Canadian AI in MedTech and Digital Health Research and Development Partnering Delegation to Taiwan

Global Affairs Canada, through the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, and in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), invites you to apply to participate in the Canadian AI MedTech and Digital Health R&D Partnering Delegation to Taiwan, delivered under the Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP).

The Partnership Development Activity (PDA) will take place in-person from August 4 to 7, 2026, in Taiwan.

Interested companies must apply no later than April 26, 2026.

The delegation objective is to explore partnerships between Canadian small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and potential Taiwanese partners for R&D collaboration. Potential partners include:

• SMEs
• multinational enterprises (MNEs)
• research institutions and academia

The delegation will focus on technologies and solutions including, but not limited to:

• smart medical devices
• AI- and data-driven healthcare
• digital health and health information technology (IT)
• telehealth and telemedicine
• smart home healthcare devices
• hospital smart systems
• surgical robots and robotic assistance systems
• internet of medical things (IoMT)
• healthcare cybersecurity

Interested Canadian SMEs must be capable and ready to pursue joint R&D collaborations, with the goal of future commercialization, such as: 

• validation of Canadian technologies in the Taiwanese market
• adaptation of Canadian technologies to meet market characteristics
• co-development of new products and/or services combining Canadian and Taiwanese technologies

The delegation will consist of up to 10 Canadian SMEs with demonstrated capabilities in innovative medical and digital health technologies.

To participate in this delegation to Taiwan, you must:

• be a profit-oriented Small or Medium Enterprise (SME) having 500 or fewer employees, incorporated in Canada
• have previous experience in or working towards commercializing technology for international markets
• have interest to adapt, validate, and/or co-develop technology with Taiwanese partners
• be committed to expanding activities to the Taiwanese market
• have sufficient working capital and human resources to undertake multi-year R&D collaboration and commercialize the results

• Dates: August 4 to 7, 2026
• Location: Taipei, Hsinchu and Taoyuan, Taiwan

• Mid-May
  • Pre-visit briefing session
• Tuesday, August 4 
• • Briefing session and market overview
  • Networking event and site visit at a hospital in Taipei
• Wednesday, August 5
  • Briefing session and market overview
  • Networking event and site visit at a hospital in Taipei
  • Pitch session and pre-arranged tailored business-to-business (B2B) meetings in Taipei with Taiwanese companies, research institutions, and academia
  • Networking event
• Thursday, August 6
  • Pitch session and pre-arranged tailored B2B meetings in Hsinchu with Taiwanese companies, research institutions, and academia
• Friday, August 7
  • Pitch session and pre-arranged tailored B2B meetings at the BIOMED-X in Taoyuan with Taiwanese companies, research institutions, academia and hospitals

Taiwan is globally recognized for healthcare excellence, ranking #1 on the Numbeo Health Care Index for 7 consecutive years. With 20% of population aged 65 or older and approaching super-aged society status, Taiwan faces urgent demand for smart, patient-centered healthcare solutions. Taiwan is a trusted, innovation-friendly environment for next-generation medtech and digital health technologies, due to its:

• national health insurance (more than 99% coverage)
• world-class research infrastructure
• advanced manufacturing capabilities
• strong intellectual property protections

 This commitment is further supported by over CAD 3 billion in government investment starting in 2025, targeting:

• AI diagnostics
• smart hospitals
• telemedicine
• home-based acute care delivery

As a global leader in semiconductors, ICT, and precision manufacturing, Taiwan enables the seamless integration of AI, internet of things (IoT), and big data into medical technologies. Major ICT multinational enterprises (MNEs) are actively expanding into medical technology and connected healthcare. This reinforces Taiwan's position as a strategic hub for co-developing, piloting, and scaling next-generation smart health solutions.

Taiwan's medtech sector is robust and growing: 

• Medical device sector: CAD 6.4 billion in 2024
• Digital healthcare: CAD 2.5 billion with 10% annual growth
• Health and wellness: CAD 12.5 billion

The ecosystem includes 1,220 medtech companies, 157 academic institutions, 9 major research organizations, and world-class health data infrastructure. This gives Canadian companies direct access to R&D partners, clinical validation sites, and manufacturing collaborators.

The second edition of BIOMED‑X, organized by Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), brings together over 120 biomedical and medtech startups and gathers more than 300 participants from:

• government
• academia
• research institutes
• clinical institutions
• industry

The event highlights six core focus areas to accelerate the commercialization and global reach of Taiwan’s medtech innovations:

• clinical validation
• technology value‑adding
• venture capital
• contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services
• incubation/acceleration
• international market channels

 It also features a Pitch Contest and structured one‑on‑one meetings to strengthen collaboration and help emerging technologies enter the market faster.

The Healthy Ageing Tech (Mandarin only) Show is a leading business-to-consumer (B2C) event. Its previous edition attracted 90,150 visitors, with 70% of attendees aged 50 to 79, and featured 1,200 booths and 350 participating companies. The event highlights six major themes:

• smart healthcare
• lifestyle
• age‑friendly cities
• financial wellbeing
• active living
• senior employment
  

The Canadian International Innovation Program (CIIP) may provide financial support to eligible Canadian SMEs participants for up to 50% of all eligible expenses that include but are not limited to:

• economy class airfare
• local transportation
• accommodation
• meals (per diems)   
• conference registration fees

1. Click the “Apply” button to access the online application form. Select the official language of your choice, choose the delegation to which you want to apply, and then complete all questions.
2. Completed applications must be submitted online no later than April 26, 2026.
3. Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, and NRC IRAP will select the Canadian companies that will participate in the delegation. Selected applicants will be notified no later than May 8, 2026.
4. Companies formally selected to participate in the delegation will be invited to apply for travel funding support. 

Participation is limited. Applications submitted will be assessed and vetted to determine eligibility based on the quality of the information provided. In addition to the technical merits of the proposed technology, the company’s internal capacity to adequately support and manage an international R&D project with Taiwanese partners will also be assessed. 

If you have any questions concerning the application process, please see the CIIP webpage and/or email the CIIP team at innovation@international.gc.ca.