TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) announced on Tuesday (July 16) that it is now recruiting 80 technology startups to represent Taiwan at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

It will be the third time MOST leads a national team to participate in the annual trade show held in Las Vegas, Nevada each January. The ministry expects that the team, which is called “Taiwan Tech Arena (TTA),” will create US$200 million (NT$6.2 billion) in business opportunities.

Last year, MOST arranged for 44 Taiwanese startups to participate in the CES, receiving orders and investments totaling US$177 million (NT$$5.5 billion) and eight awards, second only to France. Deputy Minister Hsu Yu-chin (許有進) said the outcome showed that Taiwan’s level of innovation is outstanding by international standards.

With experience from the past two years, MOST is getting ambitious and plans to recruit 80 start-ups this year. Hsu explained that half of the teams would be selected through the recommendation of the local governments, while the other half would be selected through nationwide recruitment.

Representative startups must pass the CES organizers’ qualification requirements as well as a domestic screening process set up by a group of venture capitalists. MOST will announce the list of its 80 startups on September 16.

MOST will provide the team training and marketing consultation to assist them in pitching themselves to CES organizers, potential buyers, and investors during the upcoming CES.