The innovation hub of Asia, InnoVEX has returned in 2022 in its first hybrid online/onsite format. The onsite event was held in Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center (TaiNEX 1) from May 24 to 27 while the online platform will be active throughout the year. The onsite event was held in the same timeframe as COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2022 and was visited by both domestic and international VCs and CVCs, as well as corporate representatives who were interested in partnering with tech-startups. The InnoVEX ONLINE Platform this year has attracted over 10,000 visitors from around the world and hosted various events including online exhibition and event livestreams.

The co-organizer, Taipei Computer Association (TCA) stated that InnoVEX 2022 was joined by 195 startups from 14 countries and regions; as well as 10 pavilions organized by government projects, accelerators, and international trade offices. The InnoVEX Pitch Contest also makes a return this year with the Taiwanese online dance lesson startup, Swipecool winning the Grand Prize.

Government Institutions, Accelerators, and International Trade Offices Organized Pavilions in InnoVEX 2022

Many of the InnoVEX 2022 exhibitors joined the pavilions organized by government institutions, accelerators, and international trade offices. The pavilions this year were organized by Small and Medium Enterprise Administration (SMEA) of MOEA, StarFab, Taipei Exchange, HYPE SPIN TW, Commercial Office of Brazil, Digit Spark, ICC India, and more. The startups showcased various innovations in 5G & Communication, Healthcare & Biotech, XR Applications, Smart Agriculture & Foodtech, IoT, and other innovative technology trends.

For example, Heroic-Faith Medical Science with the world’s first Al-powered continuous breathing sound monitor, Micronbrane that offers complete solution for pathogen identification directly from blood samples, Lulupet with their Smart Cat Litter box is the world's first smart litter box with build-in stool image recognition and cat behavioral analysis algorithm, and more.

InnoVEX 2022 Forum Invited Industry Leading Companies for Insightful Speeches & Discussions

TCA stated that InnoVEX 2022 Forum consisted of 10 back-to-back events that aim to share insights on the latest trends of innovation and technologies. The forums featured speakers from government agencies, startup teams, VCs, CVCs, and other relevant authorities in the subject matter; including representatives from Blackberry QNX, GaN Systems, Landing AI, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Rockwell Automation, Pegatron, Trend Micro, Elan Electronics, Solomon Technology, Compal Electronics, MiTAC, Invest India, India-Taipei Association, Taiwan Advanced Automotive Technology Development Association (TADA), Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan Artificial Intelligence Association, and more. The forums discuss various topics including EV, AI, 5G, sportstech, smart manufacturing, ESG, green technology, Web3.0, and more. All forums were simultaneously livestream on Youtube for those overseas visitors who are unable to attend. It accumulates nearly 100,000 views within a week.

10 Startups Won Prizes in the InnoVEX 2022 Pitch Contest

TCA stated that the InnoVEX 2022 Pitch Contest featured 11 prizes worth a total of USD 347,000 consisting of cash prizes, professional services, resources, and more. The prize pool includes 1 Grand Prize and 10 Special Prizes: Startup Terrace Award, Qualcomm Innovation Award, Taiwania Capital Innovation Award, and KPMG Special Award.

The Grand Prize is sponsored by the Small and Medium Enterprise Administration (SMEA) and the winner received professional resources as well as USD 40,000 in cash prize for a total value of USD 60,000. The winner of the Grand Prize is Swipecool, a Taiwan based startup offering online dance lessons utilizing AI recognition to provide learners a more accurate comparison and pinpoint areas to improve.

The Startup Terrace Award is sponsored by the SMEA and was awarded to 7 winners; the winners received a cash prize of USD 40,000 per team. To qualify for this award, the winning teams must agree to reside in the Taiwan Startup Terrace (Linkou Startup Terrace or Yawan Startup Terrace) for at least 1 year. The winners are: Sanolla, IRegained, Rapid Diagnostic Systems - NAOR, Charco Science, CHELPIS, WeavAir, and Hyson Technology.

The Taiwania Capital Innovation Award includes a cash reward of USD 10,000 and is aimed towards startups in IoT or bio-medical related teams with innovative technologies and international competitiveness, but other startups with promising technology will also be considered. The winner of this award is Ganzin Technology; a Taiwan based XR startup that focuses on creating the next generation eye tracking modules that can be easily integrated into AR/VR modules.

The KPMG Special Award consists of services from KPMG worth USD 7,000. The winner received one seat at 2nd KPMG Energize Program and total 7 hours consultancy services. In InnoVEX 2022, the winner of this award is TeamRed Labs; a Taiwan based Security & Cybersecurity startup that created the Pangolin Smart Firewall Device; an always-on protection for networks that guards against malware, phishing, and other methods of attack from cybercriminals.

The recap of InnoVEX 2022 is available on the InnoVEX Youtube Channel.