The rapid growth of e-commerce platforms has come in the wake of changes in consumer shopping patterns. And with the recent COVID-19 pandemic, online shopping has become both a common routine and an indispensable part of life for most people nowadays. According to a report from Euromonitor International, the annual growth of e-commerce in 2020 reached 26.94% globally, and it showed double-digit growth over the next few years. This wave has driven more SMEs and individual sellers to sell their products to overseas markets through cross-border e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Alibaba. On top of that, there are also many dropshipping companies on the market without warehousing and inventory, meaning that after the buyer places an order, the dropshipping company will deliver the goods directly to the wholesaler, avoiding the pressures of keeping inventory and making deliveries. However, regardless of the sales model, these individual sellers and SME e-commerce companies often ignore the complex process involved in cross-border sales, so their overall performance has not met expectations for growth.Although Amazon, Alibaba, and other cross-border e-commerce platforms can provide services such as customs clearance, declaration, and logistics provider consultation, SME e-commerce companies still have to choose a suitable logistics provider on their own and complete account opening, identity verification, fill out cargo information, complete the declaration form, among other steps, before completing the delivery work. In addition to dealing with that complicated procedure, sellers must also be familiar with pricing methods, which vary across logistics companies, in order to balance cost and time. While it micro commerce not abundantly apparent, these extra considerations increase the operating burden for SME e-commerce companies, but at the same time they have promoted the rise of new logistics companiesDuncan Hui, general manager of Spaceship, an international logistics platform, said that even professional logistics teams at big e-commerce companies are not always familiar with the relative advantages of logistics companies or how each company requires its electronic forms to be filled out, so it goes without saying that it is even less possible for the teams at SME e-commerce companies to distinguish those differences. It is also the case that the freight calculation standards of logistics companies differ between corporate and individual users. That means that SME ecommerce companies often have to pay higher fees, just adding to the overall operating burden. Focusing on the operational pain points of SME ecommerce, recently emerging logistics startups have cooperated with international logistics companies while also making use of big data applications and computing, to help SME ecommerce operators shrink the delivery process, lower operating costs, and become more competitive in the e-commerce market.Combining big data and AI to complete delivery in minutesSpaceship, a new Hong Kong startup, combines the experience of a professional logistics team with a logistics and software ecosystem that empowers ecommerce merchants and consumers to reduce costs while delivering a reliable and efficient end to end shipping experience. It currently works with more than 30 global logistics services to provide a one-stop convenient delivery platform that helps consumers and SME ecommerce companies find delivery services that meet their service demands. Using innovative technology and AI, it launched an international shipment booking and management online platform, which provides one-click, real-time price comparison and booking services that is optimized for e-commerce delivery including delivery time prediction, tax prediction and more. This platform simplifies the complicated international shipping process, and greatly shortens the time to process a shipment order by nearly 6 folds.In addition to establishing partnerships with more than 30 logistics companies, Spaceship can also use big data analysis technology to recommend the optimal delivery plan according to the user's shipment information and automatically notify and assist users with special delivery requirements. Using its 24-hour online reservation system, users can book point-to-point logistics services in more than 280 countries around the world with a single click and with exclusive discount price; they can even arrange shipments online anytime, anywhere.Hui pointed out that Spaceship team members, with their abundant experience in the logistics industry, are well aware of the logistics pain points for SME e-commerce in the delivery of goods. That is why, in the design of the software operation interface and logistics distribution process, they began from thinking from the user's point of view. Compared with the traditional, self-initiated delivery process, it is both more convenient and efficient, greatly reduces delivery time, and has received high marks from users.The highly active venture-capital scene of Hong Kong with the enthusiasm of the startup team in TaiwanAlthough Spaceship was established in Hong Kong, it also saw the bigger scale of Taiwan's market and its more mature e-commerce environment, so it didn't take long after launching services in Hong Kong that the team set up an operating base in Taiwan to provide innovative delivery services for consumers and e-commerce operators. Spaceship believes that the evaluation of VC companies in Hong Kong and Taiwan, two places where the team has fundraising experience, focuses on uniqueness and the future prospects.Hui said that in addition to setting up a company in Taiwan, Spaceship has also cooperated with legal entities such as the Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA), and has obtained opportunities to participate in various programs and activities. It has also obtained investment from teams such as 500 Global, SparkLabs Taiwan, and Paragon Investment. Through its cooperation with the TTA, it was also invited to participate in Meet Taipei, where the Spaceship team interacted and learned from other startup teams, the energy of Taiwan startup companies making a deep impression on them. While it is growing quite fast in terms of performance in Taiwan and Hong Kong, Spaceship also plans to enter more mature markets, such as Southeast Asia, Japan, and the US, in 2023, and strive to capitalize on the business opportunities in international logistics and distribution.Spaceship General Manager Duncan HuiPhoto: CompanySpaceship

Tensions in international trade since 2018 have complicated supply chain resilience for the leading top-tier brands within the electronics industry. Complex customer clearance and high tariffs have risen to the top of many purchasing problem-solving agendas. The need for supply chains outside of Greater China has become a prominent hot topic within corporate strategies. As the world experienced strict Chinese governmental lockdowns during the COVID-19 (New Coronavirus Pneumonia) epidemic, over-reliance on manufacturing within the Mainland called for alternative solutions. The moving trend towards Southeast Asian countries has since escalated.Manufacturing since trade tensions surfaced has primarily reshuffled towards alternative countries of origin (COOs) such as Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia. As manufacturers face new challenges in foreign countries, one supplier has since localized for decades within Southeast Asia (SEA). In the 1980s, Harmony Electronics strategically chose Thailand as its first overseas manufacturing site. They have successfully made a name for themselves locally as a stable manufacturing powerhouse in the small town of Banpong, approximately two hours west of Central Bangkok. With the success of the first plant coming online in 1989, Harmony Electronics is currently expanding a second major manufacturing site approximately an hour North-East away from Banpong in the town of Om Noi. The first stages of building up to mass production will be ready as early as late 2023. A projected overall capacity increase of approximately 10% is targeted once the plant starts operations. With the successful ramping up of mass production in Om Noi, a total of 25% increase is expected in contribution to the overall Harmony group capacity.With the worldwide trend in manufacturing moving out-of-China (OOC), C. Ching Yang, Vice-President of Harmony Group, is conscious of the structural, cultural, and managerial challenges while setting up production in a foreign country. Yang further comments, 'For Harmony Electronics, it will certainly be a much easier road for the new plant in Omnoi than for others just recently entering the ASEAN space'. Since Harmony's presence in Thailand in 1989, the company has cultivated an experienced management team that is well-versed in the Thai language, local customs, and other many aspects of Thailand's culture. Localization is not Harmony's long-term goal or strategic vision; it is a current reality. Over half of Harmony's current upper management team can converse fluently in the local language in daily management. Harmony's ability to service the SEA region and Thai domestic sales ability extemplo differentiates them from other industry newcomers who may compete within the same geographical territory.Yang further elaborates, that Harmony is currently the only Taiwanese timing device manufacturer able to provide full-process assembly in SEA under their corporate management. Due to Harmony's early entry advantages within Thailand, numerous major brand customers have since approached them for strategic supply negotiations. These customers are looking to not only transfer their supply chain to SEA, but preferably to do so with the least purchasing risk possible. Harmony's maturity in Thailand is a core competence few currently possess within the timing industry.Ching Yang, Vice-President of Harmony Electronics Corporation, currently heads Harmony Group's Crystal Device Division and is responsible for overseeing production expansion in Omnoi, ThailandPhoto: Harmony Electronics CorporationExpanding Thailand's Production Base as Demand for Timing Devices IncreaseTiming device plays an important role in all electronic devices. Quartz-based timing devices are the purest form of timing. The product is essential in converting high and low signal frequencies and filtering noise within the correct time and speed specification in an electrical circuit. This function can be achieved with a quartz crystal resonator. Another commonly used timing device in circuit design is the quartz oscillator. The quartz oscillator is a combination of the quartz crystal resonator and an IC within an oscillation circuit design. Based on various frequency control methods such as CMOS, LVDS, LV-PECL, HCSL, etc., quartz oscillators can be further divided into other timing product categories. These include popular devices such as the temperature-compensated oscillator (TCXO), the voltage-controlled oscillator (VCXO), the voltage-compensated and temperature-compensated oscillator (VC-TCXO), and so on. Further advanced assembly has also been achieved with the quartz crystal resonator. A thermistor can now be placed within the substrate of the crystal resonator, keeping the temperature variance between the crystal and thermistor at a minimum. This 2-in-1 thermistor crystal specialty product has one of the largest scaled-up production capacities in Harmony. As consumer electronics products and gadgets continue to proliferate in the lives of the public, the growth of demand for quartz components is expected in the long run. Rapid popularization of electric vehicles, advances in 5G, and AI applications, are only a few of the current applications that have brought an increase for quartz-based timing devices.Harmony Electronics has been manufacturing quartz crystals, quartz oscillators, and other quartz-related, ceramic substrate-based electronic components for nearly half a century. Since the establishment of the company in 1976, Harmony has been working in collaboration with Japan's Daishinku Corporation (KDS) on technology, design, and quality for timing devices. Long-standing customer base includes major electronic EMS' and their end customers. Harmony has consistently placed top ten in worldwide ranking annually. With existing manufacturing facilities in Taiwan, Guangdong, and Thailand, Harmony's products include a value-added addition of purchasing flexibility for their customers. Current major applications for Harmony products include industrial, communications, networking, consumer, and automotive. The trend in product performance has been geared towards miniaturization and high operating temperatures to keep in line with technological advances.Harmony Electronics Corporation headquarters, located in Kaoshiung, Taiwan. Harmony is one of the few true manufacturing of timing devices worldwidePhoto: Harmony Electronics CorporationVice-President Yang highlights the importance of diversifying operational risks, even when trade tensions are not evident. Since 2000, China has become a major global production base for consumer electronic goods. Even so, Harmony Electronics has retained significant manufacturing operations in Thailand during and after its expansion to China that same year. Manufacturing experience in China in the 2000s allowed corporate strategy to take a long-term comparative look at the pros and cons of manufacturing in culturally different regions. Harmony's operational risk diversity has benefited from a long-term study of producing multinationally. A healthy proportion of Harmony's overall capacity has always been focused on Thai production, thus ensuring the growth of experience for the local management team and the nurturing of internal local talent. At the end of 2014, Yang's team decisively purchased land for a second factory in Omnoi, an industrial zone adjacent to Bangkok. The decision took into account the rapid changes in Chinese law and regulations and a projected long-term increase in demand for quartz components in the international market. In addition to Harmony Thailand's own cash funds, 400 million additional funds from the headquarters in Taiwan were injected into Thailand between 2021 and 2022 to financially aid new construction. The Omnoi factory is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023 at the earliest and will be mass-produced in three phases to welcome the wave of supply chain restructuring.Thailand Omnoi will continue to expand on Harmony's existing management expertise in SEA managementMany Taiwanese manufacturers have chosen to set up production bases in Thailand amid global supply chain restructuring. While work has begun for many new corporate entrants in Thailand, actual ROI results from new investments in Thailand would not be conclusive in the short term. In comparison, Harmony's second expansion in Thailand will bring less risk for its investors and customers. Yang points out, 'Familiarity in local culture, regulations, and language is a core competence difficult to ascertain, even with the correct talent. The quickest and most appropriate progression from pilot-run to mass production in Thailand is a familiar road for Harmony. This knowledge gives our company a greater degree of control over overseas investment stability. It will invariably help the Harmony brand maintain a favorable position in the global market whilst simultaneously attracting new international customers and investors.'Combining R&D with SEA country of origin advantages to seize new business opportunitiesVarying degrees of governmental lockdown policies during the COVID-19 epidemic led to an upsurge in demand for computers, mobile devices, and other electronic products. Unfortunately, excessive purchasing eventually led to a Bullwhip Effect in supply and demand. The predicament of excessively high inventory levels in the past two years has resulted in soft worldwide demand across the majority of the electronics industry, particularly within the consumer segment. A return to relative normality is expected after 2023, but many experts remain conservative in their predictions. Harmony Electronics has quickly refocused its targeted segments to other more promising applications and markets to maintain stable operations.With over a hundred quartz timing component brands worldwide, Yang gives insight that few are true manufacturers. Whilst the OEM strategy for these brands is respectable in their own right, Harmony differentiates as being the source of the industry assembly supply for timing devices. As a true manufacturer, Harmony is active in all levels of the multi-tiered timing supply chain. Top customers for Harmony include international brands, assembly contract manufacturers (CMs), as well as OEM/ODM and private labeling for other timing brands. Harmony caters to a multitude of applications for such customers, including products used in the safety-sensitive sector for automotive use. Harmony's strength do not solely lie within the context of geography. Backed with a well-rounded manufacturing resume for a variety of markets, Harmony aims to utilize its advantages in R&D capabilities, quality, and production scale to serve all customers with a need for timing. The company also hopes to be able to help the local SEA market gain greater purchasing flexibility and sourcing advantages, thus strengthening the competitiveness of the regional supply chain ecosystem.Arial view of Harmony Omnoi, Thailand, currently at the end of construction and ready to come online at the height of current supply chain reorganizationPhoto: Harmony Electronics Corporation

The world has come to a consensus over the importance of developing renewable energies to mitigate the greenhouse effect and decrease our over-reliance on fossil fuels. In particular, solar energy has risen to become one of the primary methods of power generation. However, the relatively short life cycle of solar PV panels, which is approximately 20 years, has resulted in the accumulation of waste PV panels awaiting processing in many countries. According to a model by the International Energy Agency (IEA), 365 million tons of waste PV panels will be generated globally by 2050; as a result, the recycling of end-of-life PV panels has become an urgent issue.TSGC co-founder and CEO Andrew Hung states that countries such as the U.S., EU, and Taiwan have been long concerned about the massive amount of waste PV panels that would undoubtedly be generated by the promotion of solar energy, and have already established regulations for their processing. California, for example, defined end-of-life PV panels as general waste in 2021 to simplify the recycling process while also severely restricting their methods of recycling by prohibiting chemical and thermal processing. TSGC's PV Circulator solution for waste PV panels features fully automated physical disassembly and is expected to begin operations in California during Q4 of this year.TSGC founder, professor of the National University of Tainan Department of Greenergy, and director of the Solar Energy Center Yaw-Shyan Fu points out that the governments of many countries are utilizing subsidies for recycling companies to handle tasks such as disassembly and sorting. However, the actual benefits are limited to decreasing the amount of trash. In response to the sustainable development trends in recent years, the concept of circular economies has emerged, encouraging sectors to willingly manufacture products using recycled resources to meet ESG guidelines. As such, TSGC's PV Circulator solution has attracted broad interest.Automated Disassembly of PV Panels—Recycles Nearly 100% of Waste MaterialsTSGC was founded in 2022 with support from the Ministry of Education and National Science and Technology Council to focus on solving the environmental impact caused by waste PV panels. The company developed the world's first fully physical and automated PV panel recycling technology and applied it to launch the PV Circulator. The product is capable of disassembling each layer of PV panels under room temperature through methods such as automatic sorting and milling without requiring heat, water, or chemicals. Materials such as aluminum frames, glass, cell, EVA, PVDF back-sheet, and precious metals can be recycled intact.TSGC integrated their exclusively developed artificial intelligence and Auto ML (automatic learning) technologies into the PV Circulator. Vision AI recognizes tens of thousands of global PV panel specifications, which are then applied to automatically disassemble PV panels; data such as recycling rate, power consumption, and emission reduction are automatically uploaded to a cloud platform. Finally, the equipment utilizes Web3 technology to automatically generate a free recycling resume to the owner of the end-of-life PV panel, which in addition to documenting the clean recycling, can also act as evidence to the implementation of ESG strategies.Andrew Hung states that while there are various solutions, such as the heated blade method and pyrolysis tunnel recycling method developed by Japanese companies NPC and Shinryo as well as the EU FRELP, available in the market for recycling waste PV panels, all of them involve chemicals, heat, or landfill, which carry different degrees of environmental impacts. In comparison, TSGC's solution not only features a high recycling rate, high capacity, and zero pollution, it also meets California's latest regulations, does not require chemicals, water, or heat, and surpasses the 80% recycling rate mandated by EU's Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)."Considering the extremely high costs for European and North American countries to transport waste PV panels, we launched a mobile version that can immediately begin on-site recycling. For example, a 500MW site in California can save nearly $2 million in transportation costs to a recycling plant 500 miles away." Yaw-Shyan Fu explains, "Given that European, American, and Japanese markets lack the technology and industry chain to recycle and reuse plastics of PV panels, TSGC has developed a technology that upcycles plastic and has partnered with Taiwan's industry chain to provide a global material upcycling service. Upcycled plastics can be used for value-added manufacturing of regenerated sneaker soles."Strategic Deployment in the U.S., Taiwan, and Advancement into the European MarketSince its founding, the unique PV panel recycling technology developed by TSGC has won multiple recognitions, such as the InnoVEX 2023 ESG & Green Tech Award, SelectUSA Investment Summit 2023 CleanTech, top 10 of the 2023 Intersolar Award, top 10 of VivaTech x TotalEnergies, and top 10 of VivaTech's Coup de Coeur.Andrew Hung states that throughout the company's development, their long-term partner TTA has provided multiple startup training courses, expert/industry mentoring, and led TSGC in attending major exhibitions and competitions such as CES and VivaTech. These efforts have greatly increased the international reputation of TSGC and created many business partnership opportunities.Aside from focusing on the U.S. market, TSGC is simultaneously dedicated to developing the Taiwanese and European markets. In Taiwan, TSGC has partnered with professional licensed waste disposal companies and plans to install PV Circulators in the northern, central, southern, and eastern regions of Taiwan. It is anticipated that the establishment of an industry recycling alliance will act as a solution to many of Taiwan's problems related to processing waste PV panels. As for Europe, TSGC has received invitations from Belgium's Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency (AWEX), Switzerland's official agencies, and local companies, and expects to establish a European subsidiary at the end of 2023. The export of related technologies to the European market will solve the challenges of recycling waste PV panels in these countries.TSGC co-founder and CEO Andrew HungPhoto: DIGITIMESPV Circulator, a recycling equipment for end-of-life solar panels, utilizes physical and fully automated methods to achieve a nearly 100% recycling rate, 95% energy saving and 99% emission reductionPhoto: Company

As the wave of ESG has overtaken the world, the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held early this year centered around the theme of sustainable development to address global challenges. A diverse range of innovative solutions presented by attending participants were showcased. Among the exhibitors, Taiwan's Mbran Filtra participated in CES with a proprietary innovative filtration material, which ultimately won an award in the "Environmental Protection" category, for its potential in bringing a never-before-seen contribution to all humankind. In fact, with assistance from the Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA), Mbran Filtra has participated and won awards for two consecutive years. At CES 2022, Mbran Filtra won an award for "the world's smallest filter."Green Chang, CEO of Mbran Filtra, said that the company participated in CES 2022 and won an award with a product co-developed with partners. In 2023, the company once again took part in the trade show and won an award with its proprietary filtration material. There are two key aspects behind Mbran Filtra winning the awards. Firstly, the company adopted green manufacturing processes as early as 2020, replacing chemical materials with non-toxic, eco-friendly alternatives. As a result, generation of toxic waste is prevented in the production process, thus resolving waste treatment issues. Secondly, in 2022, the production process was further upgraded to a low-carbon, biomass manufacturing process, reducing carbon emissions by 50% to 70% during membrane production. Consequently, it has gained favor from equipment suppliers and end-users.Additionally, aside from assisting Mbran Filtra participating in CES, in mid-2022, the TTA also extended a special invitation to former CES award-winning teams to share their experience in drafting successful press releases. This helped Mbran Filtra gain insights into utilizing the media as marketing channels to attract the attention of more global brands and investors at the international event in 2023.Gaining Foothold in Membrane Materials Market Through Unique Technical CapabilityFounded in 2019, Mbran Filtra is dedicated to the research and development of membrane filtration materials, making it the first company in Taiwan to produce microfiltration hollow fiber membrane products. The company offers a wide variety of products based on microfiltration hollow fiber membrane technology, including hydrophobic and hydrophilic membranes made from polymer materials, such as polyethersulfone (PES), polyamide (Nylon), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and polypropylene (PP), which are able to satisfy requirements in different application scenarios.Green Chang said that in the past, Taiwan relied heavily on foreign supplies as it lacked the capabilities to produce microfiltration membrane materials. While many companies have attempted to enter this field, no products were ultimately launched due to technical limitations. Despite the company faced competition from international brands such as 3M and Mitsubishi at the initial stage of establishment, during the COVID-19 pandemic, major global membrane suppliers were experiencing unstable supply. This enabled Mbran Filtra to utilize the experience it accumulated to draw the attention of businesses, prompting them to begin using its products.For instance, a major global sports brand has taken an interest in Mbran Filtra's technical capabilities. The brand utilizes Mbran Filtra's membrane material to produce miniaturized filters in a sports bottle designed for outdoor athletes. The product features an ability to filter raw and unprocessed water into safe drinking water. The water bottle is now extremely popular on the market.Debuting in Medical Devices Industry, Transitioning to Diversified Business DevelopmentIn fact, after receiving recognition from the 2022 CES award, Mbran Filtra has since gained significant global market visibility, leading many companies to actively seek collaboration opportunities. In earthquake-prone Japan, in which its people often have heightened alertness, in view of a shortage of membrane materials among suppliers, the Japanese manufacturer who was responsible for producing emergency kits decided to collaborate with Mbran Filtra in 2022. We co-developed a filter cartridge that could be installed in plastic bottles for use during various types of natural disasters to ensure filtration of untreated water into safe drinking water. Currently, the filter cartridge is in the final stage of product certification. Furthermore, charity organizations such as Tzu Chi, which has long been dedicated to philanthropic endeavors, and Love Binti International, a non-governmental organization, have also partnered with Mbran Filtra to produce similar filters. These products have been delivered to countries affected by typhoons and floods, as well as underserved regions in Africa, to ensure that local populations have access to clean drinking water.Green Chang pointed out that due to the shortage of raw materials, the global supply of membrane materials remains highly unstable. The instability not only affects industrial wastewater treatment and replaceable filters, but also triggers a regional reshuffling in the dialysis consumables market. As such, BenQ Dialysis has also begun working with Mbran Filtra to achieve a one-stop production of hemodialysis machines in Taiwan using the experience accumulated by the two companies in this field. As opposed to filtering bacteria and impurities in water which requires hollow fiber membrane pores of 200 nm, hemodialysis requires pores ranging from 40 nm to 80 nm. As such, there is hardly any difficulties in the technological adjustment. With our collaborative efforts with BenQ Dialysis to automate the application of membrane onto the outer case, the production capacity will be boosted, and opportunities for cross-domain ODM/OEM collaborations will be enhanced. As a result, the ongoing project is progressing smoothly, and mass production is expected to begin once the TFDA certification is obtained.It is worth noting that BenQ Dialysis was extremely impressed with the membrane products of Mbran Filtra and proposed to assist in the production of membrane materials during the partnership. If it goes well, the production capacity of membrane materials will be boosted substantially, which will lead to an increase in overall market share. Furthermore, due to numerous requests from industrial manufacturers for filtering trace amounts of heavy metal-laden wastewater, Mbran Filtra has initiated the development of integrating graphene into its current membrane materials. It is expected that relevant products will be launched by the end of 2023 or the beginning of 2024, marking Mbran Filtra's entry into the heavy metal wastewater filtration market, and securing a strong footing for its long-term development.Hollow fiber filtration membrane produced via low-carbon biomass manufacturing processes, and sterile filter cartridges designed using the membrane to make PET bottles for disaster preventionPhoto: DIGITIMES

In the face of the global net-zero emissions trend, Taiwan's manufacturing industries will need to provide comprehensive carbon emissions data to meet government regulations and customer needs. However, it is fairly difficult to collect comprehensive machinery data without affecting the operation of production lines. Built with LoRa technology on LPWAN (low-power wide area network), Blutech's NeVerLoSs LoRa and WSDMS (Wireless Sensor Data Management System) can help manufacturers set up industrial control dashboard and energy consumption analysis platforms quickly, which is the first step in digital transformation.For data collection of factory systems and production line equipment, Blutech co-founder/marketing director, Deral Chen pointed out that some manufacturers have set up data acquisition systems early on. After Germany formulated the Industry 4.0 initiative in 2011, the first step for the operational systems of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), which is the backbone of smart manufacturing, is to obtain data of OT devices. Various smart functions have since been developed thereof. However, most of the data collected during this period was mainly pertaining to temperature, vibration, etc., while carbon emissions data was mainly gathered from electricity data. As such, further attention in this area is warranted.Deral further pointed out that with increasingly stringent requirements for net-zero emissions imposed by the global market and supply chain, manufacturing industries need data acquisition and analysis systems which can be readily adopted, and Blutech's products and services can meet their demands. The company's solution consists of NeVerLoSs LoRa and WSDMS. They operate through the use of a LoRa transmission chip, which is supported by a proprietary module and the NeVerLoSs LoRa protocol. They connect equipment gauges around the factory and energy data is then monitored through the WSDMS.Deral explained that there are several reasons for choosing LPWAN. First, it is not easy to install wiring in a manufacturing site. Therefore, the best way to increase efficiency of the set-up is to use wireless transmission. The regular wireless local area network (WLAN) is susceptible to interference from metallic materials and electromagnetic waves in factory equipment. Furthermore, its bandwidth would have been too large. Whereas, LPWAN has a long transmission range and its bandwidth is appropriate for control dashboard systems that only need to transmit simple signals, making it the first choice for such systems. The reason for adopting LoRa among various LPWAN standards is that it has been adopted by large global enterprises such as Amazon. Its reliability has since been proven by the market. Furthermore, LoRa's built-in AES-128 encryption system can also significantly reduce the probability of data hacking. Underpinned by these two features, Blutech has developed its NeVerLoSs LoRa technology, which transmits data over a distance of several kilometers and in collision-free packets, ideal for dashboard data transmission.Paired with WSDMS, NeVerLoSs LoRa was developed by Blutech specially for manufacturing sites. The system consists of the Data Ant (data acquisition unit), Meter Ant (IIoT electricity gauges) and Data Queen (IoT gateway), which are able to acquire the electricity consumption data of factory equipment and display it on a dashboard, before transmitting it to the back-end system according to the preset frequency and priority. NeVerLoSs LoRa is able to help the management keep track of the data.Via NeVerLoSs LoRa transmission technology and the WSDMS, Blutech has created a standardized one-stop energy data and sensor data acquisition system. Deral went on to say that the current process of constructing a data acquisition system for manufacturers is mostly performed by system integration companies. They would first take inventory of a manufacturer's needs, and then look for suitable hardware on the market and build the system using their own software. Although such customized system can meet the manufacturer's need at the time, the complexity of the hardware and software sources will cause numerous problems in the subsequent maintenance, upgrading and expansion. In addition, the cost of customized design is also higher, which is not necessarily the best choice for small- and medium-sized manufacturers with limited resources.Blutech's standardized system is designed to solve the aforementioned problems. Since the data acquisition methods of factory equipment are fairly similar, its standardized system can meet most, if not all, needs. It only requires simple configuration and installation to go online. Meanwhile, future maintenance and expansion will not be restricted by a specialized system, and the cost is far lower than that of a customized design. With the advantage of a standardized product, Blutech's one-stop service can help manufacturers implement data acquisition and transmission systems quickly, so that customers can have a electricity data visualization system within a short period of time and meet market demand for carbon emissions data. Supported by sensor data, customers can quickly adopt applications such as energy management, energy performance indicators, water resource management and carbon inventory through Blutech's comprehensive SaaS service platform within the WSDMS infrastructure. This is equivalent to deploying and expanding several systems all at once.Blutech has since helped many manufacturers set up factory-wide data acquisition systems. Far Eastern Fibertech, which produces high value-added nylon fiber products with advanced equipment and textile technology, has been relying on Blutech's WSDMS since 2015. Connected using NeVerLoSs LoRa transmission technology, Far Eastern Fibertech has maintained a very low failure rate for the past eight years, while continuing to expand its systems. In addition, many other manufacturers in various industries have also adopted the power monitoring system with the assistance of Blutech.Blutech has built a reputation for its carbon data acquisition technology and solutions. Chen recalled that when Blutech was founded, domestic entrepreneurship was still in the infancy stage and there were no mechanisms in place to matchmake new startups with the capital market. All teams, including Blutech, had to figure things out themselves. Subsequently, with the help of government policies, financial institutions' understanding of new startups improved, and their willingness to inject capital and related mechanisms were enhanced. These changes were crucial for entrepreneurs. Thus, Chen hopes that Taiwan's entrepreneurial environment will become more friendly, so that the startup success rate can be boosted, thereby continuing to breathe life into the country's economic development.Blutech's comprehensive solution framework. The SaaS platform (right) includes energy management, energy efficiency indicators, waste water flow management and carbon inventory.

In just the past few years, AI has become a crucial part of many smart applications. Then there is ChatGPT, which has surprised global companies ever since its debut in late 2022. Many companies that were originally caution about AI have now dispelled those doubts and have embraced AI-driven digital transformation. For a company to adopt AI, it must first and foremost possess an adequate budget and a team of AI professionals. Secondly, it needs to identify a suitable focus area to optimize benefits within budget constraints and align with the operating team's expectations.Today's world faces a shortage of AI talent. It is challenging for large companies to introduce AI, let alone small and medium-sized companies (SMEs), which often face limitations in adopting this technology due to their restricted resources. Profet AI's automated machine learning (AutoML) platform, bolstered by the IAPS accelerator, is dedicated to assisting companies in swiftly implementing AI applications. A unique end-to-end, no-code machine learning platform, requires only a day of training to initiate AI application projects within a week. This rapid onboarding empowers companies to swiftly cultivate their own AI culture. Currently, Profet AI boasts over 150 successful global cases.Jonathan Yu, Global General Sales Manager at Profet AI, pointed out that while many companies have specific expectations for AI's outcome, their potential is constrained due to a lack professional data scientists or AI experts. These companies often run into difficulties, including a lack of knowledge about how to integrate AI or identify suitable AI application scenarios. Profet AI introduced the AutoML platform, drawing from the experiences of master craftsmen; by employing AI modeling, it facilitates technology transfer and demonstrates the value of data.Tailored AI Solutions for ManufacturingTaiwan's manufacturing industry commands a significant global presence. However, most AI solutions offered by foreign companies cater to the financial and retail industries, making it difficult to meet manufacturers' needs on products and technical support. That is why, at its establishment, Profet AI set its sights on providing better products and the most comprehensive technical services specifically tailored for the manufacturing industry. The AutoML platform integrates more than 50 machine learning algorithms commonly used in manufacturing. General field experts can use Automatic Settings to efficiently complete model training, while advanced personnel can use Quick Settings or Precision Settings to customize and create the most suitable model. As an illustration, when the third generation of the founder of Hai Rei Foods assumed leadership of the company, they harnessed the AutoML platform to usher in AI applications—a transformative tool for traditional industries heading digital transformation."Aside from budget and expertise constraints, the challenge in promoting AI for companies is simple: they do not know where to start or how to access project benefits. In the end, it is difficult to obtain operational team approval." He continued, " Our vast experience across diverse manufacturing domains positions us well. Ready To Go Applications now spans over 12 industries and more than 100 AI application scenarios. It can help companies identify suitable scenarios sooner and reduce AI project lead time. Companies can evolve from their initial project experience, and then adopt the most suitable application scenarios."Collaboration with AUO and Hive Ventures for Global OutreachWith increased government emphasis on startups, renowned startup accelerators such as StarFab, TTA's IAPS, SOSV-MOX, and SparkLabs have entered the Taiwan market. In addition, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) has long worked with institutes such as the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to foster digital transformation among industries, driving industrial uplift within Taiwan. Yu believes that these trends will not only accelerate startup growth but also expedite market entry for products and services. Furthermore, public sector policies offer favorable development opportunities for startups.Yu highlighted that MOEA-subsidized companies often partner with specific institutes to identify startups equipped with innovative technologies for digital transformation. In the long run, these subsidies not only facilitate traditional industries' advancement but also showcase startups' strengths, enhancing market reputation. This comprehensive approach favors sustained company growth over mere financial grants.Profet AI has demonstrated impressive performance in Taiwan, with ongoing expansion into global markets. Its presence in the Japanese market, marked by participation in the programs respectively organized by Accelerate Aichi by 500 and Pre-Station Ai, includes strategic collaborations with Ubiquitous AI, with additional partnerships anticipated. The Chinese market saw the establishment of Aedgetech, a joint venture with AUO. With the combined strengths of both companies, it has entered the Chinese market and amassed a double-digit customer base. In Southeast Asia, Profet AI has already established its first partnership in Malaysia and is collaborating with Hive Ventures to explore the Vietnamese market. The company has also held overseas Crossover Talks to demonstrate the AutoML platform to local manufacturing partners, capitalizing on the huge business opportunities in the realm of smart manufacturing.Profet AI's automated machine learning (AutoML) platform is like a "virtual AI data scientist" for a companyPhoto: Profet AI

The recent craze over ChatGPT throws light on the underlying business opportunities of AI applications. AI applications driven by cloud services have attracted their fair share of attention, but Edge Computing AI applications are also on the rise. Edge AI helps reduce large amounts of data uploads to the cloud, which enables applications like photographic lenses and electronic devices to analyze data and respond instantly thanks to high-performance computing power. The technology also comes with its own advantages in cutting costs and saving power. In addition, Edge AI has crucial strengths in personal privacy and information security; it also creates many business opportunities in the embedded systems market. That is reason enough to be optimistic about the business opportunities in Edge AI development. AI tech startups are challenging market leaders through capital investment and continue to perform brilliantly in a series of AI chip product lines, from Edge Computing to cloud servers.The DEEPX start-up team from South Korea has set their sights on the development of AI accelerator chips for Neural Processing Units (NPUs). DEEPX CEO Lokwon Kim has a PhD in electrical engineering from UCLA and more than ten years of experience in Silicon/AI Chip design at Broadcom and Apple. DEEPX has raised 50 million US dollars and established a chip design and development team 50-plus strong, and it has its sights set on creating next-gen NPU chips.In early 2023, DEEPX launched the DEEPX Series of solutions, which includes four semiconductor solutions, namely DX-L1, DX-L2, DX-M1, and DX-H1, each optimized for a different core AI application. At the same time, they launched the DEEPX software development kit DXNN, enabling the four semiconductor solutions developed by DEEPX to be driven under a unified software framework. DXNN series products can be applied to various fields, from small-sized sensors to edge servers. They are in the running to become an important product package (All-in-4 Edge AI Total Solution) in the AI semiconductor market.One of the key differentiators of DEEPX's AI chip product line lies in their technological prowess. The chips deliver high-performance AI capabilities while ensuring power efficiency, computational efficiency, AI accuracy, and support for the latest AI algorithms. This technological advantage has propelled DEEPX to the forefront of the AI semiconductor industry, surpassing global competitors' NPU (Neural Processing Unit) technology. Furthermore, DEEPX's AI chips offer superior cost competitiveness compared to GPUs and other market solutions, creating a significant edge in the NPU field.DEEPX also recently launched three modular NPU products. The ultra-small camera module equipped with the DX-L1 chip is the first product in the world that runs the latest DNN algorithm on a PCB the size of just half a business card, all without a heat sink, thus performing AI computational processing that only GPUs could do. Currently, the company is actively working on a proof of concept with companies both in Korea and globally that operate smart CCTV and control systems. In addition, DEEPX has also developed the M.2 module and PCIe module-type DX-M1 chips used in inference servers. It is currently shipping to customers for testing. And it is also using promotional activities to draw more customer participation.Since the beginning of this year, DEEPX has cooperated with Hyundai-Kia Motors, POSCO DX, and Jahwa Electronics to promote the commercial testing of AI solutions such as robots, smart cameras, and factory automation. DEEPX is also cooperating with CoAsia to enter East Asian markets like China and Taiwan. In September of this year, DEEPX will participate in the Consumer Electronics Unlimited (IFA 2023) expo to be held in Berlin, Germany, where it will advance its business exchanges with European companies working in the robotics, automotive, and telecommunications industries.Taiwan Tech Arena helps connect to Taiwan's global electronics manufacturing ecosystem and supply chainKim says he believes that Taiwan is an important global manufacturing center for electronics. In the past, he had cooperated with companies in Silicon Valley to enhance DEEPX's name in the tech field, but for extending product reach and expanding business, he still needed to link up with Taiwan's manufacturing industry. With the assistance of Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA), DEEPX participated in the TTA Global Forum in InnoVEX 2023 held at Computex in 2023, where DEEPX was able to interact and exchange more frequently with Taiwanese companies. Its discussions with Taiwan OEM/ODM customers helped DEEPX develop AI applications for industrial computers and focus on the design of next-gen robots.Since camera modules are widely used in smart cars and smart manufacturing, Kim pays special attention to the development potential in smart camera modules in Taiwan. Kim believes that co-designing AI-driven camera modules with Taiwanese OEMs/ODMs will help spur diverse development in AI applications. He expressed his gratitude to the TTA for its role in helping tech start-up teams make the crucial connections with Taiwan's electronics manufacturing ecosystem, and gave the TTA high marks. He said he believes that although fundraising is important, some of the most important benefits come from making connections between the tech innovation teams and the industrial chain and providing business opportunities to cooperate with major manufacturers. DEEPX is currently establishing a liaison office in Taiwan, with the assistance of the TTA, which will serve as the starting point for linking up with industry in Taiwan. Although the staff has just one person at the moment, the benefits of the office have already been demonstrated.Looking to future development, DEEPX will initiate formal mass production of NPU chips as well as targeting AI applications in the automotive market. The European Union is now formulating passenger vehicle safety regulations, requiring vehicles to have functions for automatically detecting babies or pets in the car within 15 minutes to prevent the consequences of leaving them in cars. DEEPX believes that this will create more business opportunities for AI applications.Moving forward with product planning, DEEPX will first obtain ISO26262 certification to use DEEPX NPU IP in the automotive field; it will then make automotive SoC chips that meet the safety and reliability requirements of the automotive market. Kim emphasized that their cooperation with Taiwan's electronics supply chain and major OEM/ODM manufacturers is a crucial step toward the future development of DEEPX. He hopes to keep seeking opportunities for cooperation with industry in Taiwan to help bring more AI applications to more users, and more benefits to society at large.From the left, are the camera module with DX-L1, M.2 module with DX-M1 in the middle, and the PCIe module with DX-H1 on the rightPhoto: DEEPX

Macronix International Co., Ltd. (TSE: 2337), a leading integrated-device manufacturer in the non-volatile memory (NVM) market, today announced its OctaFlash memory line has received ISO 26262 ASIL D (Automotive Safety Integrity Level) certification from SGS TÜV Saar, ensuring makers of automotive electronic systems that OctaFlash meets the highest level of safety in automotive electronics.ISO 26262 (also known as "Road vehicles – Functional safety") is a risk-based safety standard of the International Organization for Standardization whose goal is to build safety into the entire lifecycle of vehicles' electrical and/or electronic (E/E) equipment and systems, including cars' instrument panel, driver assistance, and propulsion and control systems. Four risk-classification systems from A through D were defined in the ISO 26262 standard, with ASIL D being the highest hazard level for vehicles, adhering to the most stringent safety standards."This ISO 26262 ASIL D certification reflects how Macronix is building on our success both in OctaFlash's evolution as a powerful Flash-storage solution for the automotive market and in playing a key role in maximizing the functional safety of vehicles," said F.L. Ni, vice president of marketing at Macronix International. "Now, our customers have an even greater level of confidence to meet the industry's highest safety standards when selecting OctaFlash for the automotive electronic systems they manufacture."Macronix OctaFlash solutions certified for ISO 26262 ASIL D offer a high data-transfer-rate-operation frequency of up to 200MHz and high throughput of 400MB/s, meeting the "instant on" demand performance for real-time system responsiveness in automotive, industrial and consumer applications. The devices' high performance offers an ideal solution for vehicles' over-the-air (OTA) update applications, which have become significantly more important with the increasing demands of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV). The high-performance Macronix OctaFlash memory enables the execution of critical OTA data tasks, such as distributing software updates, upgrading firmware and changing the user interface.Macronix OctaFlash Memory Solutions Certified for ISO 26262 ASIL D

Countries around the world are promoting renewable energy, for which solar power accounts for over half of green electricity. However, solar panels have a service life of less than 20 years, and can only be incinerated once they are scrapped; the CO2 generated has become a severe issue. California has even enacted strict laws to prohibit incineration. The solar panel recycling equipment developed by TSGC Technologies uses AI to break down solar panels into raw materials, so that they can be 100% recycled and reused.TSGC Technologies is a spin-off of the National University of Tainan established with subsidies from the National Science and Technology Council in 2022. The company uses physical technologies to develop a solution with zero pollution and fully recycles solar panels. The co-founder Professor Yaw-Shyan Fu shared that TSGC Technologies is the first startup of the National University of Tainan in over 120 years. The company's goal is to accelerate the transition to solar PV through circular economy, and apply IoT, blockchain, and decentralized network technologies to integrate a carbon rights economy.TSGC Technologies Uses Equipment to Take Apart Solar Panels for Recycling and ReuseProf. Fu pointed out that the team developed an equipment "PV Circulator," which uses blades for precise grinding when end-of-life solar panels are placed inside. The AI recognition system then sorts raw materials, including aluminum frame, junction box, backsheet materials, packaging materials, and silicone wafers. These materials are waste when they are mixed together, but have value when they are separated. The goal of TSGC Technologies is to create value through 100% recycling and reuse.Precision grinding method using blades to remove materialsIt is not easy to take apart an end-of-life solar panel. Prof. Fu pointed out that there are over 2,000 types of solar panels in Taiwan, and over 20,000 types in California. Each type is different, so the equipment uses AI for recognition and takes apart the solar panels. The parameters are then recorded in the cloud, including recycling rate and electricity consumption taking the solar panel apart, and are all converted into carbon emissions. The immutability of block chain is then utilized to provide a recycling history to the solar panel's owner to obtain a carbon reduction certificate, which may be converted into carbon rights in the future, using this to encourage companies to recycle their solar panels.Using AI recognition for dismantling and providing a recycling history to solar panel ownersCountries Around the World are Searching for a Zero Pollution Solution for Solar PanelsCountries around the world are currently subsidizing solar panels. Prof. Fu pointed out that Europe, the United States, and Japan were the first to being using solar panels, and it led to severe pollution later on. Current solutions in the market, such as the hot knife method and tunnel thermal decomposition method of Japan's NPC, as well as the European Union's Full Recovery End-of-Life Photovoltaic (FRELP) all involve chemistry, heat, or burying.California originally crushed and then incinerated solar panels, but enacted a strict law to prohibit incineration in 2021. Prof. Fu pointed out that the equipment of TSGC Technologies is able to recycle and reuse 99% of solar panels without using chemicals or incineration, and it is currently the only equipment in the world that complies with California's laws. Hence, the team is currently developing mass producing plan of the equipment in hopes of helping countries around the world achieve net zero emissions, with the ultimate goal of achieving 100% recycling and reuse.TSGC Technologies Hopes to Market its Technology Worldwide Through the TIE AwardThe solar panel recycling solution developed by TSGC Technologies was recognized with the TIE Award during Taiwan Innotech Expo this year, and will be displayed in the Future Tech Pavilion. Prof. Yaw-Shyan Fu pointed out that TSGC Technologies has extraordinary technologies, but it lacks a global marketing network and hopes to increase its international exposure through the TIE Award. Hence, the equipment and model displayed will provide a complete introduction of the solution for taking apart solar panels using physical technologies.Transporting entire solar panels is very costly, and exceeds US$2 million for 500 MW. Prof. Yaw-Shyan Fu stressed that the head office of TSGC Technologies is located in the United States, and Taiwan is the production base. The company is currently discussing future cooperation with companies in California, and also has an opportunity to work with Belgium's Wallonia Export-Investment Agency. The company hopes that its next step will be to take action, directly transport the equipment to its destination, and begin taking apart solar panels, accelerating the energy transition of solar power.

The ASUS VivoWatch, with a comprehensive set of smart functions for measuring precise blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, and heart rhythm, became a superior assistant for health management thanks to its accurate physiological measurement features at the launch of the first-generation product. Chief Operating Officer and Global Senior Vice President of ASUS Min-Chieh, (Joe) Hsieh points out that the main thing that sets the VivoWatch apart from ordinary smart watches on the market is, from the user's perspective, that ASUS positioned the device as a modern personal health management platform right from the beginning, providing value-added health services to companies and end users in various fields. In recent years, ASUS has expanded the scope of the VivoWatch and launched cross-domain cooperation with medical care institutions, the insurance industry, and the construction industry to further strengthen its product positioning.Hsieh says that in recent years health awareness in the Taiwanese public has increased, and devices such as blood pressure monitors, blood glucose meters, and blood oxygen level monitors, which can only detect certain current vital signs, are no longer able to meet the health needs of modern consumers. That is where the ASUS VivoWatch comes in—it has a battery life of up to 14 days, can closely monitor health data over long periods of time, and adds in personal life information to provide more value-added care. That is why it has become a major choice for most companies in the field building smart systems.ASUS VivoWatch has variously demonstrated its business value in different fields, pharmaceuticals and insurance being two of the most representative. Pharmaceutical companies, for example, must closely monitor the vital signs of subjects during the development stages of new drugs. The VivoWatch can collect physiological data over long periods of time, helping pharmaceutical companies obtain and comprehend relevant data and evaluate the overall effects of new drugs. In another example, insurance spillover policy services were launched for Taiwanese insurance companies, and these policies require policyholders to have better control over their own health management and achieve standard health values through exercise and physical examinations. Their success earns them discounts, such as premium rebates and increased insured amount. The VivoWatch can obtain policyholders' physiological data, in real time, continuously, and compliantly, helping insurance companies to accurately design premium structures and establish a digital health ecosystem focused on the individual.And it is not just being used in pharmaceuticals and insurance—ASUS VivoWatch has also begun to be used in occupational safety. Recently, legislation from the governments of Singapore and Hong Kong require that manufacturing, construction, and other industries introduce health monitoring technology. Manufacturers have been adopting the VivoWatch to monitor the physical conditions of workers in factories and construction sites in real-time to prevent accidents.The ASUS VivoWatch has many successful applications in the medical field. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Taoyuan General Hospital had COVID patients in the isolation room wearing VivoWatches, which transmitted vital signs, such as heartbeat and blood oxygen, to the back end system. This reduced the workload of medical staff and cut down the rate of contact with COVID-19 patients. This very same model, using technology to improve the quality of medical services and solve the current shortage of medical manpower, can also be applied to emergency rooms or other isolation wards.In addition, the ASUS VivoWatch also has various value-added benefits in the medical care field. Recently, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital (SCMH), as well as other medical institutions have used it for long-term healthcare patients and customers. VivoWatch's continuous and stable data collection can help these institutions provide long-term health management services for patients. They only need to wear the device at home, and hospitals can remotely monitor their vital signs. SCMH uses the VivoWatch and the ASUS HealthConnect APP in the hospital's EVIP advanced health exam service. The VivoWatch continually detects the customer's vital signs between two physical examinations and uploads the data to the cloud. That way, the hospital's dedicated personal manager can continually observe the customer's health status.The examples mentioned above show how mobile wearable devices have been applied in various fields in the industry as an important tool that can raise operational efficiency and create new business models. However, Hsieh also pointed out that these applications must first comply with medical regulations and must be very effective. The ASUS VivoWatch goes beyond the logic of most smart watches by putting the focus on medical institutions and users; it puts the power of ASUS software and hardware into the logic of modern personal health management platforms, and helps operators in various fields to develop value-added models and create all-around beneficial situations combining personal health care and industrial application development.COO and Global Senior Vice President of ASUS Min-Chieh (Joe), HsiehVivoWatch differs from typical smartwatches on the market as it is positioned as a modern personal health management platform.