The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) led a delegation of 23 companies to COMPUTEX Taipei 2023, the world’s second largest trade show for the information and communication technology (ICT) industry, and InnoVEX 2023. The delegation came through the Bank’s Business Development and Matching programme and consisted of 23 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and innovative tech start-ups from EBRD’s Star Venture Programme. EBRD invests in 38 developing economies around the world, and 14 of those economies were represented in their delegation joining COMPUTEX and InnoVEX 2023. Additionally, three companies were selected to exhibit at the EBRD’s pavilion in InnoVEX: CyberTalents from Egypt, easySales (Smartit Global) from Romania, and InAccel from Greece.
The delegation’s first full day in Taiwan included internal networking as well as an introduction to Taiwanese cultural sites, including Taipei 101 and the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
During COMPUTEX’s first day on May 30, TAITRA hosted a one-one-one business matching event for the delegation, giving these growing companies the opportunity to meet directly with distributors, manufacturers, and some of Taiwan’s biggest ICT organizations. Erdenetuya, the delegate and the CEO of the Mongolian company Andorean, said this event was greatly beneficial as it allowed direct communication with vendors about maintenance parts, system designs, custom parts, and other details. Several companies found possible business partners at this event, marking it a big success.
Over the following two days, the members of the delegation were able to freely participate in COMPUTEX and InnoVEX, continuing to meet potential business partners, source possible solutions, and find inspiration. Nikolin Ngjela, Co-Founder, Software Development Manager of the Albanian-based company LekoTech, said his experience exploring the trade show was extraordinary. In addition to meeting companies that can assist LekoTech with their most recent project, he also witnessed the latest developments within the ICT industry, including generative AI technology.
On the final day of the exhibition, EBRD and TAITRA took the delegation on corporate visits to three of the most important players in the Taiwanese ICT industry: Gorilla Technology Group, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), and the Taiwan Association for Virtual and Augmented Reality (TAVAR). They met with the leaders of these organizations and were introduced to their latest products and projects. Dr. Ana Ranitović, the Co-Founder and CEO of the Serbian company Campster, was impressed by ITRI’s business model, finding it to be an impressive example of how research, industry, and the government can work together to drive industrial development. Furthermore, Daniyar Kenzhekhanov, the delegate from Parqour, a smart parking company based in Kazakhstan, found a potential business partner with Gorilla, as they have clients in Central Asia looking for solutions that Gorilla can provide.
The Business Development and Matching trip has helped the EBRD delegation explore business opportunities via the COMPUTEX and InnoVEX 2023, meet with potential business partners, and experience Taiwan’s culture for business and for life. We look forward to seeing the future collaboration between the delegates and the Taiwanese suppliers.
