TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Kaohsiung signed a memorandum of understanding with three technology firms to move into Pier F, underscoring accelerating AI investment, Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said Tuesday.
The city said it signed MOUs with MicroIP, PilotGaea, and Slab Digital Technology to expand AI research, validation, and application across transport, logistics, and urban management, per CNA.
Chen said Kaohsiung’s port warehouses, once central to an export economy that included banana shipments, are being repurposed into smart-technology bases through a partnership with Taiwan International Ports Corporation, reflecting a shift from agriculture and heavy industry toward digital sectors. He added the city is deploying AI in traffic, healthcare, and disaster prevention while building a “sovereign AI” platform under the Smart Kaohsiung Lighthouse project, per the Kaohsiung City Government.
Chen added that the new tenants would broaden applications from cloud to real-world settings across land, sea, and air, reinforcing Kaohsiung’s AI ecosystem. The city framed the move as evidence that local AI momentum “continues to heat up,” per the Commercial Times.
MicroIP Chair James Yang (楊健盟) said the company will set up a southern R&D center and validation site at the warehouse, supporting projects such as smart metro systems, port logistics fleet safety, drone inspection, and crowd management at large events. He cited confidence in Kaohsiung’s semiconductor and AI prospects, per MicroIP.
PilotGaea Chair Jen Nien-chih (任念志) said the firm will deepen collaboration with the city on smart port operations, disaster response, AI inspection, spatial data integration, and drone applications, advancing Taiwan’s 3D GIS and unmanned systems capabilities, per PilotGaea.
Slab Digital Technology Founder and CEO Chen Sheng-wen (陳聖文) said the establishment will focus on smart vessels and enhance operational efficiency with solutions such as carbon emissions management and navigation optimization. Slab Digital will also set up an R&D center to accelerate new tech validation and on-site deployment, per China Daily News.
Kaohsiung City Economic Development Bureau Director-General Liao Tai-hsiang (廖泰翔) said the site, which opened in December, has already attracted ASpeed Technology, Chunghwa Telecom, and Lighthouse project partners, with occupancy surpassing 50% within six months. He said the rapid take-up reflects market validation of port-area revitalization and tech-space planning, per the Kaohsiung City Government.
