Founder of Enspyre
Elias Ek
A Calm Yet Passionate Entrepreneur
Founder of Enspyre
Elias Ek
A Calm Yet Passionate Entrepreneur
From the Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Cancer, Elias Ek’s Non-stop Entrepreneurial Story
Elias went to the United States to study broadcasting and marketing, and also spent half a year as an exchange student in Japan. After graduation, he decided to set new roots in Taiwan. After coming to Taiwan, Elias had not forgotten his enthusiasm for entrepreneurship and co-founded an internet company, sold that and then started Enspyre in 2002. Since then he has co-founded, invested in or advised many other companies such as MUSA Trademark, AVNT Home Furnishings, PAKA Electric, Nimbnet, Keego Mobility, etc.
Elias Ek, who always wears a black t-shirt with the word Enspyre printed on it and has blue eyes, is a serial entrepreneur from Sweden. Elias started his startup journey when he was just a teenager. He had observed Swedish people’s demand for fresh breakfast bread and the inconvenience of buying it early in the morning. He came up with the concept of subscription-based bread delivery. Although ultimately, this first attempt at entrepreneurship was not successful, the passion for entrepreneurship was planted in his heart.
As an immigrant who started a business in Taiwan, Elias found that Taiwan lacked resources for foreign entrepreneurs. The language barrier and unfamiliarity with the system caused him to encounter many difficulties, especially when it came to financing. Therefore, after Enspyre was stabilized, Elias began to organize activities for immigrant entrepreneurs, giving advice and assistance based on his experience. In recent years, he co-founded the Dragons’ Chamber, a pitch event for immigrant entrepreneurs to provide exposure for immigrant entrepreneurs.
Elias went to the United States to study broadcasting and marketing, and also spent half a year as an exchange student in Japan. After graduation, he decided to set new roots in Taiwan. After coming to Taiwan, Elias had not forgotten his enthusiasm for entrepreneurship. He first founded an internet company and then established Enspyre in 2002. Since then he has co-founded, invested in or advised many other companies such as MUSA Trademark, AVNT Home Furnishings, PAKA Electric, Nimbnet, Keego Mobility, etc.
Elias Ek, who always wears a black t-shirt with the word Enspyre printed on it and has blue eyes, is a serial entrepreneur from Sweden. Elias started his startup journey when he was just a teenager. He had observed Swedish people’s demand for fresh breakfast bread and the inconvenience of buying it early in the morning. He came up with the concept of subscription-based bread delivery. Although ultimately, this first attempt at entrepreneurship was not successful, the passion for entrepreneurship was planted in his heart.
On the Frontline to Support Immigrant Entrepreneurs
As an immigrant who started a business in Taiwan, Elias found that Taiwan lacked resources for immigrant entrepreneurs. The language barrier and unfamiliarity with the system caused him to encounter many difficulties, especially when it came to financing. Therefore, after Enspyre was stabilized, Elias began to organize activities for immigrant entrepreneurs, giving advice and assistance based on his own experience. In recent years, he co-founded the Dragons’ Chamber, a pitch event for immigrant entrepreneurs to provide exposure for immigrant entrepreneurs.
Elias Ek
Elias Ek
Elias is Active in the Startup Community
A must-read reference book for starting a business in Taiwan based on his own experience
After meeting with many immigrant entrepreneurs, Elias found that many of them encountered the same problems, so in 2011 he decided to write “How To Start A Business In Taiwan”, a book that gathered all the knowledge needed to start a business in Taiwan, including culture, visas, laws, finance, etc., a summary of Elias’ years of experience in starting a business in Taiwan. It is a very easy-to-use guide for people with entrepreneurial ideas. It also reflects Elias’s enthusiasm for encouraging immigrants to start a business in Taiwan.
Taiwan’s only pitch event for immigrant entrepreneurs
Dragons’ Chamber is an accelerator co-organized by Enspyre, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and MUSA Trademark. It is designed to provide a stage for immigrant entrepreneurs in the early stages of their startups. Every year since 2016, five finalists get selected to present at the big event taking place during Meet Taipei, Taiwan’s largest startup event. The panel of Dragons are made up of experienced entrepreneurs and investors. The winners walk away with hundreds of thousands of dollars in valuable services from the event sponsors, including Enspyre.
Work together to create a better environment for immigrants to start their own businesses
Elias Ek has actively participated in many government-related events and assisted various government offices to improve the entrepreneurial environment for immigrants in Taiwan. In 2015, he served as a consultant of the “Foreign Entrepreneur Service Program” of the Department of Economic Development, Taipei City Government and produced the Startup Portal for International Entrepreneurs for the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs.
A must-read reference book for starting a business in Taiwan
After meeting with many immigrant entrepreneurs, Elias found that many of them encountered the same problems, so in 2011 he decided to write “How To Start A Business In Taiwan”, a book that gathered all the knowledge needed to start a business in Taiwan, including culture, visas, laws, finance, etc., a summary of Elias’ years of experience in starting a business in Taiwan. It is a very easy-to-use guide for people with entrepreneurial ideas. It also reflects Elias’s enthusiasm for encouraging immigrants to start a business in Taiwan.
Taiwan’s only pitch event for immigrant entrepreneurs
Dragons’ Chamber is an accelerator co-organized by Enspyre, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and MUSA. It is designed to provide a stage for immigrant entrepreneurs in the early stages of their startups. Every year since 2016, five finalists get selected to present at a big event taking place during Meet Taipei, Taiwan’s largest startup event. The panel of Dragons are made up of experienced entrepreneurs and investors. The winners walk away with hundreds of thousands of dollars in valuable services from the event sponsors, including Enspyre.
Work together to create the most suitable environment for immigrants to start their own businesses
Elias Ek has actively participated in many government-related events and assisted various government offices in activities to improve the entrepreneurial environment for immigrants in Taiwan. In 2015, he served as a consultant of the “Foreign Entrepreneur Service Program” of the Department of Economic Development, Taipei City Government and produced the Startup Portal for International Entrepreneurs website for the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs.
