GAIC Taiwan Connects Agrifood Startups from Eight Countries with Global Market Opportunities

Taiwan’s HYARKS and South Korea’s Delivery Lab win the inaugural AgriTech and FoodTech titles as participating startups advance discussions on trials, distribution, investment and commercial partnerships

21 September 2026, Taiwan: The inaugural Global Agrifood Innovation Championship (GAIC) – Taiwan Edition concluded at Taiwan Smart Agriweek 2026, bringing together 38 AgriTech and FoodTech startups from eight countries and creating opportunities for international market validation, investment and commercial partnerships.

The competition, co-organized by MY Exhibition, Singapore-based agrifood accelerator Innovate 360 and Foodland Ventures, featured startups from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, India and the United States.

Taiwan-based HYARKS was named the AgriTech Champion, while South Korea’s Delivery Lab won the FoodTech Champion title.

Beyond the competition itself, several participating startups have progressed into discussions involving overseas field trials, distribution, investment and commercial cooperation, reflecting the growing focus on connecting agrifood innovation with real-world market opportunities.

GAIC Focuses on Commercializing Agrifood Innovation

GAIC was established within the Taiwan Smart Agriweek ecosystem to bring startups into direct contact with industry players, investors, international buyers and potential business partners.

The participating companies presented technologies addressing a range of challenges across agriculture and food systems, including artificial intelligence, precision agriculture, smart machinery, sustainable animal feed, circular agriculture, food distribution and supply-chain efficiency.

The platform was designed to provide startups with opportunities to move beyond pitching their technologies and explore potential applications and commercial pathways in international markets.

Taiwan and South Korea Win Inaugural GAIC Titles

HYARKS, the AgriTech Champion, presented marine technology combining unmanned surface vessels and tethered drones for applications including tuna search and ocean data collection.

The company converts data collected at sea into marine intelligence intended to support fisheries operations. HYARKS is currently seeking seed-stage investment.

Delivery Lab, the FoodTech Champion from South Korea, presented its OrderHero platform, an integrated B2B food supply and logistics solution.

The platform combines mobile fulfillment centers, digital automation systems and AI-powered transportation management technology to improve the efficiency of urban food distribution.

Following GAIC, Delivery Lab has progressed to the second phase of a project in Singapore through a cooperation agreement with Solmart.

Startups Explore Overseas Trials and Distribution

Commercial discussions extended beyond the two winning companies.

Nanofertech is in discussions with an agricultural association in Florida, United States, regarding large-scale field trials of its amino-acid metal molecular technology for major crop diseases. The company is also exploring distribution opportunities emerging from its participation in Taiwan.

LOCOL is developing a technology that converts cocoa by-products into livestock feed, with the aim of reducing feed costs while lowering methane emissions. The company is using Taiwan as a base for exploring further opportunities in Japan.

In agricultural machinery, Elin Tech Co. Ltd. generated interest from potential buyers in Singapore and Thailand for its remotely operated air-blast sprayer. The system is designed to allow operators to manage spraying activities remotely and reduce direct exposure to agricultural chemicals.

Other startups participating in the program also held discussions with investors, distributors and potential industry partners during Taiwan Smart Agriweek.

The developments highlight that participation in the competition can create opportunities beyond the final awards, with startups using the event to establish relationships for market entry, testing and commercial cooperation.

Taiwan Seeks Greater International Connectivity for Agrifood Innovation

The agrifood sector is facing a combination of challenges including climate pressures, labor shortages, food security concerns and the need for more resilient supply chains. These pressures are increasing demand for technologies that can address practical production and supply-chain challenges.

Kai-Xuan Lin, Director-General of the Youth Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government, highlighted the importance of developing technologies capable of addressing real-world production challenges while reaching international markets.

Clark Lu, Partner at Foodland Ventures and a member of the GAIC jury, pointed to the innovation and entrepreneurial activity demonstrated by the participating startups and emphasized that the impact of such programs extends beyond the companies receiving awards.

With participation from industry and public-sector stakeholders, GAIC aims to provide a platform through which agrifood technologies can connect with potential users, investors and commercial partners.

From Pitch to Market

The first GAIC Taiwan Edition has concluded, but discussions initiated during the program are continuing across multiple markets.

Through its connection with Taiwan Smart Agriweek, the initiative plans to continue linking AgriTech and FoodTech startups with industry participants, investors, buyers and potential market opportunities in Asia and other international markets.

The emphasis is increasingly shifting from startup pitches to validation, partnerships and commercialization — providing participating companies with pathways to take technologies from development and demonstration toward deployment in agricultural and food systems.

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