TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan is showcasing its artificial intelligence capabilities at Vivatech in Paris, with 34 startups taking part and Foxconn opening its first booth at the event, CNA reported Wednesday.
The event began Wednesday and is one of Europe’s largest technology and startup shows. It brings together global technology companies, emerging startups, investors, and government-backed innovation teams.
Taiwan is joining the event for the eighth time through Taiwan Tech Arena, which is run by the National Science and Technology Council. This year’s Taiwan pavilion uses the theme “AI Taiwan” to show how Taiwanese companies use artificial intelligence in daily life and business services.
The startups apply AI to training, safety, energy, retail, and other fields. The pavilion is designed to show that Taiwan’s AI industry is not limited to chips, but also includes practical products and services.
National Science and Technology Council official Lin Te-sheng (林德生) said Taiwan startups have changed their approach to overseas technology shows. He said they are no longer attending mainly to learn and take part, but are now seeking business deals and orders.
Lin said startups must show ambition, join competitions and build stronger supply chains if they want to win overseas orders. He said the 34 startups at this year’s show are supported by 61 supply chain companies.
Lin said this model helped Taiwan startups achieve much stronger business results last year. He said Taiwan is working harder this year to connect startups with manufacturers so they can turn overseas interest into real orders.
Julie Lamande, head of Vivatech global partnerships and public relations, said Taiwan’s technology ecosystem is important to the event. She said Taiwan’s greater presence this year reflects its growing role in AI, semiconductors, and global technology supply chains.
Foxconn’s booth is across from the Taiwan pavilion and includes two smart electric vehicles, an AI server rack system, and other technology products. The company said it is focusing on four business areas in Europe: smart electric vehicles, AI server systems, AI data centers, and smart manufacturing.
Foxconn Vice President and spokesperson Wu Chun-yi (巫俊毅) said the company is no longer only a hardware maker. He said Foxconn is becoming a technology platform services company that offers full solutions instead of single parts or products.
Wu said Foxconn has received interest from several European countries as they make plans to build their own national AI systems. He said the company could work with partners through a model in which Foxconn builds systems, operates them, and adapts them for local markets.
Taiwan’s Representative to France Hao Pei-chih (郝培芝) said Europe is seeking trusted partners as it rebuilds industry and reduces risk. She said Taiwan has strengths in advanced chips, artificial intelligence servers, software, and hardware, making it a strong partner for European countries.
