TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The National Development Council (NDC, 國發會) launched its second overseas startup hub in Silicon Valley on Tuesday (Jan. 14), aiming to boost Taiwan-U.S. innovation exchange. NDC Minister Liu Chin-ching (劉鏡清) led the delegation at the opening ceremony, which drew over 300 representatives from Taiwanese and local companies, venture capitalists, universities, and associations.
Minister Liu highlighted Taiwan's global prowess in technology and innovation, noting its nearly 90% market share in semiconductor processes and AI servers. He stated that in 2023, global startup funding plummeted by almost 40%, yet Taiwan's startup funding defied the trend, growing by 10% to reach US$2.8 billion, an all-time high. The council emphasized that the Silicon Valley office intends to enhance Taiwan startups' global visibility and foster Taiwan-U.S. innovation collaboration.
Over the next year, it plans to connect with more than 1,000 community partners and assist 100 startups in engaging with local enterprises and venture capital resources. Minister Liu awarded employment gold cards (就業金卡) to David Lam, senior advisor at BRV Capital, and Mark Birch, former AWS global startup advocate. He stressed Taiwan's critical role in the global semiconductor and IC industries, attracting international firms like Nvidia to establish Asian headquarters.
Dennis Liu, CEO of Startup Island TAIWAN's Silicon Valley hub, and Sibyl Chen, general manager of Berkeley SkyDeck, signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen Taiwan-U.S. innovation and investment resource links. The SV Hub offers coworking spaces, meeting, and event venues, professional consulting, and landing services, creating a two-way bridge between Taiwan and Silicon Valley's innovation ecosystems.
