Taiwanese startup breaks into SelectUSA pitch competition finals

在 SelectUSA 提案競賽台灣新創公司中闖進決賽

Taiwan sees 9 startups selected for pitch competition


TOKYO (Taiwan News) — According to the 2023 Taiwan startup ecosystem survey, over 80 percent of startups plan to go global, and the U.S. market is their number one choice.

For the past two years, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has teamed up with the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and accelerator TAcc+ to lead 36 Taiwanese startups to attend the U.S. government-held commerce trade show, SelectUSA. Four of these startups have won the pitch competition and ranked in the top three globally.

Additionally, seven startups have already set up offices in the U.S. This year, the Taiwanese government expanded the startup delegation, bringing 19 startups to SelectUSA. Among them, nine have been selected for the pitch competition, the most from any country.

EndoSemio, a Taiwanese startup that developed a wireless tracheostomy imaging tube capable of real-time imaging throughout tracheostomy surgery, advanced to the SelectUSA finals. “Advancing to the SelectUSA pitch competition final helped me gain more exposure to our potential partners and customers in the US. Besides the pitch competition, I also attended the SelectGlobal Women in Tech and learned a lot from the mentors. It is very worthwhile for startups that want to expand to the US to attend SelectUSA,” said Ruby Hung (洪如郁), CMO of EndoSemio.

SelectUSA is a U.S. government program dedicated to facilitating business investment in the United States, providing support to companies looking to establish or expand operations within the country. Since its inception, SelectUSA has helped attract over $81 billion in investment, creating thousands of jobs.

The program is particularly significant for overseas startups. More than 3,000 companies from over 70 international markets have participated in its events, gaining valuable exposure and networking opportunities.

For Taiwanese startups, participating in SelectUSA represents a pivotal opportunity to break into the competitive U.S. market, leverage resources, and potentially secure investment and partnerships that can drive their growth and innovation on a global scale.

By attending SelectUSA, Taiwanese startups can connect with over 1,200 potential investors and industry leaders, enhancing their chances for funding and strategic partnerships. With 95% of the world’s consumers outside of Taiwan, accessing the U.S. market can significantly boost international sales, positioning startups for long-term growth and global competitiveness.

“At SelectUSA, you can meet representatives from all the states. It is easy to discuss the soft landing plan with them. The biggest gain for me at SelectUSA is that I got to know Homeland Security officials and talked with them about how my startup can work with them,” said Hubert Chen (陳維隆), founder and CEO of Turing Drive, another Taiwanese startup selected for the SelectUSA pitch competition.

“The goal for us at SelectUSA is clearly doing business with the US government. We had many opportunities to talk with different state representatives about potential opportunities. It really helps us to have more chances to land in the US,” said Jay Chen (陳俊傑), founder and CEO of Avalanche Computing.