Numerous restaurants in American cities have already closed their doors as twilight descends. Typically, the only options available to you if you are currently famished are microwave meals or fast food. This life pain point led Andy Lin, founder of Yo-Kai Express, to start a business and design a smart vending machine capable of delivering high-quality hot cuisine at any time and from any location.Lin, who worked for a leading technology company during his early career and lived in Silicon Valley for an extended duration, frequently conducted meetings with Asia clients late at night in the US. He was so hungry that he searched the entire Internet one early morning, but he was unable to find a venue that served a steaming bowl of Asian cuisine. Yo-Kai was established as a result of this experience.Lin initially drew inspiration from Japan's pioneering ramen dispensing machines; however, he ultimately determined that the user experience was inadequate. He utilized his technological proficiency to reengineer the mechanism and process, resulting in the creation of a smart heated food vending machine that is "delectable, sanitary, and prepared for consumption."Expand product lines and explore instant food blue oceanYo-Kai's first product is a ramen machine that uses high-pressure heating and quick cooking technologies to deliver restaurant-quality dishes. All components, including the broth, noodles, and seasonings, are crafted from premium ingredients that are rapidly frozen and pre-prepared in a central kitchen to guarantee uniform quality.Lin recalled that in his pursuit of the ideal noodle flavor, he once produced 3,000kg of noodles in a single day, only to meticulously control the variance of a few seconds. Yo-Kai's product selection now includes Korean, Thai, xiaolongbao, chicken noodle soup, and several other items, and has collaborated with companies such as Ippudo, MoonMoonFood, Chimei, and Wowprime to deliver joint products.Yo-Kai's smart vending machines are capable of both cognitive processes and food preparation. Sophisticated tasks, such as image recognition, virtual assistance, and sensor monitoring, are facilitated by the industrial computer module, which was developed in partnership with Qualcomm and Pegatron. The device is equipped with more than 100 integrated sensors that accurately measure parameters such as pressure, temperature, and humidity, thereby guaranteeing consistent food preparation.What is even more remarkable is that Yo-Kai utilizes edge AI processors to virtualize customer service and operation tutorials, which are then managed in real time on the spot. Users can obtain assistance without the need to make a phone call or connect to the cloud, which will further enhance the security and convenience of their information.Yo-Kai was the first-place winner of the Qualcomm QITC AI competition in 2024 and was chosen by Nvidia to participate in the Inception Program in 2025. It intends to become the Amazon of the catering industry by integrating upstream and downstream using AI systems.Alongside hot meals, Yo-Kai has lately diversified into cold beverages with better gross profit margins and has adopted an innovative approach by introducing a smart pearl milk tea machine. This is the sole vending machine globally capable of autonomously boiling tapioca pearls. It addresses the challenge of cold chain logistics for conventional tea beverages. The items can be maintained at ambient temperature, facilitating the improvement of delivery networks.Lin forecast that the tea beverage market in Europe and the US will reach US$40 billion by 2030, with an annual compound growth rate of 13%. Although vending machines have the potential for significant future expansion, their current prevalence is negligible. He intends to employ this as a secondary growth generator for Yo-Kai revenue.Yo-Kai has acquired operational experience and data over the past eight years by employing a direct sales model. The global franchise plan will be officially promoted beginning in 2025. For instance, each machine in the US is priced at a mere US$2,000-2,500. In order to operate a smart restaurant, the franchisee is only required to be responsible for replenishing stocks and cleaning, rather than preparing and opening the store. Lin disclosed that the global franchise is making progress ahead of schedule. Nearly 500 smart pearl milk tea machines have been signed in the first four months, and the company has expanded to the US, Japan, the UK, Singapore, Thailand, the Netherlands, and France, among other countries.TTA facilitates international connections, enabling Yo-Kai to expand globallyThe first smart food vending machine is being deployed worldwide. During the business process, Lin regularly returned to Taiwan to interact with various Taiwanese companies. He noted that in recent years, Taiwan's start-ups have increasingly ventured beyond the local domain, significantly enhancing their international presence. Multiple teams have actively established facilities in Singapore, Japan, and other regions to expand their global outlook. Lin contends that TTA (Taiwan Tech Arena) has played a crucial part in this transformation. Yo-Kai demonstrates exceptional industry engagement by utilizing global resources through TTA, connecting Taiwan with foreign assets, and participating in CES exhibitions on many occasions.Beginning with the resolution of the minor issue of "lack of hot food during late hours," Yo-Kai has gradually developed an advanced vending machine system that combines food, technology, and supply chain logistics. Lin revolutionizes the catering sector with technology innovation and reimagines ready-to-eat meals with uniqueness and execution. In the future, we may be able to have a cup of hot ramen soup from Yo-Kai in a variety of locations throughout the world, including airports, hospitals, and campuses, while feeling the comforting flavor offered by technology.

The self-funded medical beauty market has gradually integrated into consumers' daily life, combining the pursuit of outer aesthetics with inner self-confidence, resulting in significant growth in the worldwide medical beauty business.According to a June 2024 survey conducted by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), plastic surgeons worldwide conducted over 15.8 million surgical procedures in 2023, in addition to the 19.1 million non-surgical procedures. Among them, non-surgical skin tightening treatments were ranked fourth in market demand.To capitalize on the substantial business potential within this sector, A-TOP Health Biotech, possessing robust R&D capabilities, introduced its proprietary product "JOUVENCE" to address the shortcomings of current thread materials. The product will soon be submitted for review by the U.S. FDA, with certification expected in the fourth quarter of 2025.As emphasized by Olivia Tseng, founder and chairperson of A-TOP Health Biotech, ongoing advancements in medical aesthetics technology have made major surgical procedures unnecessary for achieving skin firmness. Instead, lifting threads can now be inserted into targeted areas to achieve the desired results. Conventional lifting threads feature a "sharp barb" or "hooked" design that pierces the skin tissue, granting anchorage to facilitate skin lifting; however, this design often causes discomfort, and in some cases, patients may experience excessive inflammation requiring additional surgery.JOUVENCE lifting threads adopt a unique bionic cross-sectional design to avoid the discomfort caused by conventional barbed threads, thereby offering consumers a more comfortable and effective treatment experience.Tseng stated, "JOUVENCE will challenge the traditional paradigm of round thread materials, redefine the technical concept of thread lifting, seamlessly integrate technology and aesthetics to usher in a new era of innovation, and establish itself as a pivotal and trusted brand in the global medical beauty sector."3D Beauty-AI software enables innovation in lifting threadsA-TOP Health Biotech, founded in 2021, is driven by the mission of "Technology and Beauty, Touching the World". The company focuses on developing medical aesthetic and reconstructive surgical materials that are both clinically proven and highly safe, aiming to solve clinical challenges and enhance the quality and efficiency of aesthetic medicine.Its flagship product, JOUVENCE, is a world-first innovation developed using patented non-cutting molding and twisting technology, overcoming the limitations of traditional PDO lifting threads and offering four major advantages. First, its continuous structure provides stable support, reducing the risk of thread slippage and displacement. Second, it eliminates the breakage issues caused by stress concentration in cut threads, resulting in smoother surgical procedures. Third, the absence of sharp structures minimizes the sensation of foreign objects and reduces tissue irritation, significantly lowering inflammation and fibrosis. Fourth, it complies with standardized certification protocols, demonstrating rigorous biocompatibility and excellent product performance.In addition to product innovation, A-TOP Health Biotech addresses clinical pain points by introducing its "3D Beauty-AI Software" to assist physicians. By processing just 15 facial images, the software completes a 3D visual reconstruction, helping non-specialist doctors quickly grasp the key techniques for thread lifting and shortening the learning curve. The AI-generated 3D images also facilitate doctor-patient communication, enhancing transparency and trust in treatment, and further improving the overall medical aesthetic experience.Enhancing worldwide patent deployment: Focus on Taiwan, Thailand, and the USDespite Tseng's extensive practical experience in the medical devices and biotechnology sectors, A-TOP Health Biotech may continue to face multifaceted challenges in areas such as R&D, marketing, and fundraising as the company expands.By joining the Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA), the company gained valuable resources and received comprehensive support from the FlyingVest Accelerator, gradually overcoming key early-stage startup obstacles. The company also successfully secured a spot in the MEDICA Taiwan team organized by Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) in 2024, demonstrating both its technological strength and market potential.In the context of global strategy, Tseng stated that A-TOP Health Biotech will prioritize Thailand, Taiwan, and the US as target markets, combining its JOUVENCE lifting threat technology with 3D Beauty-AI software to provide medical beauty clinics with comprehensive non-surgical skin tightening solutions.A-TOP Health Biotech aspires to establish itself as a globally influential medical aesthetics brand through innovative R&D and international patent strategy, realizing the brand vision of "Technology and Beauty, Touching the World."

In an aging society, the care of chronic diseases has become a major social burden and has imposed significant impacts on the healthcare system. Elderly patients often face complicated medical procedures, unclear disease progression, and overcrowded settings in large hospitals. In 2010, Eric Lee returned to Taiwan from abroad to care for his mother, who had long suffered from chronic diseases related to bone and heart health, and went through firsthand the complexities of the healthcare system-ranging from resource bottlenecks to delayed diagnoses. Motivated by his personal journey, Lee co-founded AIM with physician Dr. Michael Yen in 2018. The company officially launched its product development activities in late 2020, focusing on solving pain points in chronic disease care for the elderly population through state-of-the-art AI diagnostic imaging technology.With Taiwan on the brink of becoming a super-aged society, diseases such as osteoporosis and degenerative arthritis are increasingly prevalent. However, early symptoms are often unnoticed or ignored, causing many patients to miss optimal treatment windows. Traditional diagnosis modalities like DXA bone densitometry or costly CT/MRI scans are time-consuming to schedule and not widely available, making large-scale community screening difficult. Furthermore, cardiac function assessment relies heavily on cardiologists operating advanced ultrasound systems, creating a bottleneck in primary care and public health services.Making Precision Care Accessible: The AI Revolution in X-ray and UltrasoundAccording to Lee, AIM's core technology leverages patented proprietary deep learning algorithms to analyze medical images from standard X-ray and ultrasound equipment. Its flagship solution, DeepXray, delivers automated bone density and joint degeneration analysis in under 30 seconds, generating clinically relevant reports. Validated by leading medical institutions including Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taipei Medical University Shuang-Ho Hospital and Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, DeepXray achieves over 0.9 correlation with gold-standard DXA scans and maintains a world-class absolute error below 0.05 g/cm2.The company's second core product, DeepSono, focuses on automated cardiac ultrasound analysis. Using portable ultrasound devices, DeepSono autonomously outlines myocardial contours and calculates ejection fraction (EF) and global longitudinal strain (GLS)-traditionally requiring manual assessment by cardiologists.AIM's solutions have earned Class II medical device certification from authorities including the US FDA, Taiwan's TFDA, Japan's PMDA, and Vietnam's IMDA, and are expanding to other targeted countries-making it one of the few Taiwanese medical AI startups with comprehensive international certifications.Scalable Business Model and Global ExpansionTo accelerate adoption, AIM offers medical institutions a printer and cartridge business model, including a one-time software license fee at 10% of the full cost to lower entry barriers, followed by a SaaS-based monthly subscription or usage-based billing. Since its 2024 certification, AIM's solutions have been deployed in over 50 clinics and hospitals across Taiwan and Vietnam, with entry into the Japanese market underway."In a competitive global medical AI market, AIM's edge lies in delivering quantitative diagnostic data-not just risk classification," said Lee. While most medical AI solutions on the market only classify patients into high-, medium-, or low-risk categories, AIM goes beyond simply identifying risk levels and provides actionable and clinically relevant number-based metrics. AIM also prioritizes algorithm optimization and platform-based, fully automated diagnostic workflows, significantly enhancing clinical efficiency. Its long-term mission is to democratize precision care by pairing affordable devices with advanced AI technology so that the general public around the world will all be taken care of.Future Roadmap: Elderly Mobility and Cardiac CareLee stated that AIM will continue to expand its product portfolio centered around elderly mobility and cardiac care by leveraging widely available X-ray and ultrasound devices in primary care settings. Upcoming features include sarcopenia risk prediction, enhanced integration of handheld ultrasound with AI, and new developments in abdominal ultrasound, AI-assisted chest disease detection, and preoperative anesthesia risk analysis.Lee also underscored the evolution of Taiwan's startup ecosystem, which in recent years has matured significantly, especially in terms of global outreach. Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) has actively facilitated overseas market connections and aligned investment resources, supporting AIM in its global expansion. In addition to tapping into international markets, Lee recommends that the government and hospitals provide more PoC/PoB habitats to accelerate the development and global reach of Taiwan's medical AI sector, increase clinical deployment opportunities for startups, and bring precision care to communities around the world.

Despite the increasing prevalence of AI applications, the majority of free translation solutions are incapable of satisfying the specific translation needs of enterprises in professional sectors, as they are designed to address generic situational requirements. Organizations that depend on free AI translation frequently must allocate substantial human resources to review and proofread, a process that is both labor-intensive and time-consuming. This holds true when using standard financial statements or product manuals as examples.Bytelingo has acknowledged this challenge and has implemented generative AI to offer translation solutions that are exceedingly precise, particularly for professional publications like annual reports and ESG reports. As of now, Bytelingo's services have been adopted by more than 150 publicly traded companies, with a renewal rate of 90%, indicating a significant level of market confidence.Ringo Chang, founder and CEO of Bytelingo, observed that common AI translation services, including ChatGPT, often produce "highest probability" assumptions based on model algorithms when faced with numerous proper nouns and terminologies (such as full names and abbreviations of products, subsidiaries, affiliated entities, government agencies, etc.), resulting in a considerable incidence of translation errors.Conversely, Bytelingo utilizes a different technique. It initially collects and classifies clients' historical translation papers and official website data, then integrates this information with existing professional databases, including accounting subjects and global standards, to improve translation accuracy and consistency.Exclusive technology outperforms peers with annual report translation taking only 3 hoursChang, with considerable expertise in AI algorithms, acknowledged the Financial Supervisory Commission's mandate for listed companies to submit English financial statements and ESG reports, resulting in the establishment of Bytelingo in June 2022 to tackle the challenges of professional translation for corporations.Initially, Bytelingo relied on proprietary AI models. At the end of 2022, as generative AI and large language model technologies progressed rapidly, the firm modified its product development strategy, concentrating on the development of an AI translation platform based on efficient large language models accessible in the market.Currently, Bytelingo maintains comprehensive databases comprising over 30,000 entries in accounting and sustainability, along with proprietary optimization methods that provide swift access to clients' company-specific information. After completing data preparation, the capabilities of generative AI are effectively governed through its advanced RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) technique, yielding more accurate and consistent translation outputs."Our service requires only one morning to finalize the data configuration, followed by merely three hours to translate the entire annual report," Chang emphasized that this efficiency substantially surpasses that of conventional manual translation, which frequently requires a month. Moreover, Bytelingo's pricing is only 50% to 70% of that of traditional translation agencies, enabling faster customer acquisition. He claimed that Bytelingo's publicly traded clients are expected to surpass 200 by the end of 2025.Full TTA support boosts global prominenceSince its inception, Bytelingo has garnered multiple honors and been selected for various startup awards and government subsidies. This includes the Taipei City Government's 2023 SITI Star investment-potential start-up team, the Ministry of Digital Affairs' Go Next Digital review award, and the endorsement from the Small and Medium Enterprise and Startup Administration of Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs for entry into TAcc+.Upon becoming a TTA (Taiwan Tech Arena) team, Bytelingo received mentorship and support from the STARTUP101 accelerator, which facilitated the company's business expansion, fundraising, brand visibility, and other critical areas.Chang stated that TTA resources and initiatives have afforded Bytelingo a global perspective. During a visit by a large German media conglomerate to TTA, Bytelingo was granted the opportunity to present on stage, therefore enhancing the company's brand recognition and providing substantial benefits in following endeavors to secure venture capital funding. In the future, Bytelingo will strengthen its collaboration with TTA and accelerate its global expansion.Bytelingo is not only translating annual and ESG reports but also diversifying its applications, encompassing product catalog and technical document translation, AI conference support, and AI product introductions, to more effectively meet the complex needs of companies in cross-linguistic communications.Considering international market prospects and the mandate from Japan's financial regulatory bodies for local companies in Japan to provide English annual reports, Bytelingo will utilize its successful model from Taiwan to enter the Japanese market and exploit opportunities in the AI professional translation service industry.Bytelingo offers a variety of AI platform modules to satisfy the unique translation process requirements of businesses. Credit: Company

As the world gradually enters an era of aging populations, the demand for healthcare resources is rapidly increasing. Coupled with labor shortages caused by declining birth rates, this has become a challenge faced by many countries.Founded in 2018, Taiwan-based startup StreamTeck is leveraging millimeter-wave radar technology combined with IoT solutions to develop a non-contact physiological monitoring system for chronic patients and the elderly. The goal is to alleviate the pressure on nursing staff while avoiding the inconvenience and discomfort associated with traditional monitoring devices.The company's first product, SmartCaring T60 Intelligent Remote Care System, has already received Taiwan FDA Class II medical device certification, and its market outlook is promising."The other co-founder of the company and I both experienced situations where elderly family members needed healthcare, which led us to hope for more effective technological solutions," said Ken Hsieh, Co-Founder of StreamTeck. They also heard from the nephrologists that many chronic kidney disease patients undergoing dialysis, which lasts three to four hours, resist or refuse to use traditional wired physiological monitoring devices, due to discomfort or inconvenience.Additionally, nursing staff shortages made it difficult to respond promptly to patients' emergencies. All these were the driving forces behind the founding of StreamTeck.Based on 60GHz MmWave and Proprietary AI AlgorithmsStreamTeck's solution is based on high-precision 60GHz millimeter-wave radar and infrared sensors, including the hardware, proprietary AI algorithms, and applications installed on PC or mobile devices.A wireless monitoring device installed above the hospital bed collects data on vital signs, including the patient's breathing, heart rate, and body temperature. The data is transmitted via Wi-Fi and processed by StreamTeck's AI algorithms. If any data anomaly or incidents, such as a patient fall, are detected, the system immediately triggers an alert, allowing medical staff to respond to emergencies in real-time.Hsieh said that compared to traditional monitoring devices, the non-contact monitoring method significantly enhances patients' comfort, especially in environments like dialysis centers, isolation wards, or palliative care units, where minimizing personnel contact is crucial. At the same time, this system greatly reduces the burden on medical staff.StreamTeck possesses strong technical capabilities and can provide customized solutions to meet various needs, whether in hardware or software development, terminal system deployment, or AI model optimization.TFDA Certified and Successfully Entered HealthcareHsieh previously worked in the electronics industry, where servers, laptops, and consumer devices could be mass-produced as soon as they passed the testing process. However, the medical field requires a strict certification process for product specifications and quality, it's a significant challenge for startups.Any medical device must meet stringent standards on both hardware and software, and the manufacturing process also has to get an official certification. Additionally, extensive clinical trials are required in collaboration with hospitals. For a startup team with no medical background, this poses a completely new challenge.With confidence in their technology, StreamTeck persistently submitted testing applications and, in the meantime actively worked closely with medical institutions. After a challenging process spanning a year and a half, they became the first company in Taiwan to receive TFDA certification for mmWave technology, successfully entering the medical market.Enhancing Tech Strength and Expanding Globally with PartnersObtaining the official certification of medical devices is just the first step for StreamTeck. Hsieh said that the company will continue to enhance its solutions, aiming for non-contact blood pressure monitoring and more accurate patient posture assessment.StreamTeck's system has been implemented in over ten large teaching hospitals and public regional hospitals in Taiwan, such as Tri-Service General Hospital, Mackay Memorial Hospital, and Taipei City Hospital. Additionally, through collaboration with the Industrial Technology Research Institute, the SmartCaring Intelligent Remote Care System is being introduced into long-term care facilities, with plans to expand services into the home healthcare market.By collaborating with ecosystem partners like Intel to participate in global smart healthcare exhibitions actively, StreamTeck is extending its reach into international markets. The company has established a presence in the United States, and its products are currently undergoing FDA certification.Additionally, medical institutions in Southeast Asia have expressed strong interest in the company's system. Looking ahead, StreamTeck is confident in its plans to gradually expand its market footprint and hopes its technology will benefit a wider user.StreamTeck's SmartCaring T60 Intelligent Remote Care System

Valtec AI, a tech startup co-founded by John Keh, has recently gained significant attention for its innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) and drones in the fishing industry. The company's technological approach targets a market traditionally underserved by modern tech solutions—commercial fishing vessels.Keh graduated from UC Berkeley and later joined the U.S. Air Force, where he gained extensive experience in geospatial analysis and drone applications. During his service, he was stationed in South Korea and the Middle East, completing over 250 missions. After leaving the military, he transitioned into the startup world. Over the past decade, he has had successful experiences as a serial entrepreneur. During the pandemic, he found his way back to Taiwan with his family and, by chance, shifted his military drone operations expertise toward fishing applications.Game-Changing Solution for Commercial FishingCommercial fishing is a high-stakes, high-reward industry where efficiency in locating and capturing fish can mean millions of dollars in revenue per vessel. Traditionally, fishing vessels use helicopters to locate schools of tuna within a 100-kilometer radius. "The helicopters are very high maintenance, very cumbersome to take care of, and it takes up a lot of space. Not only are drones cheaper, but with multiple drones, you can now search 3 to 5 times the area, reducing your time to catch, thereby saving a lot more gas from the ship," Keh said.Valtec AI's drones are particularly tailored for purse-seine fishing vessels, a type of ship that targets tuna schools. The company's core technology allows for multi-drone command and control, as well as AI-powered object identification. Their system can operate several drones simultaneously, collecting real-time data about fish locations, estimated sizes, and even environmental factors like the current direction, which can tear fishing nets. By eliminating the need for helicopters, Valtec AI's drones reduce operational costs and risks while improving search efficiency.In terms of competition, Valtec AI's primary rivals are helicopter companies, but the company's technology is likened to the replacement of horses by cars. The advantages in cost, safety, and efficiency make drones a clear disruptor in the market. Moreover, as the fishing industry deals in a commodity (tuna), any tool that improves yield and efficiency is likely to be rapidly adopted across the board, making Valtec AI a strong player in the space.A Service-Based Business ModelValtec AI operates on a service-based business model, providing a "system as a service." This includes not only the drones and software but also ground control stations and operators. The company's revenue stream is built on offering an all-in-one service, reducing the burden on fishing vessels to maintain and operate their drone systems independently."We buy the drones from the hardware providers, then provide the drones to the fishing vessels, to our customers, and provide the software, provide that ground control station that handles the whole system. We even provide an operator," Keh said. "We're creating a new profession. Originally there were no drone operators on fishing vessels or boats. Now we will provide the trained personnel to be able to operate our system and the multi-drone capability, and that way the customer does not have to worry about if this drone breaks or whatever."Valtec AI's drones have already been deployed to gather data from fishing vessels in Taiwan and the Philippines, with plans to expand globally. Keh emphasizes the potential to scale this system as more fishing companies see the clear cost and time savings from drone adoption. By cutting down the time required at sea from one month to two weeks, Valtec AI's system can significantly boost revenue for fishing companies, turning what is typically a slow, labor-intensive process into a streamlined operation.Future Expansion and Strategic FocusWhile the current focus is on the fishing industry, Keh sees future applications in other maritime industries, such as surveillance for shipping. However, the company is cautious about entering more complex sectors like defense, where factors such as weight limitations and operational range present new challenges for drone technology.In the short term, Valtec AI aims to perfect its solution for the fishing industry, expanding its customer base and proving its value proposition. The company recently closed a $2 million seed round, with investments facilitated through its close connections with Taiwan's startup ecosystem, including investment from Spark Labs Taiwan. The funds will help Valtec AI deploy its technology on 40 vessels of current customers, focusing on proving the system's effectiveness in reducing fishing time and increasing revenue for them.Valtec AI revolutionizes commercial fishing with drone and AI technologies

Taiwan's e-commerce platforms have enjoyed leaping revenue growth since the COVID-19 outbreak as consumers increasingly shop online instead of going to brick-and-mortar stores. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, online retail sales reached NT$503.5 billion in 2023, of which NT$284.2 billion, or 56% was generated by pure-play e-commerce companies. To optimize the shopper experience, e-commerce operators have begun to use AI to analyze customers' purchase history so as to make recommendations when they browse the shopping site thereby increasing the likelihood of a transaction.According to Rosetta.ai CEO Daniel Huang, e-commerce operators connect customers with products using tracking and recommender systems to predict buyer behavior. These systems growingly adopt AI to more accurately capture consumer preferences as AI technologies continue to advance. Rosetta.ai's solution is unique in that it matches the characteristics of both people and products. On top of that, it has the capability to understand images and texts, making it especially suitable for fashion e-commerce platforms. It is being used by multiple e-commerce companies.More than 3,000 use cases with no need for a single line of codeFounded in 2016, Rosetta.ai started out with a focus on developing tracking and recommender systems for e-commerce platforms. As it builds up its capability in AI and machine learning, Rosetta.ai has created a unique merchandise tagging database for fashion e-commerce companies that can be used throughout every stage of the shopping journey to realize automated marketing, including precisely redirecting target traffic, enabling diverse personalized interactions and increasing the repurchase rate.In line with the no code or low code trend, the use of Rosetta.ai's recommender system requires no coding. With only simple drag-and-drop operations, users can have personalized recommendations displayed anywhere on the shopping site, whether it's the home page, a merchandise page, a category page, or the shopping cart page. Seven recommendation scenarios are available to significantly increase the hit rate. Since its establishment, Rosetta.ai has helped more than 3,000 e-commerce brands grow their revenue.Huang mentioned that fashion e-commerce companies often use a large quantity of images to show how well clothes and accessories go together. Cosmetics retailers do the same to demonstrate how good their products would make consumers look. Traditional recommender systems are generally not capable of performing in-depth analysis and often tend to over-recommend similar products. For example, the system will keep recommending black clothing to a shopper who has purchased a black item. Rosetta.ai, on the other hand, recommends items that go with what the shopper has bought based on his or her purchase behavior. For example, it will recommend pants, skirts, handbags, or hats that go with the black top the shopper has bought. Its unique deep learning-based image analysis has attracted many fashion e-commerce companies.Using AI-powered precision recommendation algorithms, Rosetta Engage gains insights into every shopping journey touchpoint and offers intelligent recommendations through three interactive experiences. By accurately identifying moments of interaction between shoppers and website products, it is able to precisely recommend items shoppers love and want to buy, thereby raising the conversion rate.Expanding into Japan, Rosetta.ai's globalization efforts are generating impressive resultsLooking back at his entrepreneurship journey, Huang said that Taiwan's startup environment was not yet mature when he founded Rosetta.ai. There were no accelerators to offer guidance and limited sources of funding. Luckily, Rosetta.ai was subsidized by the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) also helped Rosetta.ai plan marketing strategies and secure funding. Rosetta.ai now has a team working in Japan to strengthen collaborations with local fashion e-commerce companies. It also plans to incorporate a Japan-based subsidiary sometime between late 2024 and early 2025 as part of its all-out efforts to foray into Japan.Huang noted that apart from the recommender system, Rosetta.ai has launched Rosetta Traffic, a whole new ad model that leverages AI to create a personalized shopping environment and drive high-spending consumers to the shopping site. It also enables product exposure on complementary brands' websites to increase traffic and improve the average order value. Rosetta.ai expects Rosetta Traffic to become its growth engine in the future.Shopping journey analysis increases traffic and revenue for small- and medium-sized businessesPhoto: Rosetta.ai

Spun off from a laboratory at Inha University in South Korea, PhotoniSol, a dynamic startup, is leading the charge in silicon photonic integrated devices. The company focuses on commercializing a groundbreaking optical isolator chip that promises to reshape the silicon photonics landscape.Silicon photonics, a technology designed to overcome the bandwidth limitations of traditional electrical I/O systems, has become vital for the development of high-speed optical interconnects, which are essential for AI computing and next-generation high-performance computing systems. PhotoniSol's innovative optical isolator chip addresses a long-standing technical challenge, potentially revolutionizing the field.A Rising Market Star Born from Academic ResearchPhotoniSol was founded in July 2020 by Kyong Hon Kim, who now is the company's CEO. During his early technical career period, Kim was a researcher at NASA Langley Research Center developing spaceborne lasers for solar-power transformers and LiDAR applications, and then a technical member and director at a research institute, ETRI, Korea developing optical communication devices for 14 years. He also served as one of the key members of a government planning committee for photonic technology R&D projects. About a decade ago, Kim taught and researched silicon photonics at Inha University.According to Kim, optical isolators are critical components that protect laser sources from destabilizing back-reflections, which are essential for applications like data centers, LiDAR systems, and photonic biosensors. With PhotoniSol, he aims to bring his decade-long research to the market with products that optimize these applications.Breaking Barriers to Commercialization"The development of optical isolator chip technology has been a focus of global research groups for decades," Kim noted. "While many significant technical papers have been published, none of the advancements have led to commercially viable devices."PhotoniSol's approach is unique: it utilizes conventional CMOS fabrication lines to mass-produce optical isolator chips, enabling the hybrid integration of silicon photonic devices with existing silicon IC technologies. To achieve this, PhotoniSol has partnered with Singapore's Advanced Micro Foundry (AMF), a dedicated silicon photonics foundry, for the trial production of its chips.The startup plans to release the world's first commercial-grade optical isolator chips within the next year, a move expected to drive market growth for silicon photonic devices and accelerate the development of photonic integrated circuits.Aiming to Replace Existing Market Solutions"We are working to refine the optical insertion loss characteristics of our isolator chips and expect to have market-ready specifications soon," Kim explained. Once finalized, PhotoniSol plans to distribute samples to potential customers for technology licensing or sales.The company's optical isolator chips are designed to replace the bulkier isolators currently used in optical transceiver applications. "Intel and Cisco hold significant market shares in optical transceiver modules for data center equipment," Kim said, "and our goal is to win their support as we bring these chips to market."The development of PhotoniSol's optical isolator chips comes at a time when hyperscale AI computers, data centers, and high-performance computing systems are pushing the limits of current interconnect technologies. Optical isolators, traditionally bulky, need to be miniaturized to enable further advances in photonic integrated circuits.PhotoniSol is on track to release the world's first commercial-grade optical isolator chips, using fabrication methods compatible with standard CMOS processes. This compatibility allows for the hybrid integration of photonic and electronic devices, promising scalability in production and cost-efficiency.Applications Across Multiple IndustriesPhotoniSol's optical isolator chip has numerous applications across several industries. In data centers, these chips are crucial for optical transceivers, replacing bulkier counterparts and improving system efficiency. Furthermore, its technology could enable advances in LiDAR systems, used in autonomous vehicles and high-speed optical scanners, as well as in biosensing applications that demand highly sensitive and stable laser sources.By adopting a multidisciplinary approach, that encompasses device physics, semiconductor fabrication technology, material science, and engineering, PhotoniSol has made significant strides in refining its optical isolator chips to meet market standards. The ability to mass-produce optical isolator chips using existing semiconductor manufacturing infrastructure gives the company a competitive advantage in a rapidly expanding market.With strong support from South Korea's deep tech startup programs, PhotoniSol has successfully transitioned from academic research to commercialization. Kim expressed confidence in entering the global market and is eager to collaborate with Taiwan's industry players who share the same optimism for silicon photonics.PhotoniSol optical isolator chip

Continuing advances in AI technologies are driving a rapid expansion of AI applications into areas such as smart factories and smart cities. Coupled with the widespread popularity of 4G and 5G communication, GPU performance boosts, and increasing data processing speeds, these developments are spurring burgeoning edge AI market growth. According to GII, the global edge AI hardware market was already valued at US$2.62 billion and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 19.85% over the next five years to US$7.52 billion.According to eNeural Chairman Jiun-In Guo, although edge AI applications are rapidly expanding, device developers and system solution providers face the challenge of high costs. Without small-scale and high-precision AI models, edge devices need to have GPUs with sufficient computing power. However, not only do GPUs come with high price tags in the range of hundreds of U.S. dollars but they also have high power consumption and thermal management challenges, making the miniaturization of edge devices very difficult. This leads to increased development costs and more importantly, it curbs the growth of edge AI applications. As such, having small-scale and high-precision AI models is critical to developers who strive to keep edge AI device cost and footprint under control.The market already has a slew of neural-network processing units (NPU) supporting AI tasks, for example, Sunplus C3V, iCatch V37/V57, Ambarella CV2, Realtek AMB82 MINI (RTL8735B), NXP IMX8M+ and Kneron KL series. In view of the market trend, eNeural is dedicated to building small and precise AI models to support customer needs. Its solutions have been adopted by multiple strategic partners.eNeural builds AI models specifically for NPU platforms, offering unique customization servicesFounded in March 2022, eNeural was a spin-off of Intelligent Vision System Lab, National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU). The team has more than a decade of experience in AI vision. Its independently developed AI modeling tool, AI-Craft, accelerates the time-to-market of AI models, bringing AI application products to market six times faster while boosting the precision level. Incorporating fast labeling and model compression techniques, AI-Craft enables partners to develop edge AI devices featuring a lightweight, small footprint, low power consumption, high performance, and high precision.Guo emphasized that AI models running on NPU platforms on the market are generally developed through open-source projects. They are available in standard versions or manually scaled-down solutions with limited optimization for NPUs. AI-Craft, on the other hand, enables customizable optimizations for various NPUs. Not only can AI-Craft maintain a certain level of recognition precision, but it also makes the AI model up to 90% smaller (depending on the application and requirement). Furthermore, in the case that the precision drops after the AI model is slimmed down, AI-Craft can be used for re-training to raise the precision. This allows eNeural partners to offer a variety of hardware devices suited to different market needs based on only one AI model without the hassle of AI model training and subsequent optimization and scale-down efforts.eNeural participation at CES caught market attention, successfully expanding AI model applicationsIn collaboration with strategic partners, eNeural's AI-Craft is being used in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), mobile robotics, and AIoT. A leading Taiwan-based manufacturer integrated sensors and cameras on top of AI-Craft, which is the smart core, and introduced QBOX, a vision-based commercial vehicle assistance solution that combines a lane departure warning system (LDWS), forward collision warning system (FCWS), blind spot detection system and blind spot information system (BSD & BSIS) and driver monitoring system (DMS). Apart from this, eNeural is also in talks with potential partners in the healthcare and AIoT sectors while planning to further expand the application scope of AI-Craft.Guo pointed out that the establishment of eNeural was a result of a program initiated by former Minister of Science and Technology Liang-gee Chen to create four AI innovation and research centers. Under the guidance of the Center of Industry Accelerator and Patent Strategy (IAPS), NYCU, and Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA), eNeural participated at CES 2019 and CES 2023, which boosted the startup's visibility. Taiwan's startup ecosystem has made great strides. With the wealth of opportunities and resources made available by incubators, startups today grow at a faster pace.Aside from AI-Craft, eNeural has obtained NPU certifications. Going forward, it is able to provide hardware-software integrated AI solutions suited to customer needs, helping them capture tremendous edge AI market opportunities.The eNeural teamPhoto: eNeuraleNeural's AI-Craft for ADAS and smart cockpit applicationsPhoto: eNeural

Smartphones becoming an indispensable digital tool in our daily lives is driving flourishing developments of social media platforms and the influencer economy. This has changed the way businesses advertise. They have primarily been running ads with Google and Meta but are now increasingly working with influencers as a way to boost their revenue at physical stores. However, not every business can afford the cost of partnerships and agencies with top influencers. As such, the influencer economy transition has happened to shift to phase two wherein some businesses choose to partner with micro-influencers with a smaller follower count but higher engagement. Nevertheless, businesses looking to leverage micro-influencers might still find the back-and-forth communication tedious and time-consuming with traditional influencer matchmaking platforms. This remains a challenge that businesses attempting to harness the power of influencer marketing need to overcome.Tellit Now CEO Kai-Hsiang Yang commented that the back-and-forth communication with either top influencers or micro-influencers about the upfront cost, time, and campaign details can be a real hassle. Worse yet, something unexpected such as the influencer not showing up onsite could still happen. There are plenty of platforms on the market that manage micro-influencers, but they are unable to help eliminate all these problems. Tellit Now provides an automated software as a service (SaaS) that matches influencers with businesses in real-time with LBS. It simplifies the online marketing process and creates a win-win situation for both businesses and influencers, leading the influencer economy into phase three.Map-based exploration shortens the preparation processTo address the pain points of influencer marketing, Tellit Now has launched its unique SaaS platform for innovative social media word-of-mouth marketing that effectively connects businesses and content creators. It helps physical stores or brands leverage influential content creators to increase their visibility and revenue. Integrating all services, the Tellit Now platform enables one-stop management of everything on users' mobile phones, for example, allowing businesses to generate push notifications to advertise their needs, search for nearby content creators and process online payments.Yang explained that Tellit Now uses map-based exploration and works in connection with various social media such as Instagram. Using the map mode on the Tellit Now app, content creators can check in real-time whether a business in the vicinity needs influencer marketing and get information on the campaign budget and requirements. The content creator, if eligible, can choose to participate in the campaign. There is no need for cumbersome communication and confirmation. For businesses, all they have to do is enter their marketing budget and campaign details which will be broadcasted in the app. The system will allow interested influencers to browse this information. Compared to the traditional approach, Tellit Now significantly shortens the time it takes to kickstart a social media marketing campaign.Lowering the threshold for digital marketing and harnessing the power of influencersBefore founding Tellit Now, Yang worked for another startup that was based in Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) so he was well aware of the startup ecosystem in Taiwan as well as all the services made available by TTA and accelerators. When establishing Tellit Now, he received help and guidance from Foodland Venture and food service industry consultants. He was also introduced to a number of venture capital firms. These have greatly benefitted Tellit Now's development. The startup is also considering applying for subsidies from the National Development Fund and the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.According to Yang, although the influencer economy has been around for many years, many businesses lack marketing know-how and only care about views and ratings. With Tellit Now, not only do businesses have an easy-to-use digital marketing tool to increase their visibility, but they can also effectively shorten the time it takes to engage with influencers. Going forward, Tellit Now plans to incorporate CRM functionality and offer traffic analysis to further help businesses leverage digital tools to drive revenue growth.Tellit Now enables physical stores to easily start a marketing campaignPhoto: Tellit Now