Soochow Startup Teams Receive NT$1M in 2026 U-start Plan Funding

Two startup teams incubated at Soochow Co-Site were selected for the first stage of the Ministry of Education’s 2026 U-start Plan for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Chosen from nearly 300 university teams nationwide, Emoto and Platus secured a combined NT$1 million in startup funding, with each team awarded NT$500,000.

Emoto, supervised by Professor Shu-Fang Kao of the Department of Psychology, is developing an AI-assisted mental healthcare system that combines artificial intelligence with professional counseling to improve the efficiency and accuracy of psychological support. The platform transforms users’ emotional conditions into visualized data, providing measurable and trackable mental health solutions for individuals, businesses and educational institutions.

Platus addresses two key challenges in the AI era—the loss of creators’ revenue and payment barriers for AI agents. The team is developing a real-time payment platform designed to enable seamless value transfers and establish a fairer digital financial ecosystem for the global AI economy.

Led by Chief Mentor Lu-Yen Wang, a distinguished alumnus of the Department of Business Administration, and Executive Director, Mei-Ling Cheng, Soochow Co-Site supports more than 20 startup teams each year through mentoring and industry resources, helping students turn innovative ideas into viable businesses while continuing to expand support for student entrepreneurs and build on its strong record of success in national innovation and entrepreneurship competitions.