NSTC FITI — From IP to IPO

NSTC FITI — Seed

Funds Taiwanese innovators moving semiconductor and biotechnology IP toward commercialization.

The NSTC FITI (From IP to IPO) programme is Taiwan's primary university commercialisation competition, designed to accelerate the translation of academic intellectual property into market-ready businesses through a structured two-stage grant process. FITI is delivered by the Science and Technology Policy Research and Information Center (STPI) and the National Applied Research Laboratories (NARL) on behalf of NSTC, reflecting the programme's position within NSTC's Academia-Industry Collaboration and Science Park Affairs mandate. The programme targets Taiwanese university and student-led teams with validated academic IP, covering sectors with significant commercialisation potential including semiconductors and biotech.

The two-stage structure — Phase 1 feasibility grant followed by Phase 2 proof-of-business — creates a gated competitive process that progressively selects teams with both technical and business viability. Phase 1 focuses on demonstrating commercial feasibility of the underlying IP, while Phase 2 develops a fundable business case toward an eventual IPO outcome. Eligible applicants are teams from Taiwanese universities and research organisations commercialising academic IP; for-profit entities may participate as part of the commercialisation structure. Korean-only eligibility restrictions do not apply — this is a Taiwan programme. Applications are administered in Taiwan and subject to NSTC's standard grant rules.

Winning FITI teams must demonstrate not only the technical strength of their academic IP but also a credible commercialisation pathway, a team capable of building a business, and an understanding of the market landscape their technology addresses. The programme's framing around 'From IP to IPO' signals that evaluators look for investment-ready business thinking from academic founders, making cross-functional teams — combining scientific expertise with commercial and financial skills — more competitive. International researchers at Taiwan universities with qualifying IP are in principle eligible through their institutional affiliation.