Insights from the 2023 EU-Taiwan Investment Partnership Forum on Semiconductor Clusters with Frank Bösenberg of Silicon Saxony
The 2023 EU-Taiwan Investment Partnership Forum on Semiconductor Clusters took place on 7 September at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center. This event marked a significant milestone by hosting the largest-ever delegation of EU semiconductor representatives from nine European clusters spread across different EU Member States, including Belgium, Poland, Italy, Finland, Germany, France and the Czech Republic.
We spoke to Frank Bösenberg of Silicon Saxony about his experience of the event:
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Could you share your general impressions and experiences at the forum?
The event was well attended, particularly by media, and overall had a very good level of participation in the forum and high-level speakers/presentations.
Building upon the matchmaking event in June, have any initiatives or partnerships evolved or seen further development at the September forum?
Speaking from Saxony, of course, the decision by TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) to build a lab in Europe is a huge marker of progress. In general, there has been more engagement by EU partners, which is reflected by the several country pavilions at Semicon Taiwan, in which the forum was embedded.
Could you provide details on any promising collaborations fostered through connections made at these events?
At the event, we deepened our exchange with ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute), which we will host as part of a delegation in Dresden, and tightened our cooperation with Polish players.
Are there any upcoming initiatives or collaborations you are anticipating as a result of your participation in the forum?
At least partially related is the fact that the Free State of Saxony and TU Dresden have signed a cooperation agreement for a "Semiconductor Talent Incubation Program" with TSMC in Taiwan.
How do you envision the future of EU-Taiwan partnerships in the semiconductor sector?
Based on the decision by TSMC, we expect substantial further growth of the relationships between Taiwan and the EU, not only in Saxony/Germany.
