Over the next three days, more than 300 startups from 14 countries will congregate in Taiwan's capital for three days full of innovation, networking, and fun.
Taiwan's Meet Taipei Startup Festival will take place at the Taipei Expo Dome from November 16 to 18.
Now in its fourth year, the event will see startups from Russia, France, Mexico, Ireland,Jamaica, UK, USA, Belgium ,Japan, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
They will form a Global Pavilion where young entrepreneurs can interact with venture capitalists (VC), the public, and each other.
The main themes at this year's Meet Taipei Startup Festival are the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Mobile Gaming.
Beyond that, Meet Taipei will also introduce so-called speed-dating sessions for the first time, where VCs and startup founders can explore means of cooperation and funding.
Business Next (BNext) and Meet have made the event free for all visitors in order to encourage interest from members of the public.
Meet Taipei 2017: Leading through exampleBusiness Next and Meet are the key organisers behind the Meet Taipei Startup Festival.
According to Katie Chen, Business Next CEO and one of the main voices behind Taiwan's new startup culture, BNext since its inauguration in 1999 has been dedicated to growing interest in technology, innovation, and new companies.
As a manifestation of this effort, the startup-focused subsidy Meet was founded in 2011.
In essence, Meet aims to provide a platform where entrepreneurs and VCs alike can build together a shared startup ecosystem.
As its most high-profile event, Meet Taipei has become the go-to exhibition for young local companies and investors.
Moreover, it has introduced Taiwan's vibrant new tech economy to a global audience.
In 2017, Meet has set new records for international cooperation.
Beyond the steady growth of its English news website, the platform has also formed alliances with national governments.
For instance, French government-driven startup ecosystem La French Tech has joined forces with Meet again.
Likewise, Startup World Cup and Dragon's Chamber Taiwan are also cooperating for this year's Meet Taipei.
IoT NEXT Innovation Summit: Future tech explainedOn the first day, Meet Taipei Startup Festival 2017 will kick off with the IoT NEXT Innovation Summit.
In total, nine speakers will discuss this future tech and provide crucial insights for founders and the interested public.
One of these experts is Chaney Ho, BOD co-founder and director.
He will explain Taiwan's stance on IoT in his talk titled "Taiwan: Leading the NEXT Sharing Economy.
Another talk is presented by STMicroelectronics' general manager Giuseppe Izzo.
Izoo will share his insights on European developments in regard to IoT and how startups can target the market.
Meet Neo Star Demo Show: Showing off Taiwan's potentialOn the second day of Meet Taipei, the seventh Neo Star Demo Show will see VCs and startup founders take the stage.
The show will see 21 well-known investors and startup accelerators serve as judges to select a Top 3 from a pool of 30 startups that have been interviewed by BNext and Meet during the past two years.
Among these 30 startups are teams such as Chatbot, Embrace Audio Lab, and Maisense Inc.
Article by Feliciana Hsu, Business Next global affairs
