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Title: Directions of Recognition for Startups with Innovation Capability Ch
Date: 2021.03.17
Legislative: 1.Promulgated and taken into force from March 17, 2021
Content: Article 1
The Ministry of Economic Affairs (hereinafter referred to as MOEA) has established the directions 
specifically to promote the innovation entrepreneurship policy of the Executive Yuan.

Article 2
The term “startup”, as mentioned in the Direction, refers to a business that has a paid-in capital of 
less than NT$100 million, or hires less than 200 employees on a regular basis, and meets one of the 
following requirements:
1.Domestic Startup: A business that has been registered as a company or a business in accordance 
with the Company Act or the Business Registration Act of Taiwan, and has been established for less 
than five years (OR, WITHIN FIVE YEARS). 
2.Foreign Startup: A business that has been registered in accordance with foreign laws, and has been 
established for less than five years (OR, WITHIN FIVE YEARS).
The limitation of less than five years (OR, WITHIN FIVE YEARS) of establishment, as stipulated 
in the preceding paragraph, does not apply to businesses that have been approved by the central 
competent authority of the relevant industry. 

Article 3
A domestic startup with innovation capability should meet one of the following directions:
1.Obtain the following investment (fundraising) amounting to at least NT$2 million.
a.Investments from domestic and foreign venture capital businesses.
b.Individual cash investments, as described in Article 23-2 of the Statute for Industrial Innovation.
c.Investment reviewed and  approved by the Angel Investment Project run by the National 
Development Fund, Executive Yuan.
d.Investment (fundraising) from domestic, foreign or international start-up funding platforms 
recognized by the Government of Taiwan.
2.Has registered with the Go Incubation Board for Startup and Acceleration Firms (GISA) operated 
by the Taipei Exchange. 
3.Has obtained invention patents or design patents in Taiwan, or has been assigned or licensed with 
the invention patents or design patents by the patent owners who have completed the registration of 
such assignment/licensing at the Intellectual Property Office, MOEA.
4.Have applied and obtained plant variety rights, or animal and plant name registration in Taiwan, 
but does not include those implemented by rights assignment or authorization.
5.Those startups that have been physically stationed within one year, or are physically stationing in, 
the following parks or startup incubators, and have been recommended by such parks or startup 
incubators:
a.International start-up parks and projects approved by the central or local governments in Taiwan 
(Appendix 1).
b.The central or local government-operated startup incubators in Taiwan (Appendix 2), or those 
registered in the MOEA international startup incubators and approved and announced by the Small 
and Medium Enterprise Administration of MOEA.
c.Foreign startup incubators recognized by the central or local governments in Taiwan (Appendix 
3).
6.The startup or the head of the company has received an award in representative entrepreneurial 
competitions in Taiwan or overseas (Appendix 4).
7.The startup or the head of the company has participated in indicative domestic/international 
fashion week shows, or has been a finalist or winner in indicative domestic/international film 
festivals, or international style awards and competitions (Please refer to Appendix 5, the Directions 
for Supporting Film Industry Professional Participation in International Film Festivals and Detailed 
List released by the Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development (BAMID), Ministry of 
Culture for the list of the said indicative international fashion week shows, film festivals, and 
international style awards and competitions). 
8.Others, as approved by the central competent authority of the relevant industry. 

Article 4
A foreign startup with innovation capabilities should meet at least one of the directions, as stipulated 
in the preceding Directions, except Subparagraph 1 Item 2 and Subparagraph 2.

Article 5
The appendixes of Directions 3 Subparagraph 5 through Subparagraph 7 shall be recommended by 
the competent authorities for addition, deletion and updating every year.

 
Attachments: