Healthcare technology is increasingly moving out of hospitals and into everyday life, and the Top 20 semi-finalists of Go Healthy with Taiwan 2026 offer a good look at where that shift is heading.
Organised by Taiwan’s International Trade Administration (TITA), Ministry of Economic Affairs, and implemented by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), this year’s campaign attracted 832 proposals from 62 countries – up from 638 submissions in the previous edition.
The Top 20 semi-finalists represent 16 countries, with 11 proposals focused on Smart Healthcare and nine covering Sport Tech & Cycling. Their ideas target practical challenges including early disease detection, remote healthcare access, healthy ageing, rehabilitation and safer mobility.
Early detection is one of the clearest themes among the shortlisted solutions. An Indian team has developed a smartphone-based system that can read urine test strips and screen for kidney disease in around 30 seconds. Elsewhere, a Spanish team is applying AI to heart disease risk screening, while a Brazilian team combines AI with Taiwanese digital health platforms for quantitative analysis of brain CT and MRI scans.
Remote and community healthcare is another major focus. One Brazilian proposal integrates Taiwanese contactless vital-sign AI with WhatsApp-based care services, while a Canadian solution uses 3D cameras and AI to assess symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease. The latter could help extend assessment capabilities to patients living in rural communities.
Healthy ageing and independent living also feature heavily across the semi-finalists. An Australian team is working on wandering detection technology for people with dementia, while a Japanese team is incorporating Taiwanese equipment into solutions designed to help older adults maintain their independence. An Israeli proposal, meanwhile, focuses on personalised exercise prescriptions for seniors.
On the sports and rehabilitation side, teams from the United States and France are developing technologies for real-time movement analysis and injury prevention. A New Zealand proposal takes a broader approach by combining smart mobility, greener commuting and employee wellness for corporate environments.
Southeast Asia is also represented through the UST Technovation Society from the Philippines. Its proposal combines a smart e-bike and trainer system with biometric monitoring, with the aim of supporting exercise and rehabilitation for people with cardiac and chronic conditions.
From prototypes to products
Another interesting aspect of this year’s shortlist is how close many of the concepts already are to real-world deployment. Around 70% of the semi-finalists are companies with products already on the market, alongside SMEs, NGOs and academic institutions.
That gives the competition a practical angle beyond simply showcasing new ideas. Go Healthy with Taiwan is designed to connect international innovators with Taiwan’s technology ecosystem, encouraging participants to combine Taiwanese products, technologies, services or business models with solutions tailored to healthcare needs in their respective markets.
The Top 20 will now receive one-on-one mentorship from industry experts as they develop their proposals further. Six finalists are expected to be announced in early November, after which they will be invited to Taiwan to pitch their ideas in person.
Three eventual winners will each receive US$30,000 to support the development of their proposals into real-world applications.
More details and the full list can be found here.
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