Following population aging and increased demands for healthcare quality, the world is paying more attention to the development of precision health and smart healthcare. Technology will play a crucial role in driving the healthcare industry in the future. Accordingly, this year, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) collaborated with the Hsinchu Science Park, Central Taiwan Science Park, and Southern Taiwan Science Park, forming a delegation team to participate in MEDICA.
Additionally, the council established the Taiwan Smart Health Pavilion to help academic and research start-ups as well as 51 companies establish international investment and industrial collaboration channels, attracting foreign capital. Furthermore, the delegation team participated in the 11th MEDICA Start-up Competition, allowing Taiwan’s cutting-edge technological products to reach key European biomedical markets.
The Taiwan Smart Health Pavilion opened on November 14, German time. Shieh Jhy-wey, Taiwan’s representative to Germany, was invited to the grand opening of the pavilion to express his support for the NSTC delegation team. Other representatives included MEDICA, Fraunhofer (the largest applied scientific research institution in Europe), and the Europe-Taiwan Biotech Association (ETBA). In her opening speech, Director Hsu Tseng-ju (of the Department of Academia-Industry Collaboration and Science Park Affairs, NSTC) indicated that Taiwan possesses world-renowned healthcare capacity and ICT industrial collaboration channels.
In recent years, the Taiwanese government has actively endeavored in interdisciplinary integration, driving the prosperous development of technology applied in precision health and smart healthcare. Also, Taiwan’s outstanding achievements in epidemic prevention have attracted the attention of the world. The Taiwan Smart Health Pavilion encompasses the start-ups, companies, and hospitals of the NSTC delegation team as it participates in MEDICA, hoping that Taiwan can show the world its remarkable technology, products, talented people, and environment, and aiming to attract international investments and cooperation.
The NSTC assisted Taiwanese teams in participating in the prestigious Startup Competition, and two Taiwanese teams will compete in the finals on November 15, German time. More than 550 teams from all over the world signed up for two competitions, and only 12 teams have made it to the finals. These teams came from countries including Sweden, Germany, Finland, Israel, Spain, Italy, South Korea, and Taiwan.
Pythia Biotech and MedFluid, the two Taiwanese teams in the finals, will compete for the championship, the furthest that any Taiwanese team has ever come. Both teams are start-ups counseled by the NSTC. Pythia Biotech produces Organ-on-chip is designed to recreate a physiological and pathological environment ex vivo, whereas MedFluid manufactures an integrated LOC (Lab-on-a-chip) microfluidic system. The two companies are ready to introduce their products to the European markets through MEDICA, according to Taiwan Tech Arena.
Although Taiwanese teams possess advanced technology research and development capabilities, they currently need the recognition of European markets. The NSTC won an opportunity for an exclusive showcase at the Medica Connected Healthcare Forum (MCHF) on November 17. There, the Taiwanese teams can publish their technological achievements; engage in face-to-face interactions with international accelerators, companies, venture capital, and the academic and research sector; and explain Taiwan’s policies for building a precision health environment.
Additionally, the council actively organizes business meetings, communicating with international corporations such as the 3M Group, ASKLEPIOS Group, Merck Group, and ASML. In the future, the council will promote all-round international marketing connections, helping Taiwan’s Medical teams from industries and academic and research organizations shine on the global market and creating more opportunities for Taiwan’s biomedical industry.
Contact person 1: Sing Lin, [email protected], 01523 6809749, Industrial Technology Research Institute
Contact person 2: Ellie Peng, [email protected], Industrial Technology Research Institute
