SMARTPHONES
HTC to back blockchain fund
HTC Corp (宏達電) is to support a US$50 million venture capital fund for a new blockchain start-up, Proof of Capital, with the aim of introducing cryptographic technology to the wider public. HTC chief crypto officer Phil Chen (陳信生), who is in charge of the company’s Exodus blockchain smartphone, said in a statement that the partnership would focus on defining the standards and interactions for the next generation of the Internet, and introducing mobile and hardware expertise to its portfolio companies. The US$50 million fund is being led by Chen; Edith Yeung (楊珮珊), a partner at 500 Startups; and Chris McCann, who founded and led the community program at Greylock Partners in Silicon Valley.
COMMUNICATIONS
UMT net profit surges 110%
Universal Microwave Technology Inc (UMT, 昇達科技), which supplies electronic parts and materials for broadband wireless communications, yesterday reported net profit of NT$71 million (US$2.3 million) for the first quarter of this year, up 110 percent from a year earlier, the highest for the first quarter in the company’s history. Revenue in the first quarter rose 8 percent annually to NT$449 million, or earnings per share of NT$1.1. The company said that shipments for this year are expected to continue growing due to several countries’ continued 5G-related investments and rising demand for millimeter-wave and satellite communication products.
TELECOMS
CHT executive shuffle likely
Chunghwa Telecom Co (CHT, 中華電信) is likely to see a high-ranking executive shuffle soon, as speculation swirls that chairman David Cheng (鄭優) is to retire at the end of June. The company did not deny media reports about Cheng’s retirement, but said that any changes in its operational executives would be made following related rules. CHT president Sheih Chi-mau (謝繼茂) has been picked by the government to succeed Cheng, local media reported. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications holds a 35.29 percent stake in the company.
CEMENT
Work unaffected by quake
Asia Cement Corp (亞泥) said that an earthquake in Hualien County yesterday had no significant effects on the company’s financial and business operations. A magnitude 6.1 earthquake early in the afternoon caused no harm to equipment or personnel at its Hualien plant and quarry, the firm said. The plant’s No. 2 kiln was shut down due to the earthquake, but resumed normal operations at 1:23pm, it said. In related news, Taiwan Land Development Corp (台灣土地開發) said that there were no injuries at its mixed-use New Paradiso (新天堂樂園) complex in Hualien following the earthquake.
ELECTRICITY
Plants unaffected by quake
The Hualien earthquake did not affect the Jinshan Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Shihmen District (石門) nor the Guosheng Nuclear Plant in Wanli District (萬里), Taiwan Power Co (台電) said yesterday, after it completed routine inspections. The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Ma-anshan (馬鞍山) also continued to function normally, as did hydroelectric and coal-fired power plants, the firm said. However, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said that four hydropower firms have stopped supplying electricity to Yilan County’s Longte Industrial Park (龍德工業區). Meanwhile, CPC Corp, Taiwan (台灣中油) reported no accidents at its facilities and instituted preventive measures due to aftershocks.
purpose: Tesla’s CEO sought to meet senior Chinese officials to discuss the rollout of its ‘full self-driving’ software in China and approval to transfer data they had collected Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk arrived in Beijing yesterday on an unannounced visit, where he is expected to meet senior officials to discuss the rollout of "full self-driving" (FSD) software and permission to transfer data overseas, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Chinese state media reported that he met Premier Li Qiang (李強) in Beijing, during which Li told Musk that Tesla's development in China could be regarded as a successful example of US-China economic and trade cooperation. Musk confirmed his meeting with the premier yesterday with a post on social media platform X. "Honored to meet with Premier Li
Dutch brewing company Heineken NV on Friday announced an investment of NT$13.5 billion (US$414.62 million) over the next five years in Taiwan. The first multinational brewing company to operate in Taiwan, Heineken made the statement at a ceremony held at its brewery in Pingtung County. It also outlined its efforts to make the brewery “net zero” by 2030. Heineken has been in the Taiwanese market for 20 years, Heineken Taiwan managing director Jeff Wu (吳建甫) said. With strong support from local consumers, the Dutch brewery decided to transition from sales to manufacturing in the country, Wu said. Heineken assumed majority ownership and management rights
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: The chipmaker last month raised its capital spending by 28 percent for this year to NT$32 billion from a previous estimate of NT$25 billion Contract chipmaker Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (力積電子) yesterday launched a new 12-inch fab, tapping into advanced chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS) packaging technology to support rising demand for artificial intelligence (AI) devices. Powerchip is to offer interposers, one of three parts in CoWoS packaging technology, with shipments scheduled for the second half of this year, Powerchip chairman Frank Huang (黃崇仁) told reporters on the sidelines of a fab inauguration ceremony in the Tongluo Science Park (銅鑼科學園區) in Miaoli County yesterday. “We are working with customers to supply CoWoS-related business, utilizing part of this new fab’s capacity,” Huang said, adding that Powerchip intended to bridge
Microsoft Corp yesterday said that it would create Thailand’s first data center region to boost cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, promising AI training to more than 100,000 people to develop tech. Bangkok is a key economic player in Southeast Asia, but it has lagged behind Indonesia and Singapore when it comes to the tech industry. Thailand has an “incredible opportunity to build a digital-first, AI-powered future,” Microsoft chairman and chief executive officer Satya Nadella said at an event in Bangkok. Data center regions are physical locations that store computing infrastructure, allowing secure and reliable access to cloud platforms. The global embrace of AI