Taiwan is making its presence felt at IFA 2024, the world’s largest consumer electronics exhibition, held in Berlin, Germany. In a significant move, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) of Taiwan has announced the first ever corporate-driven startup competition, held in collaboration with IFA. This initiative highlights Taiwan’s commitment to fostering global collaboration in the AI industry and propelling its ambition of becoming an ‘AI Island.’
The NSTC’s participation in IFA 2024, marking their first involvement in the event, is a testament to their dedication to contributing to international AI development. Minister Wu Cheng-wen, the head of NSTC, emphasized the strategic importance of Taiwan’s collaboration with Europe, highlighted by the recent signing of a Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement (STA) with Germany – the first such agreement between Taiwan and a European nation.
Minister Wu further emphasized Taiwan’s crucial role in the global economy, citing the country’s dominance in the semiconductor industry and its pivotal role in the burgeoning AI revolution. The press conference, which featured an impressive AI video starring Minister Wu, showcased the advancements in AI technology being developed in Taiwan. The video, featuring a digital avatar of the minister speaking fluently in German, highlighted Taiwan’s vision of becoming an ‘AI Island’ and the potential of AI to transform daily life. This cutting-edge AI video technology, developed by a Taiwanese tech team, not only demonstrates the wide-ranging applications of AI but also underscores Taiwan’s preparedness to realize its ambition.
The NSTC’s startup competition, titled ‘Unveiling the Mysteries of AI,’ is a key element of their initiative. The competition, held in the IFA NEXT startup area, focuses on corporate-driven innovation challenges, inviting global startups to propose solutions that leverage Taiwan’s strong supply chain. The competition seeks to empower startups with access to resources and expertise, allowing them to bring innovative products and services to the market. This approach fosters diversity and growth within the startup ecosystem, making innovative solutions and applications key drivers across various industries.
The competition has generated significant global interest, with five startups advancing to the final round on September 7th. This initiative signifies the NSTC’s commitment to fostering international collaboration and advancing the AI industry. The NSTC plans to continue this model, creating a platform for global collaboration and accelerating the development of AI technologies.
