IC TAIWAN GRAND CHALLENGE
TIMELINE
ONLINE COMPETITION
- The award selection process is through online competitions. Teams can participate with no entry limits.
- Online registration: Interested participants can fill in the registration form online at any time.
- Qualification review: The organizer will conduct a qualification review and confirm the competition category in accordance with the regulations.
- Initial review: The contents of the concept paper will be reviewed. Based on the review results, candidates will be notified whether they will proceed to the secondary review. Candidates that pass the initial review must submit the “IC Innovation Acceleration Platform Resource Requirement Application Form”
- Secondary review: It will consist of a 20-minute online presentation and Q&A.
- Results will be announced approximately two weeks after review based on application volume.
ON-SITE COMPETITION
- Participate in designated international benchmark exhibitions like Viva Technology 2024 and CES 2025. Results will be announced after the pitch during the exhibition.
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May. 14
Taiwan CbI Launch EventMay. 14
NSTC is hosting the “IC Taiwan Grand Challenge” to bolster Taiwan’s IC startup ecosystem and attract global tech talent and investment. Starting on May 14th at the Taiwan Chip-based Industrial Innovation Program (Taiwan CbI) launch event, it will explore how the semiconductor industry can capitalize on AI for innovation!
- Time: May. 14 10:00-12:00
- Venue: NTUH International Convention Center R201
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Sep. 4
- Oct. 17-19
- Jan. 31, 2025
CATEGORIES & ELIGIBILITY
All participants must comply with the 2024 IC Taiwan Grand Challenge Pilot Program.
We welcome teams that are:
- Startups, legal entities, academic research institutions, and individuals that plan to collaborate with Taiwan’s semiconductor industry.
- Must be a startup set up after January 1, 2016.
- Must own or have legal access to the intellectual property rights of the product, technology, or solution.
- Teams applying for Online Competition must submit Concept Paper detailing core technology, solved situations, future issues and solutions for Taiwan, business model, and market expansion plans.
CATEGORIES & ELIGIBILITY
All participants must comply with the 2024 IC Taiwan Grand Challenge Pilot Program.
Participating teams need to actively leverage innovative IC design to develop advanced application solutions or enhanced technologies across the following categories:
SMART DATA &
AI
smart mobility
SMART
manufacturing
SMART medtech
sustainability
We welcome teams that are:
- Startups, legal entities, academic research institutions, and individuals that plan to collaborate with Taiwan’s semiconductor industry.
- Participants entering as companies must be startups that were established within 8 years from the date of registration. However, this does not apply to non-corporate entities, academic research teams, or individual persons.
- Must own or have legal access to the intellectual property rights of the product, technology, or solution.
- Teams applying for Online Competition must submit Concept Paper detailing core technology, solved situations, future issues and solutions for Taiwan, business model, and market expansion plans, also submit Application Form for IC Innovation Acceleration Platform Resource Requirement within the given time frame.
- Teams applying for On-site competition must submit Application Form for IC Innovation Acceleration Platform Resource Requirement, and each competition will be conducted according to its regulations.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Experts from Taiwan’s industry, venture capital, and relevant government departments form a committee to select the winning team.
CONNECTIVITY
CREATIVITY
INNOVATION
- Specific resource requirements and development plans in Taiwan
- Ability to provide broader development plans for Taiwan’s industries
- Ability to drive technological innovation potential and create social welfare
- Contribution to promoting new industrial links or promoting industrial upgrading
- Effectiveness of introducing derivative investments or creating high economic value
- Innovations in emerging application fields
- Innovations and developments in the manufacturing process, design, and application of new materials
- Ability to integrate the advantages of diversified innovation and integrated cross-domain thinking
- Have resource needs and specific development plans in Taiwan.
- Can provide broader development space for Taiwan’s industry.
- Can drive technological innovation potential and create social welfare.
- Contribution to promoting new industrial links or promoting industrial upgrading.
- The effectiveness of introducing derivative investments or creating high economic value.
- Innovation in emerging application fields.
- Pioneering in the fields of manufacturing process, design, and application of new materials.
- Able to integrate the advantages of diversified innovation and integrated cross-domain thinking.
Awards
Experts from Taiwan’s industry, venture capital, and relevant government departments form a committee to select the winning team.
& INDUSTRY CHAIN LINKAGE
MENTORSHIP
- Award recipients are required to have at least one team member participate in industry matchmaking events for a minimum of one month in Taiwan prior to signing the investment agreement. The matchmaking process will be tailored to the specific needs of the award recipients and the prize will be disbursed upon the completion of their obligations in Taiwan.
- Based on the award recipients' resource needs for development in Taiwan, funding will be provided upon approval by the NSTC. This support may include access to EDA tools, silicon intellectual property licensing services, IC design services, and wafer shuttle services, as required for chip development. Each award recipient may receive up to USD 3 million in total. Equity exchange will generally be conducted using the SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) model. If SAFE is not applicable under the relevant national regulations, alternative equity exchange methods will be negotiated.
& INDUSTRY CHAIN LINKAGE
MENTORSHIP
OBLIGATION
After passing the initial review, participants must submit the Application Form for IC Innovation Acceleration Platform Resource Requirement. Upon confirmation of the award, the provided resources will be converted into equity, with shares held by the National Science and Technology Development Fund of the Executive Yuan.
Award recipients must sign the SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) investment agreement within three months of the announcement. The organizer reserve the right to allow extensions for signing or to negotiate alternative equity exchange methods if SAFE is not applicable. The agreement must be signed by a company; if the award recipient is not a company, they must establish one before signing the agreement to qualify for investment.
Award recipients must cooperate with on-site business development in Taiwan, which includes, but is not limited to; participating in designated exhibitions, technical presentations, and award ceremonies. Examples include COMPUTEX/ InnoVEX from May 20-23, 2025, and the Taiwan Innotech Expo (TIE) from October 14-18, 2025.
Award recipients are required to assist with publicity activities by submitting relevant materials or participating in promotional efforts. They must also cooperate with the organizer's arrangements for on-site meetings, scheduling activities, and monitoring & evaluation activities.