Last week, Polylocal hosted its very first public event, bringing together around 40 participants for an evening dedicated to Taiwan–Europe business opportunities. What started as a modest idea quickly turned into a meaningful gathering of professionals curious about Europe as a strategic market for Taiwanese businesses.
The event took place in an intimate and unconventional setting: a basement dance studio temporarily transformed into a networking and discussion space. Despite a very limited budget, a tight preparation timeline of less than three weeks, and minimal promotion, the room was full — even a few chairs short. More importantly, the room was filled with engaged conversations, thoughtful questions, and genuine interest.
A Shared Interest in Taiwan–Europe Opportunities
The audience was made up of professionals from diverse backgrounds, including business leaders, founders, researchers, and people working closely with Taiwan and Europe. What united everyone was a shared interest in understanding how Taiwanese businesses can navigate, enter, and grow within European markets.
The program offered several complementary perspectives on this topic:
- Yuchi Chang and Laura Bonsaver from the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation opened the discussion by addressing the strategic importance of Taiwan–Europe cooperation. They highlighted the broader geopolitical and economic context, as well as the value of long-term, trust-based collaboration frameworks between Taiwan and European partners.
- Philipp Marxen then focused on the practical side of market entry, sharing insights on Germany as a potential gateway to Europe. His talk touched on concrete considerations companies need to keep in mind when evaluating Germany as a starting point for their European expansion.
- Dorota Maczuga, Co-founder of Polylocal, closed the talks by presenting Poland’s evolving role within the European Union. She explained why Poland is increasingly seen as an attractive and accessible market for Taiwanese companies, particularly as a base for broader EU operations.
Beyond Talks: Meaningful Connections
The evening concluded with an extended networking session, which turned out to be one of the highlights of the event. Participants exchanged experiences, compared perspectives, and explored potential collaborations in an informal and open atmosphere.
For Polylocal, this moment was especially meaningful. One of the core ideas behind the initiative is that, even in a complex and often tense geopolitical environment, there is still strong demand for human-scale, cross-cultural connections built on dialogue and mutual understanding. This first event confirmed that belief.
Looking Ahead
This event marked an important first step for Polylocal. It demonstrated not only the relevance of Taiwan–Europe business discussions, but also the appetite for platforms that bring people together across cultures, sectors, and markets.
We would like to warmly thank all participants, speakers, and partners who made this first event possible. Your presence and engagement gave life to Polylocal’s vision.
More events, content, and initiatives are already in the works. To stay informed about future events and updates, we invite you to subscribe to our mailing list and follow Polylocal on LinkedIn. We look forward to continuing the conversation — and to welcoming you again soon.
