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Taiwan Startups and Industry Leaders Team Up at CES 2026
At CES 2026, the TTA Taiwan Pavilion was not only focused on showcasing AI but also made a strong statement about collaboration. This year, 57 startups and 83 supply chain partners appeared together, marking a new approach to international business and market expansion.
Why highlight supply chain and enterprise partners along with startups? Wu Cheng-wen, Minister without Portfolio and Chair of the National Science and Technology Council, explained that the goal is to encourage more cross-border deals, market growth, and deeper collaboration. By teaming up, startups can bring new technology into global supply chains, forming partnerships that strengthen Taiwan’s entire industry.
Which startups are leveraging these connections, and what innovations did they showcase?
Epic Tech Wins CES Innovation Award with Smart Intercoms
Epic Tech, a subsidiary of Taiwan’s security leader SECOM, just took home a CES Innovation Award for its next-generation intercom system.
SECOM wanted to expand into smart home technology, which led to the "SECOM Good Life" concept. The winning product, the G.Talk Smart Intercom System, is part of this initiative.
The G.Talk system is entirely software-based. It does not require wall drilling or cabling; just a six-gram digital tag replaces traditional hardware. Residents and visitors simply tap their smartphones on the tag to launch a web app and start a conversation. It is ideal for apartment deliveries and visitors, and the company claims it can cut carbon emissions by 26 metric tons over ten years.
Epic Tech does not have its own sales or marketing team and instead relies on SECOM’s resources. Thanks to this support, the company quickly landed orders from 3,500 apartment communities. "We are truly standing on the shoulders of giants," said CEO Chris Huang. "At CES, we hope to take this business model to North America, and we’re already talking to partners in Brazil."
Otowahr Uses Semiconductor Tech to Reinvent Speakers
Otowahr specializes in micro-speaker technology, applying semiconductor manufacturing techniques to create tiny MEMS speakers for devices like hearing aids and earbuds. The result is better sound quality, lower power consumption, and more flexible designs.
"Our product is smaller than a fingernail," said Otowahr’s audio architect, Fred Zhou. While these advanced processes are more costly, they use established semiconductor techniques, and the benefits of smaller, thinner speakers are significant.
Otowahr’s next challenge is finding customers. They have teamed up with Merry Electronics, a global audio component leader that supplies brands like Apple, Bose, and Logitech. With Merry integrating Otowahr’s chips into their solutions, Otowahr technology could soon be found in leading consumer products.
Karasonic Sells 20,000 Home Karaoke Sets in Its First Year
Karasonic’s wireless set includes low-latency headphones and microphones. Like a tour guide system, one microphone connects to multiple headphones. The target scenario is home karaoke. The headphones feature AI-powered vocal removal, and the microphone has built-in song selection controls.
The startup wants to solve a common urban problem: singing at home without disturbing neighbors. "With headphones, you can better judge how loud you are singing," said CEO Tzu Tao.
Karasonic was spun off from the computer accessories company JPower, known for its Bluetooth speakers with karaoke features. Backed by JPower’s experience and resources, Karasonic launched sales in October 2025 and quickly sold 20,000 sets across Southeast Asia.
Teamwork Is Taiwan’s Formula for Global Success
Industry Services Center Executive Director Chen Li-Wei from ITRI summed up Taiwan’s strategy: succeed globally through teamwork. "At the end of the day, startups cannot escape industry," he said.
Large supply chain companies are under pressure to digitize, and they need the agility and technology of startups. Startups, in turn, need access to manufacturing and proof-of-concept environments provided by the giants. Sometimes, these supply chain leaders even become the first customer for a startup, helping validate new products in the real world.
"This is what a national team approach looks like," Chen said. "It is about combining strengths to take on the world."
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