Cerebrovascular Accidents (CVAs), or stroke, are the top cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide, posing significant threats to human health.Unfortunately, many individuals only become aware of their condition after experiencing a stroke, missing the optimal window for early intervention and treatment.Carotid Artery Stenosis (CAS) has been identified as a crucial factor contributing to strokes, serving as an early indicator. Therefore, early detection and treatment of carotid artery stenosis are vital measures for stroke prevention.However, traditional methods for detecting carotid artery stenosis are limited by expensive equipment, heavy reliance on specialized medical personnel for operation and interpretation, lengthy testing procedures, and high costs, preventing widespread early detection of risk for stroke.Through collaboration with a team of professionals from National Taiwan University, Pulxion Medical Technology has developed a non-invasive AI imaging technology for rapid screening of the risk of carotid artery stenosis, PulStroke, which breaks through traditional testing limitations.With rapidity, standardization, and high cost-effectiveness features, the technology can significantly reduce the need for medical manpower and resources. It is poised to enhance the accessibility of early stroke screening greatly.The limitations of traditional methods make early stroke detection challengingPulxion was founded by Professor Hao-Ming Hsiao from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at National Taiwan University. The co-founder is Dr. Hsien-Li Kao, a Professor in the Medicine School at the National Taiwan University and Chairman of the Cardiology Division at the National Taiwan University Hospital. Their long-term collaboration started in 2014, dedicated to addressing numerous challenges in early stroke detection, and they officially established Pulxion in 2020.According to Professor Hsiao, the main reason for choosing the carotid artery as the topic of their research is that there are over 12 million new cases of stroke worldwide every year, which means one new case occurs every 3 seconds. It is not only a threat to human health but also significantly impacts healthcare and societal costs. There's an estimation that by 2030, the global economic burden of stroke, including post-care, will exceed one trillion US dollars.Carotid artery stenosis serves as a critical early indicator of stroke. Existing common diagnostic methods for carotid artery stenosis include carotid artery ultrasound, Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA), and Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA). However, due to issues such as expensive equipment and complex operations, early screening is challenging to implement widely.The carotid artery is the closest blood vessel to the body's surface, making it easier to observe the pulsation characteristics. Therefore, Pulxion starts with carotid artery stenosis assessment and utilizes non-invasive AI imaging technology to evaluate the risk of stroke.Unique Screening Method: Rapid, Accurate, and Easy-to-UseBy analyzing subtle pulsation variations on the subject's skin surface, Pulxion's PulStroke can differentiate between the pulsation patterns of normal individuals and those with carotid artery stenosis. The device projects visible light onto the subject's neck and then performs the video motion analysis with AI algorithms to highlight skin surface pulsations.Comparing these pulsations with features associated with carotid artery stenosis, a risk assessment report is generated to evaluate the subject's risk of carotid artery stenosis. The entire process is completed within 1 minute, with reports available within 5 minutes.PulStroke possesses several key advantages. First, compared to traditional methods like carotid artery ultrasound, CTA, and MRA, the technology is non-invasive, offering a non-invasive and radiation-free screening approach for subjects.Second, it's portable and user-friendly, with a compact size and no need for specialized operators, making it suitable for placement in small to medium-sized clinics, health examination centers, and potentially homecare and community service in the future. Third, utilizing AI algorithms and big data analysis supported by PulStroke, clinical trials have demonstrated an accuracy of nearly 90% when compared to ultrasound.Regarding the business model, Joy Chen, CEO of Pulxion, said that PulStroke includes both hardware device and cloud platform. The hardware device can be set up in medical facilities with buyout or leasing options. The analysis reports generated on the cloud platform are billed separately and also come with several options for users.For marketing, Pulxion will first work with health examination centers and large hospitals, with plans to participate in government disease prevention programs. The next step is to enter the community clinics with the ultimate vision of making the technology accessible to the general public and integrating it into home healthcare and nationwide health services to increase stroke screening rates and ultimately reduce stroke incidence.Pulxion has completed its angel round funding and plans to sign an MOU with internationally renowned medical device companies this year. Pulxion also plans to file the medical device regulatory submission to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) this year and is preparing to apply for the Breakthrough Devices Program of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Chen said that Taiwan will be the first launch market for Pulxion, and the company will subsequently begin preparations for regulatory submission in the United States.PulStroke enables rapid and accurate assessment of stroke risk. The company immediately attracted attention from the medical industry upon its release. Professor Hsiao believes the key driving force behind the successful commercialization of Pulxion technology is the Startup Value Creation Program promoted by the National Science and Technology Council. As he mentioned, the program activates the value of academic research by providing resources, regulatory ease, and policy support to allow professors to play significant roles in startups. It also encourages various forms of innovation matchmaking.Pulxion has participated in the acceleration program of Mosaic Venture Lab – a TTA accelerator partner as well. The program not only organizes various activities to increase interaction opportunities with investors but also helps startups to expand their exposure. All the support for Pulxion has transformed into its competitiveness. The company will do its best to broaden the applications of its technology to other diseases, creating a healthy society in the future and fulfilling its vision of preventive medicine and home healthcare.(Editor's note: The original article was published in TTA Magazine Issue 14. Read more startup stories in TTA Magazines.)Pulxion PulStrokePhoto: Pulxion

Endoscopes play an instrumental role in minimally invasive surgeries.They allow doctors to perform inspection and treatment procedures inside the body using smaller surgical cuts or even without cuts while increasing surgical precision. EndoSemio's single-use endoscope developed on the foundation of miniature imaging devices and high biocompatibility tubing materials boosts surgical safety, drives technological innovations, and satisfies special healthcare needs. With EndoSemio's single-use endoscope, hospitals will be able to improve patient experience.Leveraging technological and medical strengths, EndoSemio overcomes the shortcomings of traditional endoscopesTing-Xuan Chen and Chih-Peng Lin co-founded EndoSemio. Chen worked for the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in charge of helping medical research organizations turn clinical needs into products.Lin is an attending physician and director of the Division of Pain Management, Department of Anesthesiology, National Taiwan University Hospital. Their decade-long partnership has brought multiple healthcare products into reality.Following his return to Taiwan after completing advanced study at Stanford University, Lin found Taiwan's healthcare sector, despite being among the world's front runners, still has needs that were not addressed due to the lack of cross-industry collaborations. Such needs can be fulfilled through rapid prototyping and technological R&D to thereby improve healthcare quality and efficiency. This prompted Chen and Lin to establish EndoSemio, focusing on special-purpose single-use endoscopes to solve the many pain points of traditional endoscopes and address a small portion of clinical needs. According to Chen, an endoscope reprocessing guide easily goes over 100 pages and contains more than 150 procedures. In reality, as high as 45% of the important cleaning steps are skipped as they are too complicated.In particular, the steps of brushing the accessible channels and forced air drying are often carried out for no longer than 50% of the specified duration. Furthermore, not only is it costly and labor-intensive to maintain traditional endoscopes, but improper cleaning may also lead to cross infections. All the time and effort for disinfection and preparation also hinder patient flow and undermine hospital operation efficiency. The slew of limitations with traditional endoscopes give rise to tremendous opportunities for single-use endoscopes. FDA has approved multiple single-use endoscopes in recent years as part of the efforts to promote such products.As opposed to traditional endoscopes with a long history, single-use endoscopes are still in early-stage development. Those currently available on the market generally target large usage applications, rather than special-purpose small-quantity needs. In view of this, EndoSemio decided to start with tracheostomy endoscopes, neonatal catheters, and flexible ureteroscopes.EndoSemio introduces three single-use endoscope products to meet clinical needs According to Lin, a traditional tracheostomy requires two teams of medical professionals, one monitoring the bronchoscopy while the other performing the tracheostomy. Things could go wrong when surgeons have to perform tracheostomy without bronchoscopic images.Without an imaging system on the tracheal tube, surgeons can only rely on experiences and feel the way through. Now with EndoSemio's innovative endoscope imaging tracheostomy kit, featuring the world's first tracheal tubes integrated with endoscopes, medical professionals can avoid complications and mitigate the risk of incorrect placement in false lumen, improving tracheostomy efficiency and ensuring patient safety.The product has won the 20th National Innovation Award. Neonatal respiratory imaging devices are generally miniaturized.Their level of precision is critical to neonatal respiratory care. EndoSemio's neonatal and pediatric respiratory imaging catheters help physicians correctly identify delicate infant airways and examine the conditions therein to effectively lower the risks of hypoxia or complications.The flexible ureteroscopes that EndoSemio provides combine miniature imaging modules with tubes made of advanced materials to enable visibility. The solution reduces chances of infection and cross-infection and therefore is an ideal choice for stone removal in a laser lithotripsy.Lin pointed out EndoSemio's advantages in a few aspects. First, the EndoSemio team interviewed 20-some physicians and designed the products based on their comments and feedback to ensure the products addressed their needs. As such, the resulting products feature a user-friendly interface and simple structure design, requiring no learning curve for users to effortlessly operate. Moreover, their digital imaging and navigation functions with enhanced navigation precision and optimized operation flow are also highly praised by medical professionals.Second, the EndoSemio engineering team has a decade-long experience developing endoscopes. Integrated with patented designs including medical-grade high-resolution miniature CMOS image sensors, color calibration, and silicon endoscope tubing, EndoSemio's products boast superior performance and reliability. Last but not least, EndoSemio has grasped critical manufacturing know-how for miniature front-end camera modules and tubing so it has full control over its product quality and performance. It is also able to keep costs at bay through vertical integration efforts.EndoSemio has submitted applications for FDA approval. It expects to obtain FDA approval by year-end 2024, allowing it to launch the products in 2025. Everything is proceeding according to schedule, noted Chen.For the smooth progress, EndoSemio gives credit to not only team efforts but also Taiwan's startup environment fostered by industry-government-academia-research collaborations. Lin spoke candidly that physicians or scholars involved in startup ventures were considered impractical but things are different today.Taiwan's startup scene, especially in the healthcare sector, has exhibited significant changes in the recent decade. The National Science and Technology Council and the Ministry of Economic Affairs support multiple projects aimed at cultivating an environment that appeals to entrepreneurs and effectively accelerates startup development. Going forward, EndoSemio has set goals for each development stage and will continue to endeavor on medical imaging solutions for special-purpose applications to help medical institutions create premium patient experiences.(Editor's note: The original article was published in TTA Magazine Issue 14. Read more startup stories in TTA Magazines.)Innovative endoscope imaging tracheostomy kitPhoto: EndoSemioNeonatal and pediatric respiratory imaging cathetersPhoto: EndoSemioEndoSemio's neonatal and pediatric respiratory imaging catheters on display at a medical technology exhibitionPhoto: EndoSemio

Consumers' growing favor for stylish clothing has given rise to a rapid increase in fast fashion brands over the recent decade.However, low-quality fast fashion apparel has also made consumers demand more from fashion brands. Especially in developed countries where birth rates are declining, parents are inclined to spend more on the clothes they put on their children to ensure comfort and safety. According to market research reports, the global organic cotton children's apparel market is set to grow at a CAGR of 9.4% from US$4.4 billion in 2022 to US$8.8 billion in 2030. For their outstanding quality, Taiwan-based fashion startup Baby Baby Cool's products are carried in French department store Printemps.It is the only local brand available at the Bellavita Shopping Center in Taiwan. Better yet, it has signed agreements with Japan's Hankyu Department Store and Isetan Department Store to sell Baby Baby CoolBaby Baby CoolBaby Baby CoolBaby Baby CoolBaby Baby CoolBaby Baby Cool apparel in their stores starting in the second quarter of 2024.Erin Wei, founder and director of Baby Baby Cool, remarked that she established the company to help children develop a sense of taste and style at a young age by providing chic fashion for children as opposed to common kids' wear with cartoon illustrations on the market. When selecting fabrics with manufacturers, she found most of them are produced using chemicals in the process which children may absorb through their skin, harming their health and the environment. To protect the health of infants and kids, Wei decided to use organic cotton to make safe and stylish fashion for children.Premium organic cotton combined with fashion design and craftsmanshipFounded in 2016 on the core concept of love and aesthetics, Baby Baby Cool aims to foster children's sense of taste and style through fashion design while safeguarding their health starting with the clothes they wear every day. The company insists on using GOTS-certified premium organic cotton and proven non-toxic metal accessories to produce pure, soft, and comfortable clothes that kids can confidently put on.Applying the techniques and craftsmanship used for adult fashion to design children's wear, the Baby Baby Cool team goes beyond the boundaries of kids' apparel and creates a Taiwan-based fashion brand boasting both style and health. Featuring originality, the Baby Baby Cool team comprises professional advertisement stylists, prominent fashion designers, skilled pattern makers, and experienced seamstresses who work together to produce clothing entirely in-house.Making use of proportions, structures, cuttings, simple yet vivid colors, and patching techniques to create interesting and innovative aesthetics, the team makes children's clothing featuring sleek lines, chic style, and simple colors. Their products with the unique style allow the world to see Taiwan's strength in children's clothing design.Wei noted that there are kids' fashion brands on the market that highlight the use of organic cotton but they often lack design elements that appeal to consumers. Despite being a startup company, Baby Baby Cool uses special 3D tailoring generally used only for luxury fashion to deliver a more three-dimensional look through cutting, folding, shrinking, grabbing, and pinning techniques.3D tailoring is a technique that leading international fashion brands have growingly adopted in recent years. Although everything about 3D tailoring is more costly and challenging from design to manufacturing compared to conventional practices, it can make clothes that better fit the body contour and structure. This is why Baby Baby Cool is enthusiastically embraced by the market.Leveraging TTA's diverse services, Baby Baby Cool forays into worldwide markets Adhering to the principles of making healthy and stylish clothing, in 2017, a Baby Baby Cool store opened at the Bellavita Shopping Center, a high-end department store in Taiwan, followed by another one in the French department store Printemps in 2018. It began to expand into overseas markets including Hong Kong and China in 2019.However, after the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, Baby Baby Cool shifted its focus back home and started to make efforts toward an e-commerce platform, reaching out to potential customers via multiple channels. After it was introduced to Sparklabs Taiwan, a Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA) accelerator partner, it received guidance that significantly helped it improve operation efficiency and rethink its management and marketing strategies.According to Wei, when Baby Baby Cool was first founded, a decision was made to tackle the most difficult sales channel. It took a while to get in touch with Bellavita but Baby Baby Cool was able to prove that their product quality is on par with hundred-year-old brands'.From the first presentation to the final product introduction conducted in a way similar to museum exhibits, Baby Baby Cool successfully convinced Bellavita to carry its brand. This helped considerably in Baby Baby Cool's subsequent business development.The startup faced the same challenge in 2023 again when it engaged in talks with Japan's Hankyu Department Store and Isetan Department Store. Wei was happy to win recognition from the two Japanese department stores. The availability of Baby Baby Cool clothes at their stores starting second-quarter 2024 will allow more visibility on Taiwan-based brands.Undertaking all-out efforts toward overseas market expansion starting this year, aside from Japan, Baby Baby Cool will shift focus back to France again in 2025. As part of the efforts, it will more actively participate in TTA's events in hopes of leveraging TTA's global visibility and network to find more partners and investors that will enable Taiwan-based brands to keep shining on the global stage.(Editor's note: The original article was published in TTA Magazine Issue 14. Read more startup stories in TTA Magazines.)Baby Baby Cool founder and director Erin Wei

Passive infrared (PIR) sensors have been around for years and are widely used in various devices including smart lamps, automotive radar, and monitoring systems.They are instrumental and indispensable to the modern world. However, their lower sensitivity and smaller range also limit the capability of the smart devices that use PIR sensors.Millimeter wave (mmWave) radar sensors that are widely used in smart cars are now getting increasingly adopted in smart devices including monitoring and smart cockpit systems after manufacturers started to provide non-automotive mmWave radar chips a few years ago at more economical pricing. Millilab, with a robust R&D capability and technological strength, wowed visitors at CES 2023. It has engaged in close partnerships with multiple international monitoring system suppliers. Having raised NT$50 million in March 2024, Millilab is poised to capture the immense opportunities in the global smart vehicle market.According to Millilab's founder and CEO - Bibben Lin, mmWaves are shorter in wavelengths. Sensors based on mmWave radar technology provide higher resolution and accuracy so they are embraced by smart cars with high safety standards.Infineon used to dominate the mmWave radar chip market, making them expensive and hardly used in monitoring systems sold at lower prices compared to smart cars. When Texas Instruments (TI) introduced low-cost mmWave radar chips, it spurred a rapid increase in mmWave radar sensor adoptions in non-automotive applications. Today, almost all mid-range and high-end monitoring systems priced at US$200 or higher use mmWave radar sensors.Recognized by Japan-based Socionext, Millilab targets the global market with technological strengthEyeing mmWave radar sensors' high accuracy and high-resolution characteristics and the opportunities arising from decreasing costs, Lin with abundant experience in developing communication devices decided to found Millilab with his business partners in 2019. Millilab's mmWave radar solutions are being used in monitoring systems for infants and seniors, child presence detection (CPD) systems, and driver monitoring systems (DMS).When the company was first founded, the Millilab team focused on developing algorithms based on TI mmWave radar sensors for a variety of applications. Millilab's robust R&D capability soon caught the attention of Socionext, a Japan-based mmWave radar chip supplier.Each boasting unique technologies in their own field, the two companies decided to join forces and have together developed total solutions and reference designs for a diversity of application scenarios that are embraced by customers across different sectors. Millilab has become one of the most trusted partners of Socionext and now independently develops algorithms based on Socionext chips. It is also the company that many global brands turn to for mmWave radar solutions.Lin noted that during the company's early development, the competition was fierce in the automotive mmWave radar sensor market. European and American brands dominated 80% to 90% of the market and the rest was divided between two China-based vendors.In comparison, at that time almost every monitoring system was based on the PIR technology. This presented tremendous opportunities for Millilab. Not only did Millilab become Socionext's partner for its R&D strength but it also secured a deal with Europe's largest car seat brand Maxi-Cosi to jointly develop a crib (baby) monitoring system. The result impressed Maxi-Cosi and more importantly, gave Millilab global visibility.Millilab and partners expand into the smart cockpit market with authorities mandating CPD starting 2025With the assistance from TTA and flyingVest Ventures, Millilab attended CES in 2023 and 2024 as well as London Tech Week in the U.K. and VivaTech in France. The participation at these events helped Millilab reach customers from different corners of the world.For example, a Europe-based automatic door manufacturer was impressed by Millilab's algorithm and therefore plans to collaborate with the company. Multiple Asia-based corporations have also engaged in partnerships with Millilab to provide mmWave radar solutions for their products targeting overseas markets. These projects significantly fueled Millilab's revenue growth.Going forward, Millilab will undertake a three-way strategy, said Lin. First, it will continue to attend tech exhibitions and work with TTA and flyingVest Ventures to increase its global visibility. Second, to win more customers across different sectors, Millilab plans to implement the algorithm developed for Socionext chips on TI chips, ensuring the same level of performance and reliability. Last, the EU mandating CPD starting in 2025 is set to spur the demand for CPD systems so Millilab will work with partners to capture preemptive opportunities in this market segment.On average, about 40 children die each year in Europe after being left alone in a car. To address this problem, Euro NCAP will award safety rating points for CPD in new passenger vehicle designs from 2025.In response, manufacturers are actively developing smart cockpit solutions. This presents a great opportunity for Millilab, boasting strong algorithm R&D capability, to penetrate the market segment. It plans to introduce a standard smart cockpit solution in April 2024 for automakers' PoC testing, followed by customized designs according to their requirements. Millilab expects this to contribute to strong revenue growth in the coming years.(Editor's note: The original article was published in TTA Magazine Issue 14. Read more startup stories in TTA Magazines.)Millilab founder and CEO Bibben LinPhoto: MillilabSchematic diagram of Millilab's CPD systemPhoto: Millilab

The global healthcare sector was amazed when a little girl with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia was cured after being treated with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies (CAR-T) in 2012.Dr. Kuo-Hsiang Chuang, who just started his job at the Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy, Taipei Medical University (TMU) at that time, thought CAR-T would help doctors and patients successfully fight cancer. However, CAR-T, mostly based on retrovirus gene delivery, leaves a lot of room for improvement. Dr. Chuang therefore developed the unique "Armed-T" technology and founded CytoArm in 2020, which now offers five T cell products against different cancers based on the Armed-T cell platform. CAR-T delivers effective results but has room for improvementAccording to a WHO report released on February 1, 2024, there were close to 20 million new cases of cancer in the year 2022 alongside 9.7 million deaths from cancer. It is not an exaggeration to call cancer the biggest threat to human health. This is also why the world including the healthcare sector is paying attention to CAR-T following the successful treatment of the little girl with leukemia in 2012.According to Dr. Chuang, CAR-T makes use of genetic engineering technologies to change the patient's immune cells called T cells, and enable them to effectively attack the cancer. T cells are collected from the patient and re-engineered in the laboratory to produce proteins on their surface called Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) using retrovirus gene delivery.The genetically reengineered CAR-T cells can precisely identify tumor-specific antigens. When deployed back in the patient's body, CAR-T cells can specifically bind to cancer cells and destroy them.FDA approved the first CAR-T therapy in 2017, which has been proven to deliver promising results for blood cancers and impressive survival outcomes. However, Dr. Chuang pointed out the risks of CAR-T. First of all, it uses retrovirus vectors for gene delivery into T cells, which might elicit an unexpected immune response or cause T cell mutation.Furthermore, CAR-T costs will remain high as the processes of collecting, reengineering, and readministering T cells require a highly specialized team of professionals and expensive lab equipment. The gene (or virus) reengineering and cell culturing processes are also very challenging. Last but not least, CAR-T patents are owned by a small group of big pharma players, barring the entry of newcomers with formidable licensing fees or potential infringement lawsuits.Armed-T fights cancer even more effectivelyCytoArm's Armed-T technology addresses all of the above issues. According to Dr. Chuang, with Armed-T therapy, specific molecules are attached to the surface of the patient's T cell, much like putting armor on the T cell like Iron Man, described by Dr. Chuang.The armed T cells are then equipped to identify and destroy cancer cells. As opposed to CAR-T therapies that need 30 days for virus culture or reengineering, it only takes 10 days to produce high-purity cancer-fighting Armed-T cells and the therapeutic results are significantly more promising. To top it off, as no retrovirus gene delivery or genome editing technique is used, Armed-T cells are free of cancerization or mutation risks, making Armed-T a safer treatment choice for patients.In general, it is not easy for genetic reengineering techniques to achieve a high purity. CytoArm's Armed-T technology generates cancer-fighting cells at an impressive 90%+ purity. As to costs, without the need for retrovirus gene delivery, CytoArm can offer Armed-T technology at more affordable prices, allowing more patients to receive the treatment.Armed-T technology has another advantage, noted Dr. Chuang. The molecules that are attached to the surface of the T cell can be customized to allow the T cell to target and kill a specific type of cancer cell.CytoArm has developed five Armed-T products — CTA-01, CTA-02, CTA-03, CTA-04 and CTA-06. Experiments on lab mice with human B-cell leukemia indicate that CTA-01 can rapidly target and effectively destroy B-cell leukemia cancer cells with no obvious signs of recurrence. CTA-03 is for treating prostate cancer and CTA-04 is for treating metastatic breast carcinoma.CytoArm's first Armed-T product, CTA-02, is for treating incurable colorectal cancer associated with mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene or its downstream effectors. In the first half of 2024, CytoArm is set to submit applications for CTA-02 clinical trials in Taiwan, Singapore, and the US.Poised to become a powerful weapon against cancer, CytoArm's Armed-T technology received worldwide attention following its introduction. Dr. Chuang named Taiwan's maturing startup ecosystem a key contributor to CytoArm's success.As a TMU-incubated startup, CytoArm developed a patent plan with TMU's guidance right when it was first founded. It also reached out to a U.S. IP firm for advice and confirmation that Armed-T does not infringe upon big pharma players' CAR-T patents, allowing the company to steer clear of obstacles that might hinder its research.The industry, government, and academia are stepping up efforts to support innovations and startups. Since CytoArm's establishment in 2020, capital investment, professional guidance, and market-driven strategies have all fueled the company's growth. Going forward, Dr. Chuang suggests that the government strengthen research grant and talent incubation policies and drive the commercialization of academic research to keep Taiwan's industry reinvigorated.CytoArm's Armed-T products. The first product, CTA-02, is for treating incurable colorectal cancer associated with mutations in the EGFR gene or its downstream effectors. Phase I clinical trials are scheduled to begin in 2024. It can be used to treat pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, TNBC and other types of cancer in the future.

The advent of burgeoning public cloud services has not only revolutionized personal digital experiences but has also significantly enhanced operational efficiencies and reduced management costs for corporations worldwide.Traditionally, retail and food franchises faced substantial expenditures on diverse devices and IT infrastructure optimization to oversee branch operations and devise unified marketing strategies. This often entailed establishing a central management platform in home office data centers, necessitating costly periodic visits by IT engineers—an expense beyond the means of many small and medium-scale retail chains.Founder and CEO of Kabob Cloud, Steve Tsai, emphasizes the proliferation of digital signage, kiosks, and smart devices over the past decade. An increasing number of retailers are leveraging these tools to streamline branch operations and minimize management expenses.Today, retail and food franchises can install Android TVs at their branch stores, enabling managers to oversee operations and gather data via public cloud platforms, thereby obviating the need for costly traditional systems. This innovation not only slashes management costs but also empowers franchise operators to swiftly adapt to market changes through diverse marketing campaigns, facilitating the growth of small and medium-scale franchises.Having established a robust presence in Taiwan, Kabob Cloud has successfully expanded its operations into Asia and North America. Anticipating the trend towards smaller displays and the rising popularity of Android TVs equipped with versatile apps, Kabob Cloud, founded in 2016, developed a suite of management tools tailored for food chains and retail brands. With enthusiastic reception in Asian markets, including China, Japan, and Singapore, Kabob Cloud has recently established branch offices in North America, and partnered with distributors in Korea and Australia to further expand its footprint.To cater to evolving market demands, Kabob Cloud offers a comprehensive suite of 20 diverse service apps. They include digital signage management (Lookr), audio management (Voicer), advertisement integration (Adder), omnichannel content marketing (Fafa), queue management (Tico), staff training (Teachor), and floor guidance (Kiosk).Business owners can seamlessly deploy these service apps onto various devices at their stores via Kabob Cloud's platform, which boasts an intuitive management interface and hassle-free configuration. As a result, Kabob Cloud's solutions have garnered adoption by over 500 franchise brands, including industry giants such as McDonald's, SEPHORA, Burger King, MeetFresh, and Ganso, spanning over 110,000 connected devices across 30,000 stores.Tsai highlights that while Kabob Cloud initially targeted food and retail chains, its smart remote management and face recognition solutions are also suitable for AIoT applications. Consequently, these solutions find applications in diverse sectors, including manufacturing, real estate, and telecommunications. Kabob Cloud's participation in CES 2023 proved instrumental in bolstering its presence in North American markets, attracting significant attention from industry professionals and generating numerous inquiries.With subscription-based services becoming increasingly prevalent, Kabob Cloud recognizes the proliferation of similar offerings in the market. However, unlike many solution providers offering bundled software and hardware packages, Kabob Cloud's solutions seamlessly operate across various devices and brands used at franchise stores, supporting multiple platforms such as Android, Linux, Windows, and iOS. This flexibility allows business owners to choose devices based on their preferences, budgets, and store characteristics, while managing and maintaining all devices effortlessly via a centralized platform, thereby maximizing operational efficiency.In response to intensifying market competition and evolving application scenarios, Kabob Cloud is committed to ongoing app development and collaboration with third-party software developers to expand its offerings. By establishing a software marketplace, Kabob Cloud aims to foster mutually beneficial partnerships with customers and partners, ensuring its continued leadership in the industry.(Editor's note: The original article was published in TTA Magazine Issue 14. Read more startup stories in TTA Magazines.)Kabob Cloud – a one-stop management platform integrating multiple applicationsPhoto: Kabob Cloud

As the global lingua franca, English communication skills are crucial for anyone looking to succeed in academics and the workplace.However, improving English proficiency typically requires a lot of effort for non-native speakers, especially in listening and speaking. Immersing in an all-English environment and having a 24/7 personal tutor who converses exclusively in English would be immensely beneficial for any learner, but not everyone can afford it, finding the right teacher is another challenge.This was also the challenge faced by Vu Van, who was born and raised in Vietnam. She initially thought her English level was good enough, and she got many opportunities in the local job market to work for international companies because of her language proficiency. It was not until Vu went to study at Stanford University, where she pursued an MBA and a Master's in Education that she realized her non-native accent prevented her from freely expressing herself and communicating smoothly with professors and classmates.The situation left her feeling frustrated so she started to look for a speech coach to improve her pronunciation. It turned out extremely expensive, the hourly rate could be as high as $200. All these became the driving force behind her founding ELSA eight years ago.Aimed to create an affordable personal English tutor available 24/7, Vu collaborated with a speech technologist, Dr. Xavier Anguera, to form a company and officially launched ELSA Speak in 2016. According to Michael Ngo, ELSA's General Manager of SEA Cluster and Taiwan, leveraging AI technologies and a self-built large database, the ELSA Speak smartphone app is not only a personal English tutor right in learners' pockets, but also a unique learning tool that can pinpoint pronunciation mistakes in every sound of a word and sentence, even at conversation level, then provide real-time, accurate feedback to guide users on how to improve.8 years ago, AI was not such a hot topic as today, "there were existing models that were available, but none of them were good enough for what we want," Ngo said. At the time, AI models could only conduct certain conversations but were unable to serve as learning tools. So the ELSA team built their own AI model and introduced generative AI technology to their solutions, to enable a unique personalized English learning tool."Recently, we've successfully developed & released two more powerful AI tools that bring users' English to the next level. One is ELSA AI, which lets users practice real-world roleplay conversations with AI and Speech Analyzer, which provides detailed feedback for any free-formed speeches." As Ngo mentioned, these tools are not only capable of engaging in ongoing conversations with users without limitation of time and location, help to correct pronunciation and grammar, but also simulate specific scenarios, such as job interviews and business conversations, allowing users to practice before entering the actual events, enhancing their confidence.ELSA's uniqueness and advantages have gained favor from numerous investors, including leading venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, Southeast Asia, and Japan. Gradient Ventures, an outstanding venture fund specializing in investing in the AI of Google is also one of them. So far ELSA has successfully raised $50 million in capital and got over 50 million downloads globally, their subscribers across more than 195 countries worldwide.Since its launch, ELSA has also won many prestigious awards and recognitions, including "Best Digital Learning App" by Reimagine Education, winner of SXSWEdu Launch Competition, the leading education technology exhibition in the US, Top 5 Artificial Intelligence Applications by Research Snipers, and a world-changing AI product mentioned by Forbes. Recently, ELSA has secured Series C funding, including the participation of UniPresident Taiwan. ELSA will use the funding "to support, grow the platform, and expand our global offering by increasing our presence further in Taiwan with our new investors," Vu said.With its semiconductor and electronics industry supply chain, Taiwan plays an increasingly significant role in the global market. More and more international companies have come for investment, increasing the need for local employees with bilingual skills. Taiwanese companies also need many experts with a variety of abilities, including English and international mobility, to adapt to global supply chain deployment. ELSA recognizes the growth potential of the Taiwan market and considers it one of the key focuses for future operations."And we see Taiwan has set a goal of becoming bilingual in Chinese and English by 2030. To achieve that goal, the Taiwanese government also urged educators and learners to leverage technology and AI for people to practice English with more effective, personalized, and engaging methodologies." Ngo added that, in addition to subscription service for individual users, collaborating with schools and businesses to provide English training solutions has always been one of the business models that ELSA values greatly.Ngo recalls how a blue-collar worker who worked in a factory in Vietnam improved his English proficiency significantly within six months with ELSA's tools and got the opportunity to study abroad. After completing his studies and returning to Vietnam, he obtained higher-level job opportunities and pay. ELSA has also helped a stay-at-home mother who relocated to the United States with her husband to master English language skills and the ability to run her small businesses to contribute to their households financially. These success stories motivate ELSA to continue improving and providing subscribers with a better user experience.As a successful startup, ELSA also shared its tips for operating a business with other entrepreneurs. " First, start with the big problem, because if the problem you try to solve is too small or too niche, you won't be able to scale up," Ngo said. Second, stay agile, "As technology advances rapidly, it's crucial to constantly assess the market's response to your products and services, swiftly determine the necessary changes and what's your next step." Last but not least, "Always focus on the end user's experience. Building a cool product is good, but if nobody uses it or has no value, it's probably not going to be a viable business."(Editor's note: The original article was published in TTA Magazine Issue 14. Read more startup stories in TTA Magazines.)ELSA English AI tutor

Electric vehicle (EV) makers exert every effort to resolve range anxiety by boosting the EV range by either increasing the battery output or decreasing the power consumption. As opposed to today's commonplace approaches of raising the battery capacity, Taiwan-based startup PurismEV has developed an AI-enabled adjustment system that improves the EV battery and motor efficiency based on driving habit analysis, thereby increasing the EV range by more than 40%. The system provides a quick solution for automakers, ride-sharing fleets, and logistics companies with a limited budget to optimize their operating costs.According to PurismEV COO Ming-hsuan Chu, raising the battery capacity may increase the EV range but it also adds to the vehicle's cost and weight. A smarter approach is to both increase the battery energy efficiency and decrease the power consumption. PurismEV's solution performs automated EV system calibrations based on driving habits and throttle control to thereby significantly boost the EV range with no need for larger battery capacity.As a seasoned veteran in the motorcycle industry, Chu started her career in the motorcycle component import/export business, searching for suitable Taiwan-made products for foreign motorcycle manufacturers. She discovered the enormous development potential of EV components after receiving a big order. This motivated her to found PurismEV with Gigi Huang, who has abundant experience in EV batteries. Joining forces, they endeavor to develop solutions that enhance EV energy efficiency while taking costs into consideration.In charge of the startup's product R&D, Huang designed PurismEV's AI energy efficiency solution to comprise two elements – an in-vehicle system and a cloud-based platform. The in-vehicle system collects the throttle and the driver's behavior data and adjusts the throttle responses according to machine learning algorithms. The collected data is forwarded to PurismEV's cloud platform with built-in digital twin models with the following features: 1) AI-based battery and motor degradation prediction, 2) battery safety and health prediction, and 3) driving habits analytics and creation of optimized control instructions. All these data mentioned above are then sent back to the in-vehicle system to perform optimized vehicle control, thereby boosting efficiency and safety. Compared to conventional fleet management systems, PurismEV's solution delivers more on-target and effective energy efficiency enhancements. Conventional fleet management systems have the in-vehicle computer log the data collected from the throttle and brake sensors which is downloaded from the vehicle after it returns to the base. The data is then analyzed and based on the results, drivers are assisted automatically to develop better driving habits, which is thanks to the unique dynamic calibrations done by PurismEV. There are two EV throttle control modes generally used by vehicle OEMs: Eco mode with power limitation and fixed throttle response curve, both of which could only deliver between 17% to 19% reduction in power consumption.PurismEV's solution dynamically adjusts the throttle curve based on software calculations of motor operating conditions detected by the sensor. The dynamic calibrations taking into account real-time data of the driving scenario, driver behavior and motor condition enable the motor to output a constant torque. Field test results indicate PurismEV's solution achieves over 40% energy savings. Moreover, automated calibrations are performed by the system with no driver interference, which ensures the energy efficiency enhancement is actually delivered without failure.Apart from the energy efficiency enhancement, PurismEV's product development process is another noteworthy feat. Both co-founders are seasoned veterans in the motor vehicle business. Huang, in charge of system R&D, drew on his practical experiences and leveraged Taiwan's complete supply chain resources to develop PurismEV's solution in just ten months, from design to commercialization. PurismEV has also secured a stable component supply. With ready access to components on the market, PurismEV has full control of the costs and volume production process.PurismEV operates two business models. The in-vehicle system is provided on a one-time sale basis while the cloud service is offered on an annual subscription basis. Its target customers include ride-sharing service operators and logistics companies with their own fleets. Its solution has been adopted by a major motorcycle ride-sharing service provider in Taiwan for trial purposes, proven to deliver over 40% energy savings as promised. As part of its efforts to expand globally, PurismEV has made itself seen on multiple occasions in markets abroad and is actively engaging with European and American customers to broaden its reach. With the commercialization underway, PurismEV's solution was recently showcased at trade exhibitions in Italy and the U.S., gaining market visibility. Chu noted that Taiwan-based startups are expanding their presence in the worldwide market thanks to a friendlier environment fostered by government support policies and private-sector investments. The types and quantity of investors are both rapidly growing, giving rise to more opportunities for startups to get funded. Chu hopes for prosperity to continue and invigorate Taiwan's industry, thereby creating a win-win situation for the business sector and the community.Product system diagramPhoto: PurismEVPurismEV throttle controlPhoto: PurismEV

According to the latest Taiwan Cancer Registry published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) in November 2023, lung cancer has overtaken colon cancer as the most common type of cancer in Taiwan. It is also one of the leading causes of death around the world. One of the reasons that lung cancer has such a high mortality rate is that it is often only diagnosed in later stages when the best time for treatment has lapsed. Therefore, early screening is of utmost importance. The DeepLung-CAC developed by DeepRad.AI employs multimodal AI technology, utilizing low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) imaging It aims to achieve the goal of preventive medicine by detecting lung nodules and simultaneously predicting the risks of coronary artery calcification.DeepRad.AI is a spin-off company of Taipei Medical University founded by the university's former president, Professor Cheng-Yu Chen, a specialist in AI research. The company's research and development are centered on reducing case fatality rates through early detection and prevention, aiming to optimize the utilization of healthcare resources in society. Yao-Chi Chang, the CEO of DeepRad.AI, emphasized that the earlier lung cancer is detected, the higher the chances of recovery. With conventional X-ray technology, locating nodules is challenging, and by the time symptoms are identified, the cancer often progresses to stages three or four, resulting in a survival rate of only 10-30%. The widely used LDCT is highly effective and capable of detecting stage one or even stage zero lung cancers, significantly boosting the survival rate to over 90%.Nonetheless, the evaluation of LDCT lung cancer screening results currently relies on radiologists. The latest CT scanners can now offer up to 640 slices, resulting in a significant increase in the number of images for analysis. This surge in workload poses a substantial impact on doctors' productivity. In contrast, the DeepLung-CAC optimizes the clinical workflow to address these challenges.According to Yao-Chi Chang, DeepLung-CAC can provide doctors with preliminary results within five minutes after the completion of the LDCT scan. The patient's old and new images can also be compared to identify any nodular changes, assisting the doctor in explaining the screening results to the patient. Furthermore, DeepLung-CAC can automatically generate lung cancer screening reports that align with the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) standard. This significantly reduces the time required by doctors for analysis and report generation, enhancing the accuracy of test results and overall productivity.In addition to lung cancer screening, the DeepLung-CAC can simultaneously assess coronary artery calcification risks. Coronary artery calcification serves as a crucial indicator for evaluating the risk of cardiovascular disease. DeepRad.AI utilized paired data (i.e., examination data from simultaneous screening for lung cancer and coronary artery calcification)to train DeepLung-CAC. This enables the platform to simultaneously detect early-stage lung cancer and assess coronary artery calcification risk in a single LDCT scanning session. Following four years of research and analysis, DeepLung-CAC is now capable of screening for these two diseases, which rank as the first and second leading causes of death in Taiwan, using a single LDCT scan.The platform is currently undergoing clinical trials in anticipation of TFDA approval, expected to be granted in 2024. Clinical trials are underway at Taipei Medical University Hospital and Shuang Ho Hospital, where the platform has demonstrated improved CT interpretation efficiency.As for the market potential of DeepLung-CAC, approximately 500,000 people in Taiwan are categorized as high-risk for lung cancer, but only 50,000 underwent government-funded screening last year. If the concept of preventive health gains widespread acceptance, this could lead to a tenfold increase in overall screening volume in Taiwan. However, with only 1,600 radiologists currently available, there is an urgent need for AI to reduce their workload and enhance the quality of care. DeepRad.AI aims to assist and optimize the overall process for radiologists using AI. By improving the efficiency of lung cancer screening and early detection rates, the vision of successful lung cancer prevention and treatment can be realized.DeepRad.AI has made progress in screening for lung cancer and coronary artery calcification. The next step is to proactively develop predictions for osteoporosis and dementia. The company aims to contribute to innovative breakthroughs in the fields of preventive health and diagnosis.Yao-Chi Chang pointed out that the team's hard work and Taiwan's innovation-friendly environment are the two main factors to success. In addition to a focus on research and development, precise and effective market planning is crucial for start-ups to promote their products. He expresses hope that policy support from government agencies will attract the attention of foreign investors to DeepRad.AI's technology and platform, facilitating successful commercialization. Looking ahead, he envisions Taiwan refining its laws, regulations, and auxiliary policies to leverage its capabilities in technology and healthcare sectors, creating an even greater competitive edge in smart healthcare.DeepRad.AI utilizes a single LDCT examination and multimodal AI technology to conduct a one-time scan of the lungs and heart, enabling automated lung nodule detection and prediction of coronary artery calcification risk. The examination concludes with a standardized text report for doctors' referencePhoto: Company

With the coming Internet of Things (IoT) era, a large number of devices will be connected to the Internet. While this trend brings convenience, it also brings an increased risk of equipment being hacked and chips being illegally copied. Faced with such threats to information security, the Taiwanese start-up Jmem Technology (Jmem Tek) has developed various products, such as MSOTP and PUF, that can help companies raise their storage density, prevent physical attacks, and generate random data for higher unpredictability, to meet the market's high demand for security.John Chang, CEO of Jmem Tek, pointed out that there are several pain points in information security for chips. First, most memory chips are very similar in their structure, while the main difference is the firmware. This similarity makes it easier for hackers to crack. Second, a large amount of firmware is stored in OTP (one-time programmable) memory. Protecting firmware has thus become the current key to information security. Third, chips are exposed to the risk of reverse engineering. Hackers can easily obtain chip data by removing the coating or using physical methods such as X-ray. Jmem Tek's technology can solve those pain points.Jmem Tek was co-founded by four graduates of the College of Electrical and Computer Engineering of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University—John Chang, Paul Lo, Johnny Lu, and Jerry Chang, with their product concepts originating from John Chang's doctoral thesis. The company currently houses a team of about 15, whose member's backgrounds include electronic engineering and other professional fields. John pointed out that, in its early days, the Jmem Tek team actively participated in competitions to promote its innovative concepts and technological achievements. And it did quite well—for example, this year (2023), it was invited to participate in the City-Tech.Tokyo event for startups, the world's largest urban technology exhibition, hosted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. In September, it was selected as second place in the TW-SG Startup Exchange Program and was invited to the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH). Then, in November, it was selected into the TINVA TOP 10 Startup by the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) New Venture Association (TINVA), showing the company's potential for development.John then introduced Jmem Tek's major technologies. Its patented MSOTP is a major innovation in the field of anti-fuse OTP memory. Each device unit in MSOTP can store two bits of data. That means fewer transistors can store the same amount of data as in traditional methods. In addition, the structure Jmem Tek designed makes it difficult for physical attacks such as X-ray and decapping to attain the storage status of the MSOTP. Since it is also highly compatible with the CMOS logic process, the technology requires no additional photomask during the manufacturing process, meaning production costs can be reduced.MSOTP's low power consumption and small surface area are particularly suitable for IoT, where space is limited and devices are distributed. Applications for MSOTP include secure data storage, key storage, sensor fine-tuning, parameter setting, function selection, etc. In addition, users can also integrate MSOTP and traditional OTP to avoid brute force cracking and meet higher security level storage requirements.In addition to MSOTP, Jmem Technology's patented technology also includes hardware security technology PUF. PUF is a hardware security technology derived from non-uniformity in the wafer manufacturing process. The unique "uniqueness" and "unpredictability" of PUF can generate random sequences in the trust system, effectively reducing the risk of being cracked by the algorithm. Jmem Technology's patented PUF technology relies on its innovative structure to reduce chip area and improve performance, making it highly competitive in the market.The technologies of MSOTP and PUF make the chip almost impossible to crack by reverse engineering, greatly improving the security strength. The company's current business model is to provide design services to IC manufacturers, John pointed out. This technology is particularly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises or start-up teams that cannot easily obtain relevant resources from large IC design manufacturers. Jmem Tek can assist customers with limited scale to quickly meet the security needs of the market.Regarding future development, John said that Jmem Tek will focus on the two major areas of the Internet of Things and vehicle-mounted systems, as well as AIoT protection algorithms and solutions that combine the algorithms on the device side to avoid algorithm theft. There are a large number of edge devices in the Internet of Things, and the functions of chips are single and there are many cost considerations. The company's solutions help manufacturers in this field create economical and simple systems. The automotive market has taken off rapidly in recent years, and industry players and consumers have become increasingly aware of system security. Jmem Technology's patented technology meets these needs. Since the automotive field requires long-term certification, the initial focus will be on the Internet of Things. The automotive market development strategy is to first establish cooperative relationships with industrial supply chain manufacturers and enter the market step by step.It has been about a year and a half since its establishment in April 2022. John's feelings about Taiwan's new innovation environment are quite positive. He pointed out that Taiwan currently has a vibrant atmosphere for innovation, with policies, regulations, and various plans becoming more and more complete, such as the startup cluster planned by TTA and InnoVEX, the startup exhibition area that helped participate in COMPUTEX. For start-up teams with limited resources, it will bring huge help in technology exposure and fundraising. In addition, he also hopes that there will be more resources and policies focusing on early-stage start-ups in the future. It allows teams with the potential to accelerate their maturity and create a win-win vision of co-prosperity for both the enterprise and the country's economic development.Jmem Tek team membersPhoto: Company