Kaohsiung Social Innovation is an intermediary organization dedicated to promoting social innovation and entrepreneurship. It was officially established as a non-profit organization on April 17, 2012, in accordance with the regulations and procedures set by the Social Affairs Bureau of the Kaohsiung City Government. The organization is committed to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Its members include university professors from southern Taiwan passionate about social entrepreneurship, professional consultants focused on innovation and entrepreneurship, and young individuals actively engaged in social enterprise practices.

The concepts of social enterprise, social entrepreneurship, and social innovation have existed in various forms in our society for a long time. However, it was not until the 1990s that we began to actively promote and research these ideas. In Taiwan, the early form of social enterprises can be traced back to the "Multiple Employment Development Program" initiated by the Workforce Development Agency under the Council of Labor Affairs. Many non-profit organizations (NPOs) gradually transformed into social enterprises as they expanded their economic activities and commercial products.

In 2014, the Executive Yuan introduced the "Social Enterprise Action Plan", bringing in multiple government agencies such as the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare. This cross-agency, cross-sector collaboration has helped promote the concept of social enterprises, encouraging both the second sector (businesses) and the third sector (non-profits) to actively participate in the field. As a result, Taiwan’s social enterprises have flourished and established deeper roots.

The Social Enterprise Research Center of the College of Management at Fu Jen Catholic University, along with the related Taiwan Association for Social Enterprise Innovation and Entrepreneurship, were among the first institutions in Taiwan to promote and research social enterprises. Over the years, they have organized speeches, international conferences, and regional public forums on social innovation, entrepreneurship, and enterprise development. Since its establishment in 2012, Kaohsiung Social Innovation Association has partnered with the Taiwan Association for Social Enterprise Innovation and Entrepreneurship to bring a series of lectures and forums to Kaohsiung, sharing knowledge with enthusiasts in the field.

The first chairman of the Kaohsiung Social Innovation Association was Professor Kao Ming-Jui from Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages, who organized multiple events on social innovation and entrepreneurship during his tenure. In 2016, the leadership transitioned to Professor Tsai Tun-Hao from National Sun Yat-sen University, who continued to develop the association’s initiatives while strengthening the promotion and research of social entrepreneurship in Kaohsiung. In 2020, the position was handed over to the current chairman, Mr. Chen Po-Shou, who continues to lead the association's operations and development.

Between 2020 and 2024, the Kaohsiung Social Innovation Association not only collaborated with major universities to offer courses and workshops on social innovation and entrepreneurship but also actively supported digital transformation initiatives for social innovation organizations. The association successfully secured participation in the "Digital Youth T-Ambassador Program" under the Ministry of Digital Affairs, achieving outstanding training results.

Through this program, young talents in Taiwan interested in social innovation gained valuable knowledge in digital marketing and hands-on experience with digital tools such as AR, VR, and Python programming. These skills enabled them to contribute to the operations of social innovation organizations, leading to multiple corporate awards.

Kaohsiung Social Innovation invites everyone who is committed to making an impact to join us on this journey of social innovation!