US Science Agency Debuts Startup Matchmaking Program in Taiwan

It just hosted its first deep-tech startup workshop abroad
The NSF hopes to expand such workshops to allied nations

Michelle Meng-Hsiung Kiang, left, co-founder of Impact Science Ventures, engaged in an introduction game at the U.S. National Science Foundation’s first technology startup workshop overseas in Taipei.Photographer: Jane Lanhee Lee/Bloomberg

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

By Jane Lanhee Lee

April 9, 2024 at 3:39 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

The US agency tasked with driving scientific research has launched a program to connect American startups with Taiwanese peers, backing the island’s ambitions to foster key players in strategic sectors like semiconductors, AI and beyond.

The National Science Foundation — one of the federal government’s biggest outfits for funding research — is for the first time sponsoring a series of workshops abroad to help US startups work with their overseas counterparts. It chose to kick things off in Taiwan, which plays an increasingly pivotal role in chips and the technology supply chain. Its Ministry of Economic Affairs is backing the effort, which aims to discover and finance firms exploring “deep tech,” or cutting-edge arenas including biotechnology and quantum computing.