Taiwan's Only Apple-Certified App Competition: Feng Chia University Captures 6 of 8 Awards at Final Round, Setting an 11-Year Best Record

The Taiwan Final of the "11th Mobile Application Innovation Contest (MAIC)" was co-hosted by Straight A—the campus brand of STUDIO A, Asia's largest Apple Premium Reseller—Feng Chia University, National Taiwan University, National Taichung University of Education's Apple Regional Training Center (RTC), and was held on July 2 at the Chi-Szu NTU Conference Center. Feng Chia University made history at this year's competition, with 6 teams advancing to the final round and capturing 6 of the 8 available awards—including the top honor, the Most Innovative Award, one Second Prize, and four Third Prizes—setting the best record Feng Chia has achieved in the competition's 11-year history.

This year's contest attracted entries from 78 universities and colleges across Taiwan, with 985 teams and 1,279 participating students and faculty—the largest scale since the competition's founding. A clear trend toward AI application emerged in this year's entries: rather than focusing on entertainment or utility-based apps, students integrated AI deeply into real-world social contexts, addressing issues such as fraud prevention, women's safety, elderly care, special education, and sustainable living.

The project *Tearth*, developed by students from Feng Chia University's Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science and Department of Automatic Control Engineering, claimed the competition's highest honor, the Most Innovative Award. The app centers on tea culture, creating an interactive learning experience that guides children through the processes of tea-making and tasting via gamified activities to foster appreciation for traditional culture. The Second Prize was awarded to Feng Chia University's *Focus_loop*, an app designed specifically for children with ADHD that uses gamified challenges to support improvements in concentration and response inhibition. Both teams have earned the right to represent Taiwan at the Greater China Final to be held at Zhejiang University.

Feng Chia University student Jen-Wei Chang (Department of Information Engineering and Computer Science) and Yu-Cheng Hsiao (Department of Automatic Control Engineering) claimed the top honor at the 11th MAIC Mobile Application Innovation Contest—the Most Innovative Award—with their project Tearth.

In the Third Prize category, four Feng Chia University teams were recognized: *CareLink* integrates health data with real-time translation to address cross-language communication barriers in elderly care; *Relive* leverages AI to offer upcycling solutions for used clothing, promoting sustainable living practices; *DrawSound* employs interactive picture books and gamified exercises to assist children with hearing impairments in auditory training; and *LumaStage* provides a stage lighting design simulation app that enables student teams to test effects in virtual environments, reducing the cost of equipment rental.

Feng Chia University RTC Director Fang-Rong Hsu noted that a single award-winning team might simply reflect exceptional individual talent—but winning year after year, with multiple teams honored simultaneously, reflects a robust and well-established talent development system. Feng Chia's consistent achievement in Apple development stems from the long-term synergy between the on-campus iOS Club and institutional resources. Looking back at Feng Chia's MAIC track record—from the Third Prize won by *MC Reverse Osmosis* in 2020, to consecutive Second Prize victories with *TouchSight* in 2021, *Healthy Baby* in 2023, and *Voice of Life* in 2025, to the First Prize claimed by *Little Encyclopedist* in 2024—the University has placed at the final stage year after year. This year's sweep of six awards is the clearest proof yet that this long-cultivated development system has come to full fruition.

Feng Chia University received official Apple certification to establish its RTC in 2017, making it the earliest university in Taiwan to obtain this distinction. The on-campus iOS Club is also the first student organization in Taiwan to receive official Apple certification. The Club has long been rooted in Swift programming and hands-on app development education, building a mentorship culture in which senior students guide and support their juniors. The University simultaneously provides hardware resources and has integrated iOS programming into its formal curriculum. Through the close interplay of coursework, student clubs, and competitions, Feng Chia has constructed a comprehensive educational environment for mobile application development. As AI and mobile application innovation continue to evolve, Feng Chia University will deepen this talent development model, nurturing more developers capable of making their mark on the international stage.

Feng Chia University student teams captured 6 of the 8 awards at the final round of Taiwan's only Apple-certified mobile application innovation contest, emerging as the competition's biggest winner.

The Feng Chia University team behind the Second Prize-winning Focus_loop presenting and defending their project during the final round.