NEXT IS NOW｜Driving Innovation Through Patents, Turning the Future into Reality
Amid intensifying global competition for innovation, intellectual property (IP) has become essential for startups to strengthen their technological advantages and expand into new markets. Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs promotes the Startup’s Accelerated Patent Examination program, offering services including prior art searches and patentability analysis, IP education, and corporate matchmaking. These services help startups establish early-stage IP protection, develop strategic patent portfolios, and connect R&D with technology validation and market applications. Eligible startups can receive examination results for invention patent applications in as little as four months, accelerating the commercialization of innovation.
Building on the vision of “Patent-Driven, Globally Focused,” the program facilitates connections with medium and large enterprises through matchmaking, technical exchanges, and resource integration. These efforts foster technology validation, business collaboration, and new market opportunities, positioning IP as a key driver of innovation and competitiveness.
The “NEXT IS NOW” pavilion at Meet Taipei brings together startups participating in the program, showcasing Taiwan’s diverse technological innovations and application potential across three key themes: NEXT TECH｜Optoelectronics and Advanced Manufacturing, NEXT AI｜AI and Intelligent Systems, and NEXT SERVICES｜Smart Service Applications. The pavilion also promotes connections between startups and industry partners.
TIPO aims to help startups build competitive advantages through patents and transform technological potential into market value, bringing Taiwan’s innovation to the global stage and putting the spirit of “NEXT IS NOW” into action.