The 2025 Meet Taipei Startup Festival ran from November 20 to 22 at the Taipei Yuanshan Expo Dome. To highlight how patents power entrepreneurial growth, TIPO has launched the NEXT IS NOW patent exhibition zone, showcasing concrete achievements from Taiwan startups that use patents as their engine and innovation as their momentum.

Intellectual property has become a critical driver for startups seeking to enter global markets. To support this, TIPO has introduced the Proactive Patent Examination Pilot Program for Startups, helping early-stage companies establish robust IP protection, connect with academic and corporate partners, and accelerate the journey from R&D and proof-of-concept to commercialization—forming a full “innovation accelerator.”

This year’s program focuses on helping startups make strategic use of accelerated examination mechanisms, enabling patent grants in as little as four months. TIPO is also providing 40 patent search reports to help teams refine R&D direction and strengthen patent applications. In addition, the program has formed a new joint advisory group that connects startups with resources from medium and large corporations, facilitating technology validation and business-matching opportunities. The initiative has already resulted in several real-world collaborations—including the adoption of technology solutions and AI application tests—and has supported startups in securing NT$105 million in investment.

Under the NEXT IS NOW theme, the exhibition highlights three pillars—NEXT TECH｜Future Innovation, NEXT GREEN｜Sustainability in Action, and NEXT CARE｜Co-Prosperity—featuring startups from the pilot program’s first cohort. Their innovations span communications, IC design, materials science, chemical analysis, biomedical technology, and digital services, demonstrating Taiwan’s diverse strengths from advanced manufacturing to smart healthcare.

Intellectual property is more than protection for ideas—it is the engine that drives technology into real-world application. TIPO will continue supporting startups through forward-looking IP policies, turning “future concepts” into “actions today,” and embodying the innovation spirit of NEXT IS NOW.

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