and vertically. By the end of 2021, TDEA had established the “Zero⁺ College,” bringing together resources from industry, government, and academia to assist businesses in achieving “dual-axis transformation” and laying a solid foundation for the future competitiveness of various brands. By 2024, nearly 44 companies had been nurtured, and the graduates of “Zero⁺ College” successfully held their graduation ceremony in early May.
The core mission of “Zero⁺ College” includes leading enterprises and supply chains in “business model technology innovation” and “industry transformation and upgrading,” and assisting in the development of enterprise-specific net-zero emission roadmaps. With the integration of over 30 industry mentors, the curriculum covers areas beyond “digital transformation” and “zero-carbon transformation,” including talent management, brand promotion, and corporate leadership strategies, providing comprehensive guidance and support for the students, especially helping young entrepreneurs in global market deployment.
“Sustainability issues are a mandatory course for today’s leaders. When businesses undergo ‘dual-axis transformation,’ they are already enhancing their international competitiveness. Therefore, at ‘Zero⁺ College,’ we emphasize not only how businesses should transform but also how the mindset of business leaders must be renewed and iterated,” said Bella Wang.
TDEA Mentors Empower “Zero⁺ College” Students to Rapidly Upgrade Businesses
In May this year, at the graduation ceremony of the second cohort of “Zero⁺ College,” graduates of “Zero⁺ College” and new students of the Business Transformation Institute gathered together, with media flashlights constantly capturing the moments. Since its establishment, “Zero⁺ College” has nurtured 44 leading companies from various fields. Under the guidance of TDEA mentors, business leaders have achieved new business breakthroughs, showcasing TDEA’s outstanding success in promoting “dual-axis transformation.”
As one of Taiwan’s professional all-terrain vehicle (ATV) manufacturers, Access Motor specializes in the independent development of ATV engines, starting with the 50cc cylinder engine and increasing by two new products each year, continuously improving quality and performance. General Manager Mei-Ching Huang stated, “During the one-year learning journey at ‘Zero⁺ College,’ I learned a lot, from industry integration and international expansion to carbon rights planning. The mentors at TDEA gave me many effective suggestions, and through exchanges with classmates, my perspective has also broadened.”
“Our previous market focus was more on Europe and the Middle East, but we are now looking to expand into the United States,” added Mei-Ching Huang. “The mentor assigned to me by Zero⁺ College is also a veteran in the automotive industry, with extensive experience in this field, greatly helping us in our market layout and strategy formulation for the U.S. market.”
Mei-Ching Huang mentioned that TDEA mentors also provided guidance on Access Motor’s blueprint from ATVs to electric ATVs, analyzing the differences between ATVs and regular cars, summarizing the pros and cons of various solutions, and considering different countries and terrains to assist in formulating consumer strategies for vehicle selection:
“The mentors have a deep understanding of the automotive industry and assist us in adjusting strategies during classes. Since our ATVs usually operate on rough terrains like mountains or riverbeds, unlike regular cars that only run on flat roads, different solutions are needed. Under TDEA’s guidance, we can more clearly understand and amplify our advantages, trying more different possibilities,” shared Mei-Ching Huang, General Manager of Access Motor.
“Zero⁺ College” Fosters Mutual Learning Between Teachers and Students, Accelerating Business Transformation with TDEA
After receiving guidance from the mentors at “Zero⁺ College,” the graduates have achieved fruitful results in their respective fields. In the new year, in addition to welcoming outstanding Zero⁺ College graduates, TDEA is elevating “transformation” to a new height by merging “Digital Transformation University” and “Zero⁺ College” into the “Business Transformation Institute.” Many students and companies are continuing their participation from “Zero⁺ College” to the “Business Transformation Institute,” including COMBIS SPORT Co., Ltd.
“TDEA’s assistance is very specific, such as understanding and executing various project subsidies. What I especially appreciate is how TDEA assigns suitable mentors based on the real situation of each company. Through exchanges with mentors and students, we can learn from the problems our company faces, gaining insights and extracting many ideas and strategies we hadn’t considered before,” shared Cheng-Ying Tsai, General Manager of COMBIS SPORT, about his experience at Zero⁺ College.
“We are dedicated to manufacturing and exporting high-end archery equipment and outdoor sports products. During the mentoring process, I also reinforced the concept of intelligent energy saving, allowing the team to incorporate these ideas and plans into our growth blueprint. Throughout these processes, I also learned how to collect and apply various data, which is very helpful for the company’s next steps.”
Yang Tzu-Yi, Senior Vice President representing COMBIS SPORT at the “Business Transformation Institute,” also shared his insights on interactions with other students: “During the learning journey at TDEA, leaders teach and learn from each other, learning how to become more influential. I like to use the heliotropism of sunflowers to describe the leadership I learned here. Influential leaders will have a large group of sunflowers under them, willing to grow with them. Eventually, the sunflowers will become suns themselves, influencing more sunflowers.”
Yang Tzu-Yi also mentioned that during the pandemic years, their customers faced high inventory pressures, and the company needed to readjust. “We restructured our organization and processes. The mentors were very attentive in their guidance and provided detailed suggestions for our issues. I must say, every company here is valued, which is one of the reasons we are willing to follow TDEA all the way.”
ESG Is Not a Challenge, Businesses Can Still Grow Revenue
Many businesses have achieved revenue growth through the empowerment of “Zero⁺ College.” Kuan-Jung Su, the IT Manager of SAINT PAUL, led the SAINT PAUL stores to a revenue increase of 11.8% and a 16.5% increase in average transaction value in March 2024 compared to the same period last year, thanks to the guidance of the mentors.
“In this year, I learned a lot of business strategies from the mentors, from the logic of retail display, to the nine-grid analysis of product gross profit and sales volume, step-by-step optimization of product structure, and analysis of business district characteristics. Strategies were formulated from multiple dimensions such as product, channel, and price, benefiting greatly in all aspects.” Su further explained that during his learning journey with TDEA, he not only enhanced the company’s operational efficiency but also improved the employees’ sensitivity and response speed to market dynamics.
Additionally, Si-Ke Chen, Chairman of NINGBO EXCELLENCE COMMUNICATED CONNECTOR Co., Ltd., particularly benefited from the carbon reduction topics: “Since the Industrial Revolution, people have realized that the high-carbon, high-pollution economic model has caused problems. The Taiwanese government is also promoting net-zero emission policies to encourage companies to undergo green transformation. Initially, our company only installed solar power and didn’t know other methods of carbon reduction. We wanted to save energy but lacked actual energy consumption data. Now, with the guidance of ‘Zero⁺ College’ mentors, we are continuously optimizing our strategy and becoming more confident in the sustainability path.”
To address the challenges companies face in green transformation, “Zero⁺ College” also provides a series of professional training and support. Pei-Tzu Huang, Executive Vice President of TIENKANG Co., Ltd., shared: “When implementing ESG, employees often resist or reject it, causing delays in our ESG progress. During the ‘Zero⁺ College’ program, I led my colleagues to understand ‘why we need to do ESG,’ deeply exploring the concrete benefits of this initiative for everyone. Despite various challenges, we successfully passed the ISO 14064-1 (greenhouse gas verification and certification for organizations) assessment in the first quarter of this year. At this moment, witnessed by TDEA partners, I also hope our efforts can benefit the whole society.”
In Effective Strategies, Challenges Become the Cornerstones of Transformation
“Zero⁺ College” has successfully played the role of the “best intermediary,” solving problems for businesses and helping leaders formulate long-term strategies for climate change and environmental protection. By achieving carbon neutrality and net-zero emissions, companies can find new business opportunities in the wave of sustainability, reduce their negative environmental impact, and enhance their brand value and market competitiveness.
During transformation, companies inevitably face many challenges, including technical issues such as data analysis, data security, and digital process optimization, which often require various forms of support. Bella Wang pointed out, “How to efficiently manage resources? How to improve productivity and reduce operational costs? How to tackle technical challenges? These are the ‘inner demons’ that many business leaders accumulate. ‘Zero⁺ College’ can help leaders overcome these ‘inner demons,’ address pain points, and assist companies in achieving effective transformation through comprehensive digitalization.”
After receiving training at “Zero⁺ College,” many business owners have learned to view problems more broadly and even turn challenges into cornerstones for revenue growth. Tsung-Yu Hsiao, Chairman of Mr.Fossil Co., Ltd., shared, “After discussing with the mentors at ‘Zero⁺ College,’ I redefined our transformation plan, starting with introducing 3D scanning and printing in the restoration department. We found that 3D scanning technology can preserve fossil textures perfectly, store files on computers without taking up space like molds did, and add more creative ideas to produce more innovative products.”
Chin-Tsan Ho, Associate Manager of OSCARMAX Co., Ltd., who graduated from “Zero⁺ College,” also pointed out that TDEA made him understand that “digital transformation” is no longer just a topic but a rigid demand. After a year of immersion, he reflected that as a business operator, he should have a comprehensive view and invest time and resources in areas with higher leverage:
“I have recently shifted my focus to talent development and training while keeping a close watch on the development of new technologies because I realized at ‘Zero⁺ College’ that there are no sunset industries, only sunset mindsets. It all depends on how we view the world,” said Chin-Tsan Ho. Graduates have not only demonstrated outstanding achievements in their respective industries but also made breakthroughs in “zero-carbon transformation,” setting examples for other businesses.
Bella Wang: Combining “Innovation,” “Upgrading,” and “Transformation” Can Rewrite International Market Rules
Facing fierce international competition, Bella Wang shared her perspective: “As everyone knows, when facing internationalization, topics such as language, cultural adaptation, and talent are essential. However, the most critical success factor is ‘resource integration.’ Leaders must understand that in international competition, you cannot fight alone. Walking together with a group allows you to go further. In other words, various talents and resources must be integrated, and this is precisely what TDEA excels at.”
Bella Wang particularly emphasized that TDEA understands that the relationship between the “first-generation entrepreneurs” and the “second-generation entrepreneurs” should not be competitive, and succession should not become a matter of friction. Successful succession sometimes just lacks a guiding transformation, and TDEA’s “Zero⁺ College” and “Business Transformation Institute,” established for young entrepreneurs, are empowering business leaders to continuously advance in this cycle, keeping them in leading positions in the market:
“From ‘Zero⁺ College’ to the ‘Business Transformation Institute,’ TDEA is integrating the best talents across generations in businesses, gathering collective strength to help business leaders shine on the world stage,” said Bella Wang. She highlighted three key elements: “Innovation” is the core for businesses to maintain competitiveness; “Upgrading” is crucial for businesses to continue progressing amid fierce competition; and “Transformation” is the deciding factor for businesses to adapt to market changes:
“Only by closely combining ‘innovation,’ ‘upgrading,’ and ‘transformation’ can businesses showcase stronger competitiveness on the international stage and even rewrite market rules!”
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