Jointly guided by Taiwan’s Small and Medium Enterprise and Startup Administration (SMESA) and the Fukuoka City Government, the FT NEXT Taiwan-Japan Exchange marked a new chapter of cross-border startup cooperation. Held on the afternoon of May 21 at the InnoVEX SMESA Pavilion Stage, the event was co-organized by Startup Terrace Kaohsiung and Fukuoka Growth Next (fgn.), and brought together startup founders, ecosystem builders, and international VCs to promote innovation-driven exchange.
Following an official opening, Mr. Shun Ono, Global Business Advisor of Fukuoka Growth Next (fgn.), and Ms. Amanda Yeh, Project Manager of Startup Terrace Kaohsiung, shared the strategic roles their hubs play in fostering international startup development between Japan and Taiwan. Their presentations underscored the commitment to cross-border collaboration, ecosystem integration, and market expansion support.
The event featured ten startup pitches—five from Taiwan and five from Japan—spanning sectors such as AIoT healthcare, smart logistics, metaverse, medical robotics, retail tech, and digital communication. Notable Taiwanese participants included DeepWave, Dentall, LTPA, Meta Intelligence, and Ret[AI]ling. Japanese innovators such as F.MED, Logipeace, NappsTechnologies, postalk, and yocto showcased transformative technologies ranging from surgical robotics to AI-enhanced logistics and wellness platforms. Investors including Darwin Venture, CDIB Capital, AVA, and Duoinsight Venture offered insightful feedback and expressed interest in continued collaboration with the presenting teams.
Looking forward, we intention to deepen collaboration step by step. This FT NEXT Exchange is expected to serve as the foundation for future Taiwan–Japan engagements, advancing long-term collaboration mechanisms between Kaohsiung and Fukuoka in support of sustained bilateral innovation and economic growth.
