Technological Partnerships at the Forefront: The EU-Taiwan Matchmaking Event
Taipei, Taiwan’s vibrant capital city, recently played host to the EU-Taiwan Matchmaking Event organised by the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) on behalf of the European Commission. The event took place from the 30th of May to the 1st of June 2023, with the primary objective of fostering collaboration between European Clusters and SMEs and their Taiwanese counterparts. The event took place in the framework of the 2023 European Innovation Week and Computex Taipei 2023, Asia’s premier ICT show.
The event was organised in close collaboration with the Chinese National Federation of Industries (CNFI), the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the Bureau of Foreign Trade and Ministry of Economic Affairs. The event aimed to inspire new partnerships, stimulate knowledge transfer of best practice, and encourage forward-thinking collaborations.
The main European Delegation was composed of some 11 clusters along with SMEs covering 13 countries from the EU plus countries participating in the COSME programme (i.e. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and Spain). Over 40 representatives from Taiwanese clusters, SMEs and government authorities also joined the event. During the matchmaking sessions over 100 C2C/B2B meetings took place.
In 2022 Taiwan was registered as the EU’s 14th largest trading partner, with bilateral trade in goods reaching a record of EUR 84.2 bn. As Taiwan’s most significant foreign investor, the EU recognizes the indispensable role that Taiwan plays in global supply chains. As a world leader in key developments in Information Communication Technology (ICT), artificial intelligence (AI), smart mobility, and green energy, Taiwan offers a wide variety of business opportunities for EU companies. Its reputation as a global hub for innovation and technology makes Taiwan a key partner for the EU and its Member States.
On 29th May, before the official start of the event, participants were invited to attend the 2023 EU-Taiwan Hydrogen Roundtable, a major event dedicated to the topic of hydrogen. Government officials, industry experts and academics from both Europe and Taiwan discussed policies, exchange views on international cooperation, and shared insights on infrastructure and practical experience related to hydrogen development and the major role it can play in the energy transition and net zero future.
Day One: An immersion in the world of advanced technology.
The first day of the event kicked off at Computex Taipei 2023, the second-largest ICT show in the world, and the biggest one in Asia. The 2023’s motto was ‘Together we create’.
During the opening session, delegates heard from Dr. Ing-Wen Tsai, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) who explained Taiwan’s pivotal role in providing advanced products in technology, AI, and simulation sectors. The support given by the government to the industry aims at fortifying Taiwan’s position as a significant global supply chain partner. “We share values with other countries in the world. Collaboration is essential not only for technological advancement but also for democratic development," stated Dr. Tsai.
Ms. Maive Rute, Deputy Director-General, Directorate for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), pointed out the shared priorities of the EU and Taiwan, including circular economy and cybersecurity. “By combining our strengths, we can achieve our goals easily,” said Ms. Rute.
Following the inaugural session, the EU Delegation toured the COMPUTEX 2023 showground, exploring various innovative products. Among many, they visited the GIGABYTE stand, which presented ground-breaking liquid cooling technology and the AI's most powerful supercomputer, KIOXIA, the inventor of flash memory, and ECS, which showcased a range of Smart Solutions. The tour was a vivid demonstration of AI’s increasing importance and potential in revolutionizing today’s world.
Another group of EU Delegates embarked on a tour of companies in Taichung, delving into the world of robotics and machinery. They visited HIWIN Technologies Corp, a leader in the field of machinery manufacturing, demonstrating cutting-edge advancements in robotics. Delegates also explored the innovations at DELTA ELECTRONICS Inc, where the future of industrial automation was on full display.
The first day of the event ended with a networking dinner as part of the 2023 European Innovation Week. It was the ideal setting for fostering relationships between clusters, SMEs representatives, and government officials from both Taiwan and the EU. Attendees had the listening to a few speakers who underscored the importance of this mutual cooperation.
Ms. Mei-Hua Wang, Minister of Economic Affairs, Taiwan outlined the mutual benefits of such collaborations which go beyond technology to the energy transition, showcasing Taiwan’s readiness to contribute to the shared vision of a greener future.
Ms. Maive Rute, Deputy Director-General, DG GROW, highlighted how digitalisation is a key focus area where the EU needs Taiwan’s support. She also accentuated the importance of resilience on the EU’s supply chain.
DAY 2: Fostering Innovation through Collaborative Matchmaking
On the 31st ofMay, the opening session started with insightful introductory remarks by EU and Taiwanese diplomats.
Ms. Maive Rute, Deputy Director General of DG GROW at the European Commission, set the tone for the day, emphasizing: "EU & Taiwan cooperation is moving beyond the ICT sector. Our focus is expanding to include software design, machinery, green energy, cybersecurity, and more. Today's event aims to promote new partnerships and investment opportunities."
Fred Huang, representative of the Chinese National Federation of Industries (CNFI), provided historical context, reminding attendees that the inaugural EU-Taiwan Matchmaking event took place in 2016. Since then, Taiwan now boasts the highest number of users of the ECCP outside the EU - a clear testament to our successful and significant relationship.
Simon Wang, CEO of TAITRA Global (Taiwan External Trade Development Council), underscored the importance of innovation, stating, "In a world abundant with opportunities, innovation is the key to success." He expressed confidence that Taiwan, as a global innovation leader, could further its partnership with the EU for mutual benefit.
To set the scene for out Matchmaking sessions some 10 EU and 9 Taiwanese cluster representatives pitched their industries and possible business opportunities. They focused mainly on ICT, semiconductors, digital industries, robotics, AI and advanced manufacturing. It followed a full day programme of C2C and B2B meetings. The two matchmaking sessions allowed for fruitful exchanges between European and Taiwanese delegates and over 100 meetings were scheduled on the afternoon of the event between European and Taiwanese counterparts.
“It’s my first time here. My cluster is looking for partners which will allow us to enter the Taiwanese market. And I think that those contacts I've made so far, will be very, very helpful in doing that. It is great and inspirational to see what they do here in Taiwan.” said Mr. Gawel Walczak from Southern European Cluster in Photonics and Optics (SECPHO)
“Today has been very intense. We met a lot of different kinds of Taiwanese clusters, SMEs and organisations. They are all doing a lot of interesting things and I am confident many connections and partnerships can start a start after this matchmaking event.” emphasized Ms. Gisela Sanchez, from Finance Innovation cluster.
The day concluded with the European delegation debriefing session that highlighted the high-level satisfaction of participants with the event.
“Effective! Many opportunities, it's going to take me a week to address everything that was presented. Absolute best of outcomes” said Mr. Mike Richardson from OpTecBB.
“Absolutely Top 3 best matchmakings ever” stated Mr. Maciej J. Nowakowki from Polish Technological Platform of Photonics.
DAY 3: A Journey Through Taiwan's Tech Landscape
On the 1st of June, the event was devoted to visiting some of Taiwan’s leading technological companies located in Hsinchu. The highlight of the day was a visit to ITRI – Industrial technology research institution and ICT company. As the largest company in Taiwan with 6000+ employees, and numerous spin-offs across the country, ITRI has led Taiwanese technological innovation for decades with its focus on smart living, quality health, sustainable environment, and intelligentization-enabling technology.
The European Delegation was granted an insider's look at ITRI's ground-breaking technologies, that prioritize green transition and circular economy. The European Delegates were profoundly impressed by Taiwan’s hidden potential, particularly the solutions ITRI has developed for textile recycling, plastic recycling, and electronic waste management.
During the networking lunch with ITRI representatives, the participants emphasized the need for support in scaling up technology. This assistance, they suggested, can and should come from Taiwan, particularly in sectors like high efficiency solar power and hydrogen energy development.
ITRI is also involved in a EU-funded joint research initiative under Horizon Europe - HARTU (Handling with AI-enhanced Robotics Technologies for flexible manufacturing) which is resolving challenges of component gripping, handling, assembling and placing
The day ended with a visit to TSMC – Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company one of the world's leading semiconductor producers There, our European Delegation was able to witness first-hand the disruptive business innovation that's redefining our modern world. It was an awe-inspiring sight to see how a small chip could significantly alter the daily lives of millions of people.
Further details:
Check out all the event photos here.
All meeting presentations will be made available here.
EU-Taiwan Matchmaking Event: Watch the highlights video 🎬⬇️
EU-Taiwan Matchmaking Event: Watch the Testimonials video & next steps 🎬⬇️
