Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) on Friday witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and the Technology Licensing Office of Stanford University’s Robotics Center (SRC) in San Francisco that formally brings Taiwan into the SRC Industry Alliance.
The collaboration would focus on three main areas: talent exchange, cocreation of technology and integration into the international ecosystem, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said.
The initiative aims to leverage Taiwan’s advanced hardware manufacturing and deployment strengths alongside Stanford’s cross-disciplinary research capabilities, it added.
Photo courtesy of the Ministery of Economic Affairs
Kung, head of the visiting Taiwanese delegation, said that intelligent robots are a core driver of artificial intelligence (AI) implementation under the government’s “New Ten AI Infrastructure Projects.”
By connecting industry, academia and research through government support, Taiwan seeks to raise the research-and-development profile of its start-ups and enterprises, he said, adding that the collaboration with Stanford builds on Taiwan’s strong industrial foundation, using demonstration sites and international alliances to accelerate the intelligent robotics industry’s entry into global markets, and drive industrial transformation and competitiveness.
On the same day, Kung also witnessed the ITRI and the Stanford University School of Engineering’s Global Center for Online Entrepreneurship sign a cooperation agreement for the new phase of the Taiwan Research Institute Entrepreneur Ecosystem (TREE) start-up program.
By connecting Taiwan’s start-ups directly with funding and mentorship from top global universities, the initiative would help them access international markets, secure investment and expand global business opportunities, he said.
The ministry has run the TREE program since 2021, sending five top Taiwanese start-ups each year to Silicon Valley for an intensive program with specialized courses taught by Stanford mentors.
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