La French Tech Taiwan Newsletter #4
Building Resilience Together: Women, Innovation, and Taiwan–France Collaboration
Resilience has been at the core of La French Tech Taiwan’s activities this spring.
From discussions on women’s leadership and inclusion, to strengthening our community during the General Assembly, and launching new strategic dialogues around semiconductors and critical technologies, resilience emerged as a common thread across sectors and ecosystems.
In a world shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, technological disruption, and rapid social change, resilience is no longer only about adapting to challenges. It is about building stronger partnerships, creating more inclusive communities, supporting talent, and developing long-term strategies for innovation and growth.
From empowering leaders to reinforcing France–Taiwan collaboration in deep tech, these recent initiatives reflect our shared ambition: to build a more connected, resilient, and future-oriented ecosystem between Taiwan and France.
From Vision to Impact: 10 Years Celebrated at the 2026 General Assembly
On March 26, board members of La French Tech Taiwan met for the annual General Assembly. This year’s General Assembly marked an important step as 2026 marked the 10 years anniversary of the non-profit organization.
Welcoming Our New Board Members
Jean-Romain Micol, International expert in innovation and Advisor to the Chairperson of TAICCA
Jean-Romain Micol is an international expert in innovation across the creative industries and tech ecosystems, driving global partnerships, company growth and market access. He serves as Advisor to the Chairperson of the Taiwan Creative Content Agency, where he leads strategic initiatives spanning global co-production and distribution, investment, training and accelerator programs at the convergence of technology and the creative content industries.
He aims to build bridges between the French and Taiwanese innovation ecosystems, particularly within the creative industries. He intends to identify opportunities, connect entrepreneurs with key local stakeholders, and facilitate strategic partnerships across technology and creative sectors. He is committed to supporting French companies by advising on market entry strategies, regulatory navigation, and scaling operations in Taiwan, while promoting cross-border investment, joint-ventures, and innovation-driven projects. He also seeks to help strengthen the tech ecosystem through knowledge exchange, networking and mentoring initiatives, and by aligning French innovation strengths with Taiwanese industry priorities.
Emilia Chen, Founder of Formosa Impact Circle and CEO of Polygonsearch
Emilia Chen, Founder, Formosa Impact Circle (FIC); Executive Search Consultant & Strategic Advisor. Based between Taiwan and Europe, Emilia works with institutional investors, family offices, and senior industry leaders on cross-border strategy, talent, and ecosystem building, with a focus on semiconductors, critical technologies, and sustainable innovation.
She is involved in La French Tech Taiwan to strengthen Taiwan-France/EU collaboration in critical technologies by connecting startups, investors, and policy stakeholders. She aims to help build trusted cross-border networks, facilitate meaningful partnerships, and create long-term value through strategic dialogue, investment alignment, and ecosystem development.
Continuing the Journey Together
The presidency remains the same with its two co-presidents, Cerise Phiv and Ching-Hua Lin Rosengard, as well with its vice-president Jonathan Drubay.
What We’ve Achieved Together in 2025
In 2025, our momentum continued to grow – both geographically and internationally. We expanded our presence across Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung, while strengthening connections with French innovation ecosystems such as in Paris and in Grenoble.
Several flagship events highlighted leading French tech players, including French Tech Night 2025, which brought together companies such as AMI, ITEN, Dracula Technologies, Nanomade, Leson, and Dassault Systèmes.
We also deepened our content and visibility efforts, with exclusive interviews featuring key voices like Philippe Notton (ITEN) and George Wang (Ciel & Terre), shedding light on Taiwan’s strategic role in global tech and industrial cooperation.
On the community side, we launched our biannual newsletter to better share insights and connect the ecosystem.
Finally, through our “Global Pathfinders 2025” program, in partnership with the French Office in Taipei and supported by Taiwanese authorities, we hosted a two-week learning expedition in France, fostering new connections between entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovation actors from both ecosystems.
None of this would have been possible without the support of our community.
What’s Next: Our 2026 vision
As we move forward, our ambition is clear: to position La French Tech Taiwan as a key platform for France-Taiwan tech collaboration and investment.
Our Priorities
- Strengthening bridges in strategic sectors such as deep tech, biotech, semiconductors, energy, and creative industries
- Building a more visible and structured ecosystem, connecting startups, corporates, and investors
- Promoting diversity, inclusion, and responsible innovation
- Supporting talents and international mobility between France and Taiwan
What to Expect
In 2026, our actions will be structured around four key pillars:
- Tech diplomacy & innovation
- Ecosystem growth & investment attractiveness
- Inclusion & societal impact
- Talent development & internationalization
We will continue to build on key moments such as Innovex and SEMICON, while developing new formats to connect, showcase, and support our community. Keep an eye on our news and event pages!
Taiwan–Europe Strategic Forum on Semiconductors and Critical Technologies
On March 13, Formosa Impact Circle (FIC), organized by La French Tech Taiwan board member Emilia Chen, hosted the Taiwan–Europe Semiconductor & Critical Technologies Strategic Roundtable in Taipei. The event brought together policymakers, investors, industry leaders, and deep tech founders from Taiwan and Europe to discuss the future of semiconductors, AI, quantum technologies, and industrial resilience.
The event once again highlighted the increasingly strategic relationship between Taiwan and Europe, especially between Taiwan and France.
As semiconductors, AI, and quantum technologies become central to global competition, Taiwan and Europe are no longer simply potential partners. They are becoming complementary forces capable of shaping the next generation of critical technologies together.
One of the clearest takeaways from the discussion was that semiconductors are no longer viewed solely as an industry, but as strategic infrastructure. Under the EU Chips Act, Europe increasingly sees semiconductors as a pillar of economic security, technological sovereignty, and supply chain resilience.
In his opening remarks, Antoine Aubel, Head of the Economic Department at the French Office in Taipei, noted that Europe is rapidly emerging as a hub for AI and deep-tech investment opportunities. However, he also emphasized that the capital ecosystems between Taiwan and Europe remain insufficiently connected. One of the key objectives of this roundtable, therefore, was to help strengthen these cross-border links and foster deeper collaboration between both sides.
Notably, the event also brought two French startups, Quandela and Scalinx to Taiwan, giving them the opportunity to better understand Taiwan’s semiconductor ecosystem, supply chain strengths, and investment environment.
The roundtable also created direct connections between the French startups and Taiwanese investors, companies, and industry partners, allowing the French teams to better understand local market demand and future opportunities in Asia.
In addition, Institut Montaigne contributed valuable perspectives on the EU Chips Act and Europe’s broader semiconductor strategy. Their insights helped participants better understand how Europe connects semiconductors with AI, energy, and industrial policy. More importantly, the discussion demonstrated that future Taiwan–France cooperation will go beyond technology and capital, extending into policy dialogue, industrial coordination, and supply chain resilience.
To extend these insights, Florah Vixamar-Betton, our International Program Coordinator, interviewed Mathieu Duchâtel to further explore the structural shifts in the semiconductor landscape and their implications for Europe-Taiwan cooperation.
Another key theme throughout the event was the complementarity between Taiwan and Europe. Europe brings research, innovation, and frontier technologies, while Taiwan contributes manufacturing capabilities, industrialization know-how, supply chain integration, and deep-tech capital. Together, these strengths create opportunities for co-investment, joint R&D, commercialization, and long-term partnerships.
For Formosa Impact Circle, the mission remains clear: to continue building a trusted platform connecting Taiwan and Europe across deep tech, semiconductors, investment, and policy.
For La French Tech Taiwan, this roundtable once again demonstrated that Taiwan is not only a global semiconductor powerhouse, but also a key partner for French and European deep-tech companies looking to expand in Taiwan.
The March 13 roundtable was only the beginning. A longer-term dialogue and a stronger cross-border ecosystem are just getting started.
International Women’s Day in Taiwan: Women Building Resilience, Leading Change
On March 6, the Taiwan-France ecosystem came together to celebrate International Women’s Day with an evening dedicated to “Women: Building Resilience, Leading Change”, co-organized by the Bureau Français de Taipei, the National Human Rights Commission, the French Chamber Taiwan, France Alumni Taiwan, and La French Tech Taiwan.
The panel, moderated by Chi Hui-jung, Vice-President of the National Human Rights Commission, explored women’s participation in the armed forces, civil defense, and the fight against violence in times of conflict. Panelists included Liu Wen (Kuma Academy), Shen Hsiu-hua (Awakening Foundation), Theresa D. Yeh (Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation), and Enoch Wu (Forward Alliance). Discussions discussed integrating gender equality into peace, security, economic cooperation, and digital transformation.
The evening continued with a speed mentoring session, connecting participants with leaders across technology, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and international collaboration:
Here are some insights from our mentors and mentees:
“Thank you for all the arrangements. It’s my pleasure to attend such a meaningful event. The discussion was engaging, with women from diverse backgrounds participating, and it was clear how much effort went into organizing everything.” by our mentor Lucia Liao, Acer Fashion.
“The 3/8 event featured an insightful discussion on women’s resilience in various contexts. The panel session was highly informative, offering valuable perspectives and initiatives from academia, NGOs, and the private sector on empowering women. The speed mentoring session was also excellently curated, providing a wonderful opportunity for first-hand conversations with female leaders and gaining invaluable feedback from them.” by our mentee Shao-Hua Huang, PPSEAWA Taiwan.
“My experience as a mentor at the event reinforced that mentorship is about mutual learning rather than one-way sharing. Through conversations with participants from different backgrounds, I was reminded that resilience goes beyond individual strength, it is also shaped by the environments and support systems we build for one another.” by our mentor Emilia Chen, Polygonsearch.
“I really appreciated the opportunity to attend the recent Women Building Resilience: Leading Change event at French Tech Taiwan. As someone who is at the start of their career journey, I especially enjoyed the mentoring session. It was both insightful and inspiring to hear the perspectives of corporate and institutional leaders who are women and have the opportunity to ask them questions about their experiences. It was great to meet and exchange views with the other women attending and make some new friends who I’m looking forward to seeing again. I look forward to attending more events of this kind!” by our mentee Trinity Prasadam, Asianinsiders.
La French Tech Taiwan warmly thanks all our mentors: Amanda Liu, Lucia Liao, Linda Chang, Emily Fang, Anne Kwang, Emilia Chen, Ching-Hua Lin Rosengard.
In Case You Missed It: April Highlights
DigiFashion Forum 2026: Taiwan at the Crossroads of Fashion, AI, and Advanced Manufacturing
Our Co-President, Ching-Hua Lin Rosengard, organized the first physical edition of DigiFashion Forum on April 17-18. DigiFashion Forum 2026, held in Taipei in partnership with Digital Fashion Week (New York), brought together stakeholders across fashion, technology, investment and manufacturing to…
Interview Series – Mathieu Duchâtel, Director of International Studies, Institut Montaigne
Building on the discussions from the Taiwan-Europe Semiconductor & Critical Technologies Strategic Roundtable that was held on March 13, we spoke with Mathieu Duchâtel to further explore the structural shifts reshaping the global semiconductor landscape. The conversation looks at how…
Touch Taiwan 2026 : Exclusive Interviews from the French Touch Pavilion
From April 8 to 10, TOUCH Taiwan 2026 highlighted the latest developments in display technologies, including LCD, e-paper, and μLED, as well as advanced manufacturing processes. At the ‘French Touch’ pavilion, organized by UBIK and led by our board member…
Interview Series – Dirk Tomandl, CTO & Co-Founder, InFocus Therapeutics
On April 2nd, 2026, La French Tech Taiwan conducted an exclusive interview with Dirk Tomandl, CTO and Co-founder of InFocus Therapeutics, discussing his role as CTO and the technical challenges that an AI-driven drug discovery startup can face. Interviewer: Florah Vixamar-BettonDate…
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Balancing France’s innovative romance with Taiwan’s pragmatic capital, we are shaping the future together.