▎GLOBAL OUTLOOK

Returning to NTU after two years, Steve Chen, the Co-Founder and former Chief Technology Officer of YouTube, a globally renowned internet entrepreneur, joined Dr. Tsung-Lin Yang, the current Deputy Director of NTU’s Center of Industry-Academia Collaboration for a fireside chat. Their conversation delved deep into Steve Chen's two decades of experience in Silicon Valley and his take on the start-up landscape in Taiwan.

Steve Chen recounted his early days at PayPal as one of its first engineers, sharing this journey full of twists and turns. He navigated the treacherous waters of the Dot-com crash, celebrated the triumph of PayPal's Initial Public Offering, and witnessed the acquirement of eBay by PayPal. Knowing “even after going through all that, you can still succeed as a company” gave him great confidence to pursue all the brilliant ideas he had. Soon after, he started YouTube with fellow PayPal mafia members, Chad Hurley and Jawed Karim, etching their names in the history of the internet.

Chen shed light on the vibrant ecosystem that thrives within the heart of Silicon Valley. A close-knit network of key players such as venture capitalists, potential investors, and like-minded tech start-ups have fueled the valley’s innovation. He then stressed the importance of having a co-founder based in the Bay Area or the Silicon Valley region. Given the relatively small population of Taiwan, having connections in the region enables global reach, enriches the decision-making processes, and bridges the language and cultural gaps.

Chen revealed that a start-up can undergo dramatic transformations in its first 3 to 6 months. For example, YouTube began as a dating site, which was scraped in just a week, and PayPal initially started as a security app, lasting only several months. With this insight in mind, Chen encouraged budding entrepreneurs to boldly put their ideas into practice instead of clinging on the idea that they must succeed. “These are unique experiences that only a start-up venture can offer,” said Chen.