NSTC FITI — From IP to IPO

NSTC FITI, or From IP to IPO, is NSTC's academic spinout translation programme, delivered through STPI and NARL. It is built for teams turning research IP into a company-facing proposition and sits closer to commercial translation than to ordinary research funding. The program is aimed at the bridge from laboratory result to business case. The program runs as a two-stage gate. Phase 1 provides a feasibility-study grant, and selected Phase 2 teams move into proof-of-business support with mentorship and pitch tournaments. Eligibility centers on Taiwanese university students and faculty working from a Taiwanese academic IP base, with university involvement required and research organisations allowed in the mix. The structure rewards teams that can test the opportunity first and then prove the business case. The strongest applicants pair a clear piece of research IP with a plausible route to company formation and market validation. Because the competition is staged, the first screen is about whether the team can test the opportunity seriously, while the second stage rewards teams that can sharpen the commercial case and present it well in the tournament setting. It is a good fit for university-linked founders who need a structured bridge from invention to company.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.