National Science and Technology Council leads startups to Viva Tech 2024

2024/05/29

The National Science and Technology Council’s Taiwan Tech Arena led 40 technology startups to attend Europe’s largest tech innovation event, Viva Tech 2024, May 22-25 in Paris, underscoring government commitment to international technology exchanges, according to the NSTC May 24.

The TTA’s opening at the venue was attended by François Chih-chung Wu, head of the Taipei Representative Office in France, Julie Lamandé, Viva Tech international director, Alice Woda, international director of La French Tech, which connects French and Taiwan tech startups; Maria Faury, French Atomic and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA) deputy director for Partnership Strategy and William Bao Bean, managing director of Orbit Startups.

The VIPs all expressed their support and encouragement for more in-depth exchanges with France and the global innovation ecosystem, and for further international links. TTA set a high bar for this year’s selection of participants and a record of 40 startups qualified, a six-year record. 

With the Paris Olympic Games scheduled for July, May’s Viva Tech is seen as a potential opportunity to gain Olympic business. TTA designed the expo booth on the theme of Sport Tech to promote Taiwan's sports technology strengths to the international market. Three other strong fields for Taiwan represented in the event were: Smart MedTech, Smart Data & Security and Smart Mobility & Sustainability, showing the country’s diverse science and technology strengths. 

Each year Viva Tech invites leading representatives to offer a competition topic and this year for the first time TTA was invited and proposed a chip innovation-themed competition, attracting international teams from France, Canada, Sweden, Ukraine, Israel, South Africa and South Korea. Six groups won and will participate in the "IC Taiwan Grand Challenge." 

This year, Taipei Representative Office in France held the second Taiwan Tech Startup Night, inviting guests including investors, politicians, and business representatives. The exchanges strengthen the links between Taiwan startups and the global innovation ecosystem and open potential for future cooperation.

At the invitation of southern France’s local government bodies, the TTA also led participants to visit Nice and Marseille and forge further international links and business opportunities in technology for smart cities, smart mobility, smart healthcare and other fields.


Source:  Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)