City Network Inc. signed a special contract with the Champion Incubator Center in 2002 to become the company in residence of TKU. Such a contract allows them to cooperate with, for example, the Software Development Team led by the Chair of the Department of Information Management, Professor Shaw Ruey-shiang. This cooperation enabled them to be the first Taiwanese hi-tech company to be listed in the AMEX in the US in 2004.

This achievement was very encouraging for his company, according to Lai Tiao-chian, the C.E.O of the City Network. They will endeavor to continue expanding their global market niche, ensuring that their products will reach all corners of the world.

His company was set up in 1994, starting with Home PNA internet communication products and in recent years they have begun to develop voice recognition and imaging technologies used for the internet. Nonetheless, despite their strength in R&D, the company realized some years ago that management and marketing were equally important for its continual growth and survival. It was under this realization that they came to Tamkang for cooperation, such as setting up a team jointly for better product distribution and marketing strategies.

As for the role of Tamkang, Professor Shaw explains that his Software Development Team has helped the company to incubate talented staff, develop new software, and a series of products that range from hi-tech to low-tech consuming goods. His team also offers consultancy in management, distribution and marketing to the company. They even advise them on strategic alliances. As a result, the company has become one of the distributors in Taiwan for the American Power Conversion, Ltd, a co-producer of the Korean STARTEL mobile phone company, and the sole distributor of eTrust products in Taiwan.

The company’s profit since it signed a contract with TKU four years ago demonstrated that it has apparently benefited from such a tie. Its profit has tripled in the past four years. In the future they hope to develop multimedia, security, internet phones and wireless technologies with the help of Tamkang. ( ~Ying-hsueh Hu )