Global Unichip Corp. (GUC), the Advanced ASIC leader, and Ayar Labs, a leader in co-packaged optics (CPO) for large-scale AI workloads, have announced a strategic partnership to integrate CPO into GUC's advanced ASIC design services.This collaboration paves the way for high-bandwidth, low-latency, power-efficient optical interconnects in next-generation AI, HPC and networking applications where electrical signaling is reaching its limits. By integrating Ayar Labs'TeraPH optical engines into GUC's advanced packaging and ASIC workflow, the companies are exploring critical areas to enable future CPO deployment."The CPO revolution is at our doorstep. Integrating Ayar Labs'optical engines into our advanced packaging flows is a critical step," said Igor Elkanovich, CTO of GUC. "Our new joint design allows us to address the challenges of CPO integration - architectural, power and signal integrity, mechanical and thermal - ensuring our future customers have access to a robust, high-bandwidth and power-efficient solution."The new XPU multi-chip package (MCP) design replaces traditional electrical interconnects with Ayar Labs'optical engines attached directly to the MCP organic substrate. This architecture enables more than 100 Tbps full-duplex optical interface from the XPU package, more than an order of magnitude improvement over current XPUs.UCIe-S (64 Gbps) provides bandwidth between the optical engines and I/O chiplets over the MCP substrate, while UCIe-A (64 Gbps) is used for communication between the I/O chiplet to the main AI die over local silicon interconnect (LSI) bridges. The design also addresses signal and power integrity challenges associated with the large-scale package. Thermal optimization is done at the XPU MCP level, and a new stiffener design incorporates optical engines' requirements and enables detachable fiber connections while meeting mechanical stress and warpage requirements."The future of AI and data center scale-up will not be possible without optics to overcome the electrical I/O bottleneck," said Vladimir Stojanovic, CTO and co-founder of Ayar Labs. "Working with GUC on advanced packaging and silicon technologies is an important step in demonstrating how our optical engines can accelerate the implementation of co-packaged optics for hyperscalers and AI scale-up."GUC will share more about these technology advancements during a presentation titled "Advanced Packaging Technologies for Modular and Powerful Compute" at the 2025 TSMC Open Innovation Platform (OIP) Ecosystem Forum in Hsinchu, Taiwan, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.For more information about GUC.For more information about Ayar Labs.

As Taiwan faces demographic challenges from a declining birthrate, the food and beverage (F&B) industry is struggling with severe labor shortages. While digital technologies and automation offer solutions for improving operational efficiency and customer satisfaction, many small and medium-sized eateries - such as breakfast shops and family-run restaurants - still rely on manual processes due to limited budgets. This manual process is slow, error-prone, and struggles to meet rising consumer expectations, making it difficult for small businesses to compete with major chains.DotDot Global addresses these challenges with its one-stop F&B technology solution, integrating online ordering, self-checkout, AI queue management, multiple payment options, membership management, and data analytics. This solution enables restaurants to embrace mobile payment trends, streamline workflows, reduce staffing needs, and enhance customer experiences. To date, DotDot Global has successfully implemented its system in more than 15,000 restaurants across Taiwan.According to Ting Hsieh, CEO of DotDot Global, the company's AI Store Manager replaces traditional manual ordering and checkout procedures, enabling restaurants to achieve front-of-house automation. The AI Store Manager includes intelligent ordering, AI-powered queue calling, and Taiwan's first unified cross-domain payment platform that integrates "points, cash, and coupons." It allows flexible use of loyalty points and discounts while seamlessly connecting credit cards, cash, and digital payments. As a result, restaurants can operate efficiently with minimal staffing - sometimes even with just one person running the entire store.Leveraging AWS cloud services to accelerate innovationDotDot Global's solutions are powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) and built on AWS IoT Core, which provides two-way communication for real-time monitoring of connected devices worldwide. Through Over-the-Air (OTA) remote updates, the company can upgrade system functions or apply security patches to all devices across Taiwan in under 30 minutes - without dispatching engineers. This significantly reduces maintenance costs while ensuring that every client location has immediate access to the latest features, helping restaurants maintain a competitive edge in the fast-evolving F&B technology landscape.Hsieh explained that since entering the F&B technology space, DotDot Global has continuously gathered feedback from restaurant operators to guide product development. The newly launched AI Store Manager integrates multiple AI applications such as voice queue announcements, on-screen notifications, and adaptive prompt customization based on call frequency or style. Additionally, the system can analyze customer behavior and restaurant sales data using AI, providing insights for menu optimization and combo meal recommendations to improve profitability.Building a cross-domain ecosystem with the Unified Payment Interface (UPI)As mobile payment tools continue to diversify, DotDot Global introduced its Unified Payment Interface (UPI) to foster a new, cross-domain payment ecosystem. With a single integration, business partners can support all payment scenarios - from online to offline, cash to digital. DotDot Global is collaborating with POS system providers, vending machine operators, self-checkout solutions, currency exchange kiosks, and claw machine vendors to expand the ecosystem, generating new traffic and value for its partners.Hsieh added that through participation in the Startup Terrace Kaohsiung AWS Joint Innovation Center (JIC) project, DotDot Global has strengthened collaboration with local industries in Kaohsiung, including parking operators, vending businesses, and F&B brands. The company has also integrated with Agrigo, a cloud-based agricultural e-commerce platform, to enable innovative supply chain payment scenarios. Furthermore, DotDot Global is actively promoting its AI Store Manager and smart restaurant solutions in southern Taiwan, with notable adoption by the well-known Kaohsiung eatery Lao Er Pork Hock on Rice.

The rise of generative AI is accelerating digital transformation across traditional industries, and the construction sector is no exception. In an industry long dependent on hands-on expertise and experience sharing, construction companies face mounting challenges including labor shortages, rising costs, project delays, and increasingly stringent regulatory requirements. To address these issues, Shipeng Technology has developed an end-to-end smart construction solution centered on a "Digital Twin + AI Platform," powered by the robust computing capabilities of Amazon Web Services (AWS).Integrating AI, cloud, and digital twin technologies to drive smart constructionAccording to Shibo Lin, founder of Shipeng Technology, the company's core solution revolves around three key pillars: visibility, precision, and control. Covering the entire project lifecycle - from design and construction to operation and maintenance - it establishes a comprehensive digital twin management process. By replacing traditional 2D blueprints with 3D BIM (Building Information Modeling), design conflicts can be identified and resolved before construction begins. The AI platform integrates material and scheduling data, allowing on-site teams to query project progress and cost details using natural language. In addition, AR and sensor technologies enable real-time comparison between physical structures and digital models, ensuring quality and progress remain aligned. The result is a significant reduction in human error and delay risks, along with enhanced data-driven decision-making capabilities.Shipeng Technology leverages AWS cloud computing, AI/ML platforms, and IoT services to handle the massive volume of construction data and 3D model computations. By integrating sensor, image, and progress data in the cloud, the company builds high-precision digital twins that remain perfectly synchronized with the physical site. This architecture not only ensures flexibility, scalability, and security but also enables rapid model updates and data processing within minutes - greatly reducing operational costs and accelerating project delivery. Lin emphasized that AWS's global cloud infrastructure allows the team to focus on application innovation and AI model optimization, truly realizing the vision of bringing "smart construction from cloud to job site."Real-world projects demonstrate efficiency gainsIn a recent major construction project, regulatory changes required a complete redesign. Traditionally, the revision process would take four months. With Shipeng Technology's BIM solution and AWS support, the team completed the entire update and validation in just one week, reducing the timeline by over tenfold and saving substantial downtime costs.In another project, the Startup Terrace A6 Tower in Linkou adopted Shipeng Technology's digital asset management system. Tasks that once took three months - such as inventory verification - are now completed within five to ten minutes. Supported by AWS's real-time data integration and high-performance computing, the platform enables project managers to monitor on-site progress and asset conditions seamlessly. Lin noted that Shipeng Technology aims to make every data point from construction sites actionable, turning real-time insights into the foundation for smarter decisions.From Taiwan to the world: building a cloud ecosystem for smart constructionThrough its participation in the Startup Terrace Kaohsiung AWS Joint Innovation Center (JIC) project, Shipeng Technology established a presence in Kaohsiung's Startup Terrace and gained access to extensive local industry resources. The project's matchmaking and mentoring programs have helped the company connect with construction partners in southern Taiwan and refine its business presentation and client engagement capabilities. Lin remarked that this industry collaboration model - combining local partnerships with cloud-based coordination - not only accelerates digital transformation in southern Taiwan's construction industry but also strengthens Shipeng Technology's local market foothold.While deepening its presence in Taiwan, Shipeng Technology is actively expanding internationally. Following its strategy of "Taiwan R&D, Japan validation, and global deployment" , the team recently participated in a global startup competition and secured collaboration opportunities with Japanese partners to deploy smart construction solutions overseas. Given Japan's strong demand for construction automation and ESG management, the market serves as the company's first step toward globalization. Moving forward, Shipeng Technology will continue to establish international standards for smart building practices and bringing its digital construction technologies to the world.

Brainport Industries Campus (BIC) is a development project for an industrial park in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Phase one (BIC 1) has been completed, encompassing 105,000 square meters of existing buildings, surrounding public space, and parking. The site is home to several high-tech manufacturing companies and educational institutions. Expansion plans are currently underway, with the newly expanded BIC 2 campus expected to double the size of BIC 1, reaching 300,000 square meters. More than 40 pioneering companies are already established on the campus. BIC is the largest campus expansion in the Netherlands for years to come. Notably, ASML, the Dutch EUV lithography equipment giant, is considering expanding to the northern part of the BIC 2 campus. In 2024, ASML announced plans to establish a subsidiary in the BIC Industrial Park by 2030, accommodating thousands of employees. The Brainport Industries Campus development company stated that it aims to provide startup facilities, co-innovation spaces and built to suit manufacturing space for high-tech companies.In partnership with Invest Holland and the Brabant Development Agency (BOM), the park will offer Taiwanese companies the option of establishing regional business units or research centers in the Netherlands through support services provided by the industrial park.The campus aims to attract leading companies in cutting-edge technology fields, including semiconductor related technologies, photonics, quantum and additive manufacturing. BIC and Invest Holland jointly unveiled this plan at Semicon Taiwan 2025, offering the access to advanced facilities, a strong open innovation ecosystems and encouraging Taiwan's high-tech industries participating in this collaboration opportunity.

Xinyx IC Design B.V. is a 100% Filipino owned IC Design house and has been in operations since 2009, with more than a decade of experience in the field of integrated circuit design, giving its clients scalability and access to highly qualified Filipino engineers. Xinyx provides end-to-end semiconductor design solutions, spanning front-end architecture, circuit realization, and physical implementation for analog, digital, and mixed-signal domains.Xinyx offers comprehensive IC design services customized to meet each customer's unique requirements. The company's capabilities span digital, analog, and mixed-signal design and layout, enabling it to support projects across a wide range of applications and technologies. Xinyx provides flexible engagement models, from full turnkey solutions to project-based and specialized design services, allowing clients to leverage its expertise at any stage of the design process to achieve faster turnaround times and optimized results. With over 16 years of experience, Xinyx has grown from a 15-person team into a 400-strong engineering and service organization, operating across five sites in the Philippines and one in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Built on the strength of its large pool of talented young Filipino engineers, the company helps customers bring innovative silicon solutions to market. As Xinyx continues to expand its global footprint, it is optimistic about the booming Taiwanese semiconductor industry and is eager to collaborate with Taiwanese IC design firms to broaden its reach and explore mutually beneficial opportunities.As part of its commitment to developing the IC design ecosystem, Xinyx actively drives its flagship Campus Connect Program, which focuses on nurturing IC design talent at the university level. The program bridges industry and academia by providing a pathway for Filipino students to enter the IC design field through collaborative learning opportunities, internships, and training programs. In line with this vision, Xinyx continues to explore strategic partnerships with universities abroad, including recent engagements with Chung Yuan Christian University in Zhongli District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan.

Fonontech B.V. is a device solution provider and startup company based on Impulse Printing technology. Impulse printing technology can be described as a novel additive manufacturing technology that allows for parallel transfers high-resolution conductive patterns to enable the rapid and precise printing of micrometer scale interconnections. This technology offers high-speed low-cost manufacturing, is well suited for process equipment to create complex 3D structures and achieve further miniaturization of electronic devices. The rapidly growing opportunities in AI-driven electronics push the technology forward. These unique solutions have considerable potential, and on May 16, 2025, Fonontech received the good news of a $9.5 million seed round investment.Currently, Fonontech equipment is being used to address wire bonding speed issues in chip packaging. Wire bonding is a viable solution for connecting chips to external pins or for silicon interlayer structures in advanced packaging. This process is typically used in back-end chip manufacturing, particularly flip-chip bonding. Fonontech equipment offers higher pin density, optimized electrical performance, and smaller package sizes.While conventional wire bonders can only print one line at a time, Fonontech Impulse Printing technology is much faster. Because its parallel printing solution can transfer contacts covering an entire area at a time, the speed increase is astonishing. According to on-site testing and monitoring, Fonontech Impulse Printing technology can achieve speeds up to 100 times faster than wire bonders.Currently, Fonontech equipment can successfully bonding with a minimum size of 20 micrometers, and in the future it will further achieve a dimensional accuracy down to a few micrometers. In the booth of Fonontech showcased the Impulse Printing demo kit, a scaled down version of the industrial equipment. In addition to selling the equipment itself, the company also integrates Impulse Printing print head modules into customers' production lines for special tailored applications.The equipment can be used for transfer printing onto wafers, PCBs, or other manufacturing processes, such as connecting signal pins on the side of a display chip to the signal contacts on the back side of the display panel. The bestselling point of this equipment is speed and cost effectiveness to reduce material waste and carbon emissions. The company's product is marketed as a replacement for wire bonding machines. Furthermore, the company currently is developing Taiwan market and running ongoing collaborative projects through testing and verification with potential clients.

Invest in Holland /Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) is the national investment promotion service of the Netherlands. It operates as part of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, supporting foreign companies in establishing and expanding their businesses in the Netherlands. The organization works with a network of regional partners and has a global presence through its worldwide network of offices, including one in Taipei, to facilitate foreign investment and economic development.  With 25 offices worldwide, Invest in Holland has over 40 years of service experience. The Taipei office assists Taiwanese companies in developing their businesses and R&D IN EUROPE and expanding the opportunities in the Netherlands. The services include to provide customized information on the Netherlands, relevant business locations, Dutch legislation and tax regulations, labor law, permit procedures, government incentives and much more through in-person or digital meetings. With a population of over 18 million people, the Netherlands economy relies on international trade. It is highlighting the importance of foreign investment to strengthen its innovation ecosystems and achieve future economic goals. The network of Invest in Holland actively promotes this idea by focusing on sectors like high-tech industries, and sustainable energy, where collaborations between companies, government, and knowledge institutions drive innovation and economic resilience. Right now, more than 230 Taiwanese companies have setup their European headquarter or R&D center in the Netherlands. Many of which companies are in the Semiconductor and ICT-related sector, eg CHROMA, DELTA ELECTRONICS, MIC, ADVANTECH, and etc.Invest in Holland actively creates opportunities for industrial clusters to develop in the Dutch market by attracting Taiwanese companies and fostering collaboration between businesses, high-tech research institutions, and government, enabling Taiwanese companies to quickly integrate into the local operation and accelerate business development. One important thing, Invest in Holland's services are entirely free for all foreign companies, both new and established, that are looking to expand their operations into the Netherlands. This is a benefit provided by the Netherlands government and its network of partners. These public services offer guidance, practical solutions for establishment, and connections to the right resources and partners to help international businesses succeed in the European market.

Founded in 1993, Prodrive Technologies designs and manufactures mission-critical products that combine advanced engineering, innovative manufacturing, and global expertise. The company empowers semiconductor equipment manufacturers and customers across multiple industries to accelerate innovation and achieve operational excellence. Headquartered in the Netherlands, with regional hubs in the USA, Japan, and China, Prodrive Technologies serves the semiconductor, medical, life sciences, energy, infrastructure, and industrial markets. Its customer-centric approach, deep engineering expertise, and vertically integrated manufacturing enable fast time-to-market, superior quality, and scalable systems.The company's portfolio spans optical and e-beam cameras, embedded computing systems, high-precision motion control and drives, and RF plasma power solutions. These offerings are available as off-the-shelf products, customized systems, or turnkey solutions.With its broad product range, flexible business model, and decades of experience in the semiconductor sector, Prodrive Technologies is now also exploring opportunities in Taiwan. As home to the world's largest semiconductor foundry and a growing ecosystem of equipment manufacturers, Taiwan represents a potentially strategic market where Prodrive's innovation, quality, and speed-enabled by its unique vertical integration-can create significant value.

SCIL Nanoimprint Solutions is a provider of nanoscale imprinting equipment for patterning wafers leveraging its unique technology of Substrate Conformal Imprint Lithography (SCIL). The company is targeting the creation of optical structures on wafers for emerging applications in silicon photonics modules and smart glasses. Active in the market since 2015, SCIL Nanoimprint Solutions, originally a business unit of Philips, utilizes patented stamp transfer technology to create process equipment and processes for creating specialized optical structures on wafers. For example, it can create lightguide structures on wafers to enable direct chip-to-fiber connections, driving the fabrication of high-speed optical communication structures.Following the internal installation and testing of the first AutoSCIL tool in 2016, the company officially began mass production and delivered equipment to customers from 2017 onwards. In 2023, with investment from venture capital funds and other investors, the company was officially spun out from Philips to become an independent operating company. The company is targeting applications in optical communication semiconductors, including high-speed optical communication chips for data centers, advanced packaging silicon photonics systems, and ultra-compact optical elements for smart glasses and augmented reality devices. The product portfolio spans advanced imprint equipment, tailored optical materials, and optimized processes. As these are all key areas of focus for the next phase of AI-related applications, the company is attracting significant industry attention.These nanostructures and precision structures utilize processes such as imprinting precise patterns onto wafers using glass materials, serving as light-guiding structures for fiber-optic communication systems. Furthermore, some are manufactured as lens modules, imprinting optical components onto wafers. The existing equipment can achieve optical structures with critical dimensions down to 10 nanometersand sub-nanometer surface roughness.The company's process equipment is differentiated by wafer size, supporting 4-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch, and 12-inch sizes. The process includes resist deposition, overlay alignment, nano-imprinting, , and curing to complete the 2D or 3D patterning process. Targeting two key and highly anticipated applications, smart glasses and CPO (co-packaged optics), Taiwan is a high potential market for SCIL Nanoimprint Solutions, with the Taiwanese semiconductor industry focused on optoelectronic chips, high-speed communications, and advanced heterogeneous packaging technologies.

Mecal High-Tech Systems is an independent global high end contracting engineering company that specializes in anti-vibration and shielding technologies for high-precision semiconductor equipment and optical measurement systems. Mecal is in control of critical conditions, in and around high end equipment, co-developing with customers and with its own IP and OEM product base. Take the well-known Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology as an example. Since EUV equipment uses highly precise optical lithography technology with accuracy reaching the nanometer level. These high sophisticated machines are generally extremely sensitive to vibration, need to have corresponding solutions.A complete anti-vibration system must be designed to meet the standard operation of EUV machines and achieve high production yields. Therefore, any semiconductor foundry service vendors who purchases EUV equipment becomes an important target customer for Mecal. The company provides solutions including problem analysis, consulting, engineering design, technology R&D, installation deployment and operation services. It integrates cutting-edge technologies to develop engineering solutions and create optimal economic value for customers, such as improving production yields to generate significant revenue incomes. It also enables even more sophisticated production of next generation technologiesMecal currently provides a vibration-proof platform and technology designed for EUV process needs. Every aspect of design and installation requires detailed planning by the engineering teams of the company. Mecal has more than 170 five-star ranking senior professional engineers certified by customers and works in Taiwan from established service bases in countries including the Netherlands, the United States, South Korea, and Japan.Mecal implements successful approach involving to foster strong communication, a deep technical understanding of semiconductor manufacturing, and a collaborative strategy to diagnose and solve these root problems by being located near where customers stay. For example, with major Taiwanese foundry customers, Mecal not only provides the solutions to solve key challenges of EUV operation, but also team-up with customers to transfer technology to different regions within their global footprint where EUV technology is deployed, thereby creating mutually beneficial business opportunities.The main purpose of Mecal in participating in Netherlands Pavilion is to expand its visibility in the Taiwanese market. The company believes that Taiwanese semiconductor ecosystems can increase the development speed and improve production yields and solve problems caused by vibration in process equipment through Mecal solutions.As semiconductor chips become smaller and more sophisticated, the technical challenges of anti-vibration are also increasing. With 35 years of accumulated industry experience and technical capabilities, Mecal plays the role of co-developer and problem solver in high-precision production, optoelectronic systems, advanced packaging systems and new projects that aims to be of relevance and to contribute to innovation that tackles major challenges in industries. Mecal is looking forward to finding appropriate partners and customers to create high economic value for high-tech industries.