A delegation representing Taiwan startups held a Pitch exchange event in downtown San Francisco on May 7, attracting over a hundred participants from Taiwanese and American venture capital, technology industries, and academic research sectors. During this trip, the delegation connected with the three major innovation hubs in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and the San Francisco Bay Area to deepen Taiwan-US technological cooperation and market presence, accelerating the entry of Taiwanese startups into the international market.
The event was co-hosted by Li Guanzhi, Director of the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and Wu Zhixiang, Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco. Representatives from the US Department of Commerce’s Northern California office, as well as well-known accelerators such as SkyDeck and Plug & Play from the University of California, Berkeley, were in attendance. Organizations like the Northern California Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Silicon Valley Chinese Technology and Commerce Association, the Silicon Valley Taiwan-US Industrial Technology Association, and J.P. Morgan also shared practical experiences in innovative technology application, fundraising, regulations, and business development to help Taiwanese startups understand US market trends and investor interests.
Moreover, the event also invited representatives from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) in California, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, and individuals from the Bay Area startup ecosystem to discuss trends in artificial intelligence development and market opportunities.
This year, led by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, a delegation of 37 Taiwanese startups participated in the 2026 SelectUSA Tech Startup Competition and achieved remarkable success, winning one gold, three silver, and one bronze medal, ranking first globally. The delegation arrived in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley Bay Area on May 6, focusing on areas such as health, biomedicine, energy, defense technology, and artificial intelligence applications to further expand Taiwan-US industrial cooperation and technology exchanges.
The Small and Medium Enterprise Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that Taiwanese startups possess outstanding talent and technological capabilities, combined with Taiwan’s complete manufacturing and supply chain advantages, giving them the competitiveness to promote innovative applications to the international market. The government not only assists startup teams in participating in international competitions but also actively connects businesses with markets, capital, and industry resources, aiming to cultivate more globally competitive Taiwanese startup stars.
On May 8, the delegation held the “Taiwan Startup Demo Day” in Silicon Valley, showcasing innovative application solutions to American venture capital firms, academic research institutions, potential partners, and technology cooperation prospects to expand international collaboration opportunities. The event invited the California Office of Small Business Advocate, top investment institutions in Silicon Valley, and industry experts covering areas like artificial intelligence, semiconductors, communications, and health technology to further deepen the exchange and cooperation between Taiwanese startups and the Silicon Valley innovation ecosystem, promoting market development and investment opportunities.
Before participating in the SelectUSA Tech Startup Competition, the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration led 35 Taiwanese startups to Los Angeles on April 30 for the “Taiwan Selects LA” forum and Pitch activities, collaborating with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the Los Angeles Venture Association (LAVA), and several startup accelerators and venture capital funds in Southern California to help startup teams understand US market demands and investor perspectives more deeply.
Furthermore, the organizers arranged one-on-one exchanges between Taiwanese startups and American experts in academia, legal affairs, market expansion, and business models to provide advice on commercializing research results, market positioning, and international channel strategies, helping Taiwanese businesses establish the capabilities and direction to enter the US market and demonstrate the global application potential and commercial value of Taiwanese technological solutions.
The Small and Medium Enterprise Administration emphasized that the US possesses the most complete startup ecosystem and abundant venture capital resources globally, making it an important base for Taiwanese startups to expand into the international market. The delegation, starting from Los Angeles and Washington D.C., extending to San Francisco and the Silicon Valley Bay Area, actively delved into the local innovation industry system to strengthen connections with the US market, capital, academic research institutions, and industrial chains, showcasing Taiwan’s ambition and competitiveness in positioning its startups in the global market. ◇