Organized by Celadon Partners · University Science Park, NTHU · NTHU Startup Garage
Take on an enterprise-style case, build a working AI solution, and pitch it to industry practitioners.
This is built for people who can take an ambiguous enterprise problem and deliver something a client would actually use.
A real prize pool: NT$100,000 · 60,000 · 30,000 for the top three teams.
Standout participants may be invited to a separate selection process for potential internships at Celadon Partners or its portfolio companies. Opportunities are optional and not guaranteed.
A real, deliberately ambiguous enterprise problem. The same profile as our incoming intern and inaugural career roles.
Practitioners and investors sit on the panel, not just an academic committee.
Participants work through an enterprise-style marketing challenge that combines business problem-solving, data interpretation, and hands-on AI development. The goal is not only to build something that works, but to show that the solution addresses a real business need.
Start from an ambiguous brief, the way a client would hand it over. Decide what the business actually needs before you decide what to build.
Work with a messy marketing and customer data pack. Find the signal, state your assumptions, and show what the numbers mean for the client.
Build a working AI solution and pitch it to industry practitioners. It is judged on whether a client would use it, not on the technique alone.
All work is completed and submitted before finals day. The finals are for presentation and defense, not for new build work.
Form your own team of 3–4. Every teammate submits an application with the same team name, team contact email and roster. Applications are reviewed from 26 to 28 October; shortlisted teams are notified by Wed 28 Oct.
Online briefing for shortlisted teams on the format, timeline, tools and data use. Teams must already be formed; the organizers do not match or assign teammates.
The case and full data pack are released. Teams have 11 days to build and iterate, with client office-hours Q&A.
All work is completed and uploaded. Nothing changes after this point. Judges score the submissions from 10 to 13 November.
Teams present and defend to the panel. Keynote, industry talks, panel discussion, and networking.
Open to currently enrolled students from universities in Taiwan and overseas. Form a team of three or four before applying. Every teammate submits their own application with consistent team details.
We read what you have built and how you think, not only your transcript.
Closes Sunday 25 October 2026 · opens in a new tab
Outstanding participants may be invited to a separate interview and selection process for potential internships with Celadon Partners or relevant portfolio companies. Taking part or winning a prize does not guarantee an offer, and students are under no obligation to pursue one.
Prizes are provided by Celadon Partners and are subject to applicable taxes and withholding. Judges may elect not to award a prize if no submission is suitable. See the FAQ for payment arrangements.
Work inside a transpacific investment team on sourcing, diligence and portfolio work, with AI as a daily tool rather than a topic.
Build and deploy AI inside operating businesses across Celadon's portfolio, on problems like the one you solve in this competition.
Celadon Partners is a transpacific, mid-market private equity investor focused on companies and industries at a strategic inflection point. The firm invests and drives transformative growth through technology, new business models, and unfettered access to global markets.
University Science Park, NTHU is Taiwan’s first university-initiated and university-operated science park, established as an open innovation platform connecting talent, technology, capital, and real-world testbeds. Located within Hsinchu’s deep-tech and semiconductor ecosystem, it supports startups, corporates, investors, and global partners through incubation, acceleration, open innovation, technology scouting, and cross-border collaboration.
NTHU Startup Garage is an entrepreneurship platform at National Tsing Hua University that supports student, lab, and alumni startup teams through workspace, corporate mentorship, workshops, professional advisory resources, and fundraising connections. Its mentor network brings together experienced industry professionals who work directly with startup teams, helping them refine their businesses and accelerate their market entry by leveraging extensive strategic partnerships and venture capital networks.
No single background is required. Teams do best with a mix of business and technical skills. Using AI tools well matters more than any one language.
Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students from any university, including universities outside Taiwan, may apply. Students on leave of absence are not eligible. Student status will be verified again at the Final Presentation.
Participation is free. Participants are responsible for their own travel, accommodation and related expenses.
Yes. Form your own team of 3–4 before applying. The organizers will not match or assign students into teams. Each teammate submits an individual application using the same team name, team contact email and roster. List every other teammate’s English and Chinese names (if applicable), university, student ID, email and planned finals attendance.
If submitted team information is inconsistent, duplicated or cannot be verified, final team recognition will be determined by the organizers.
The Final Presentation takes place in person at NTHU, Hsinchu, Taiwan, on Saturday 14 November 2026. There is no livestream or remote dial-in option for presenting teams. At least half of each team must attend in person: at least two members for a team of three or four. It is fine if other members cannot attend. Student status will be verified again at the Final Presentation.
The data pack contains no personal data of real people and is PDPA-safe. It is deliberately messy, the way real client data is.
Any intellectual property generated during the competition belongs to the student teams.
The case and materials are in English. Presenting in English is positively recognized as part of the evaluation.
Final evaluation combines technical execution, business judgment, client interaction and working process, final presentation quality, and English presentation skills. Final decisions are made by the organizers and judging panel. Judges may elect not to award a particular prize if no submission is considered suitable.
Prizes are provided directly by Celadon Partners. All prizes are subject to applicable taxes and withholding requirements. After the competition, Celadon will arrange payment to an account designated by the winning team after receiving confirmation from all team members. Celadon will not participate in or express any view on how prize money is allocated within the team.
No. Internship opportunities are optional and not guaranteed. Outstanding participants may be invited to a separate interview and selection process for potential internships with Celadon Partners or relevant portfolio companies. Participating in the competition or winning a prize does not automatically result in an offer. Students are under no obligation to pursue an internship.
The application includes consent to the collection and use of participant information for competition administration and evaluation. Any interest in internship opportunities is optional and handled through a separate selection process.
Participants consent to photography and recording during the competition and allow the organizers to use these materials for this competition, similar future activities, and non-commercial promotional or institutional communications. The application includes this acknowledgement.
The organizers reserve the right to make reasonable changes to the competition process, schedule or rules where necessary. Updates will be published on this official competition website. For unforeseen circumstances or matters not expressly covered by the published rules, the organizers may make the necessary arrangements or determinations.
For application questions and general competition enquiries, contact weipu.wu@celadonpartners.com.
Applications close Sunday 25 October 2026. Finals at NTHU, Hsinchu, on Saturday 14 November.
Free to enter · any major · any university · every teammate applies individually