Taiwan plans to launch a contract robotics startup by 2026, modeled after
the founding of TSMC, according to National Science and Technology Council
(NSTC) head Wu Cheng-wen.
The government will partly fund the venture, with the National Development
Fund investing up to 30%, while private investors provide the rest. Wu
emphasized that the government will not interfere with operations or
management.
The fund has allocated $330.8 million to support this startup and other
robotics projects. Several private firms have shown strong interest.
Like TSMC, the proposed robotics company would focus solely on contract
manufacturing to avoid competing with clients. Currently, most local robotics
efforts are limited to components like robotic arms. The new initiative aims
to develop multifunctional, AI-powered robots for smart healthcare,
hospitality, logistics, and more.
The Executive Yuan recently approved a smart robotics project targeting a
five-year output boost—from $130 million to $1.63 billion. Robotics R&D will
be centered at ITRI’s southern branch in Tainan, with production planned
nearby to form an integrated robotics cluster.
