TWSE Transforms Innovation Board into Asia's Premier Startup Platform
TAIPEI, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) has unveiled its upgraded Innovation Board (Taiwan Innovation Board, TIB) on January 6, 2025, removing restrictions on qualified investors and opening the market to retail investors. This significant reform aims to boost market liquidity, increase accessibility, and position Taiwan as a regional leader in innovation and investment, establishing the TIB as Asia's premier platform for startups and emerging industries.
Initially launched in July 2021, the Innovation Board was limited to qualified investors, such as institutional investors and entities with substantial trading experience and financial assets. The new framework removes these barriers, expanding access to Taiwan's 13 million account holders, up from the original 300,000 qualified investors.
"The removal of the qualified investor restriction will not only boost liquidity but also enhance company valuations," said Sherman Lin, Chairman and CEO of the TWSE.
Taiwan's capital market reached a historic milestone in 2024, soaring by over 28%, making it the best-performing stock market in Asia and the second-best globally, trailing only the NASDAQ in the United States. Lin emphasized that the TWSE will focus on "technology" and "innovation" as the dual pillars driving its future growth, with the goal of transforming Taiwan into a smart technology island.
The introduction of the Innovation Board 2.0 is a pivotal move, positioning Taiwan as a premier destination for innovative enterprises across Asia. "This initiative is expected to attract cutting-edge companies and foster an environment conducive to technological advancements and economic growth," said Lin.
Looking ahead, the TWSE plans to strengthen collaboration within domestic innovation ecosystems while targeting international markets such as Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam to attract startups and growth-stage companies to list in Taiwan.
"The Innovation Board 2.0 not only helps retain Taiwanese startups considering overseas listings but also aims to attract Asia's new economy companies, solidifying Taiwan's position as a regional leader in innovation and investment," Lin added.
Since its inception, the TIB has supported over 20 innovative companies with core technologies or unique business models in accessing capital markets for fundraising, underscoring its critical role in fostering innovation and growth.
Empowering Emerging Industries Across Asia
The inauguration event of the "TIB Innovation Spotlight" on January 6 attracted over 250 representatives from 200 companies, intermediaries, and venture capital firms. Lin emphasized the board's significance: "The Innovation Board will drive the growth of emerging industries and provide exceptional opportunities for Asian startups to succeed in Taiwan."
Dr. Yen-Liang Chen, Vice Chairman of Taiwan's Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), echoed this sentiment: "This move will allow investors to better understand emerging and innovative companies, thereby contributing to Taiwan's goal of becoming Asian Asset Management Center."
The transformation of the TIB has garnered strong support from Taiwan's venture capital community. Andy TC Chiu, Chairman of the Taiwan Venture Capital Association, noted: "These changes provide startups with better funding opportunities while stimulating growth and innovation across sectors. Taiwan is positioning itself as Asia's leading hub for technological advancement."
Julian Liu, Chairman of the Securities Investment Trust & Consulting Association (SITCA) in Taiwan, underscored the vital role of investment trust institutions in offering essential support. He expressed optimism that the expansion of mutual funds and ETFs would generate a virtuous cycle, promoting diverse collaborations within the capital market and driving success.
Event Highlights
The event commenced with a keynote address by Chin-Ho Hsieh, President of Wealth Magazine and Business Today Magazine. Hsieh praised the new Innovation Board, highlighting its four key features: high liquidity, friendly entry thresholds for emerging industries, a focus on innovation capability and growth potential, and full disclosure of operational information, hoping it will continue to excel and drive meaningful progress.
A notable highlight was the panel discussion titled "Showcasing Innovation Board Companies," moderated by Cheng-Hua Lu, Secretary-General of the Chinese National Federation of Industries (CNFI). The panel featured Jackie Cheng, Co-Founder and Chairman of Gogolook Co., Ltd., and Dr. Yun-Li Li, CEO of PlayNitride Inc. The discussion delved into their entrepreneurial journeys, strategies for accessing capital markets, international expansion plans, and the impact of the Innovation Board's new framework.
Advancing Taiwan's Capital Market
A skit at the event showcased the significant upgrades to the Innovation Board and detailed TWSE's initiatives to develop a robust, investor-friendly capital market in collaboration with the Taiwan Index Plus Corporation and the Taiwan Carbon Solution Exchange. To enhance liquidity and engage investors, TWSE introduced initiatives, including market-making rewards for proprietary traders, broker-led education campaigns, and a lottery program for retail investors.
As the TWSE expands its international outreach in 2025, the Innovation Board is set to become Asia's premier platform for startups and emerging industries, fostering growth, investment, and innovation across the region.
About TWSE
The Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) commenced operations on February 9, 1962. The TWSE is tasked with operating and advancing Taiwan's securities market. Its primary business operations encompass listing, trading, settlement, and surveillance. These activities include listing promotion and review, post-listing supervision, corporate governance, maintaining market order, providing services to securities firms, investor protection, clearing and settlement operations, safeguarding against market defaults, and monitoring illegal transactions. The Exchange offers comprehensive services to the stock market.
SOURCE Taiwan Stock Exchange
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