Starcloud, a company pursuing the idea of solar-powered data centers in orbit, said on March 30 that it had raised US$170 million in new funding, valuing the business at US$1.1 billion and making it one of the fastest startups to reach unicorn status after graduating from Y Combinator.
Facing drought conditions, Taiwan's government has mobilized the air force and drones to conduct cloud seeding operations near the area over the Hsinchu Science and Industrial Park, a center of Taiwan's tech industry.
The drone industry is no longer a niche corner of the defense world — it has become a full-blown industrial race. Across the US, states are competing to attract manufacturers, research centers, and defense contractors as autonomous aerial systems move from battlefield applications toward broader commercial use. The stakes are significant: drone production corridors bring high-wage jobs, federal research dollars, and long-term anchor tenants in the form of defense primes and tech startups alike. Yet beneath the headline investments lies a more nuanced picture.
KingRay Technology, backed by Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs Industrial Development Bureau, participated in Germany's XPONENTIAL Europe 2026 under the Taiwan Pavilion to showcase its imaging and AI recognition solutions for military, police, and civilian unmanned vehicles, and to expand into international markets.
The global space industry has long been defined by closed supply chains and steep certification barriers—obstacles that have made it difficult for Taiwan to secure a meaningful foothold despite its strengths in advanced manufacturing.
As the global AI arms race intensifies, Taiwan is positioning itself as the primary AI partner for nations besides the US and China. Wedged between these two geopolitical giants, Taiwan is leveraging its dominance in AI servers and semiconductors to foster deeper collaborations with Germany, France, and neighboring nations.
Blue Origin, the aerospace venture founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is moving to enter the emerging field of space-based computing, outlining plans to deploy a vast network of orbital data centers.
Taiwan's Legislative Yuan Internal Administration Committee held its second public hearing on proposed amendments to the National Security Act on March 26. Attendance from civil society groups and academic experts was limited, and only a small number of lawmakers spoke.
Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) recently showcased 12 advanced machine tool key technologies driven by artificial intelligence (AI) at the 2026 Taiwan International Machine Tool Show (TMTS). These technologies have been successfully introduced into leading domestic listed companies and end-user application sites, including World Known Precision Industry, Proxene Tools, Kao Fong Machinery (Kafo), Chin Fong Machine Industrial, and Phison Electronics.
Rapidtek, a Taiwanese satellite communications firm, is stepping up its international push, showcasing its technologies at Satellite 2026 in Washington this month, shortly after appearing at the Space-Comm Expo in Britain.
SATELLITE 2026, the international satellite industry's premier event, runs from March 23 to 26 in Washington, where Universal Microwave Technology, Inc. will once again engage with global satellite operators, equipment makers, component suppliers, and government agencies. The company's renewed presence comes as low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite deployments accelerate and component supply becomes a strategic bottleneck.
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