Kaohsiung Innovation Center Highlights Startups Driving AI and Smart City Solutions
The AWS Joint Innovation Center in Kaohsiung, launched in 2022, hosted a Demo Day on November 18, showcasing AI-driven innovations from twelve startup teams across industries like manufacturing and retail. Southern Taiwan is home to 300 international startups, many of which are leveraging AI as a growth engine. AI enables hyper-personalization and automates operational tasks, which are essential for growth.
The AWS Joint Innovation Center (JIC) in Kaohsiung, which was launched in 2022, recently hosted a Demo Day on November 18, focusing on AI-driven innovation. The event is a part of efforts to support startup growth and digital transformation, aimed at enhancing Taiwan's global competitiveness and empowering local industries through incubation.
AI Demonstration Day: A Showcase of Innovation
During the Demo Day, twelve startup teams from the 2025 Startup Terrace showcased their AI solutions across various industries, including manufacturing, retail, legal, smart buildings, and sports. The event featured startups such as AIRA, Ret[AI]ling Data, and LegalSign.ai. AIRA is known for developing facial recognition and tracking technologies, while eCloudEdge provides the NeoEdge Edge Orchestration Platform.
With over 100 representatives present, the event served as a major demonstration hub in Asia, reflecting Taiwan's aim for international market expansion. Southern Taiwan is home to 300 international startups, many of which are leveraging AI as a growth engine.
AI as a Catalyst for Growth
AI is proving to be a significant catalyst for growth, enabling startups to become AI-native and achieve faster expansion. The technology compresses time, uncovers insights, and enhances the speed of iteration and learning. Modern startups accumulate vast amounts of data, and AI plays a crucial role in turning this data into valuable growth insights.
AI enables hyper-personalization and automates operational tasks, which are essential for growth. Companies like Perplexity AI are building AI-native products that automate functions such as market research and customer support, allowing for new business models and rapid scaling.
Strategic AI Implementation for Startups
The collaboration with AWS strengthens the technical capabilities of startups, helping them accelerate enterprise modernization across various sectors. AI tools lower barriers to entry, allowing startups to test strategies in days through generative AI and identify winning solutions quickly through rapid iteration.
Future startups must leverage AI strategically, focusing on growth loops and AI use-cases. AI enhances rapid iteration and decision-making, enabling startups to transform their financial operations with AI-enhanced bookkeeping and focus on overall growth.
Kaohsiung: A Supportive Industrial Environment
Kaohsiung's industrial environment supports a diverse range of technologies, making it an ideal location for AI-powered startups to thrive. The city's commitment to supporting startup growth and digital transformation is evident in initiatives such as the AWS JIC, which aims to accelerate modernization across sectors.
As Taiwan continues to enhance its global competitiveness, the role of AI in enabling new business models and rapid scaling for startups will be crucial. The Demo Day provided a platform for AI-powered startups to showcase their innovations, highlighting the potential for AI to drive significant growth and transformation in various industries.