CoolBitX Presidentially Recognized As One of Taiwan’s 9 NEXT BIG Startups

​​​​Blockchain security company CoolBitX, creator of the award-winning CoolWallet cold storage device as well as AML compliance platform Sygna, has received its latest accolade, this time at a national level.

CoolBitX has been selected as one of 9 influential local startup representatives under the NEXT BIG initiative and will represent the country's innovative blockchain industry booming in the tech hub of Taipei. CoolBitX founder/CEO and serial entrepreneur Michael Ou will receive an award presented by Taiwan president Tsai Ing-Wen at a star-studded ceremony on October 19th.

The 9 representatives, which include some of the country’s biggest recent success stories such as Gogoro, have been chosen by its peers and the Taiwanese government to reflect the entrepreneurial power and versatility of Taiwan’s business ecosystem. They come from a wide assortment of industries such as blockchain, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and electric transportation.

Arguably Taiwan's highest-profile crypto company, CoolBitX raised over $16m in Series B funding last year from the likes of Japan's SBI VC, and getting global recognition for its product design and ISO/IEC 27001certification for its data security. The company released its latest flagship hardware wallet the CoolWallet Pro in June this year to industry acclaim, thanks to its pioneering new DeFi features.

The full story can be viewed here.

What is Startup Island TAIWAN and the NEXT BIG project?

Startup Island TAIWAN is the national startup brand co-created by the National Development Council (NDC) and the island’s startup communities. Its primary goal is to promote Taiwan’s startup ecosystem and to assist startups in expanding to international markets. Going forward, the brand will continue to bring the startup communities together to enhance Taiwan’s visibility to the world as the “Startup Island”.

To further strengthen the Startup Island TAIWAN brand, the NDC launched the NEXT BIG project.

Together, the startup communities and industry key opinion leaders jointly nominated nine startups to become NEXT BIG representatives. With NEXT BIG leading the way, Taiwan hopes to see more young people be inspired and Taiwan’s thriving entrepreneurial energy be conveyed to the world.

Who are the 9 NEXT BIG Startup Representatives?

1. CoolBitX (blockchain/crypto security)

CoolBitX was founded in 2014 as a commitment to blockchain security technology’s innovation and development. They produced the world’s first cold wallet “CoolWallet” and provided tailor-made software services for the product Sygna Bridge, simplifying the compliance process while allowing virtual asset service providers (VASPs) to comply with the anti-money laundering regulations in various countries.

2. Gogoro (electric transport)

Founded in 2011 to rethink urban energy and inspire the world to move through cities in smarter and more sustainable ways, Gogoro leverages the power of innovation to change the way they distribute and consume urban energy. Gogoro has quickly become an innovation leader in vehicle design and electric propulsion, smart battery design, battery swapping, and advanced cloud services that utilize artificial intelligence to intelligently manage battery availability and safety.

3. Greenvines (Skincare)

This skincare brand is the only beauty corporation in Asia that has won the "Best for the World" environmental award for five consecutive years. Relying on science and sustainability, they streamlined the daily skincare routine, making it a sustainable practice.

4. iKala (Artificial Intelligence)

Founded in 2011, iKala’s mission is "AI Empowerment", by providing AI-driven solutions for companies to achieve business transformation, acceleration, and creation of new business models. They currently provide services to more than 400 companies and 15,000 advertisers and brand owners across 8 countries in Asia.

5. KDAN MOBILE (cloud computing)

Established in 2009, KDAN MOBILE provides enterprise cloud solutions. Their products have already achieved more than 200 million downloads and have accumulated more than 10 million registered members worldwide.

6. KKday (e-travel)

Launched in 2014, KKday has become Asia’s largest in-depth travel e-commerce platform covering more than 30,000 itineraries in 92 countries, and 550 cities around the world. It has received over $75 million in Series C fund investment.

7. Pinkoi (e-commerce)

Pinkoi was created in 2011 and has since become the leading design e-commerce platform in Asia, helping more design brands to enter the international market and making an impact on the current and future generations of designers.

8. 91APP (online retail)

Created in 2013, 91APP is the first to provide Online Merge Offline (OMO) new retail software cloud service in Taiwan. In May 2021, it became the first SaaS company listed in Taiwan, with a market value exceeding NT$40 billion.

9. 17LIVE (live streaming)

Established in 2015, 17LIVE is the largest live streaming platform in Asia, combining AI and machine learning technology applications to provide more authentic, zero-time difference streaming services.