TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Development Council), established by the Taiwan Government, is the country’s leading trade promotion body. Its Mumbai office serves as the Indian headquarters, helping Indian enterprises connect with high-quality Taiwanese vendors.
This year Taiwan has taken a step in driving regional wellness innovation with the launch of the ‘2025 Go Healthy with Taiwan’ campaign in India. Spearheaded by the Taiwan International Trade Administration (TITA) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and executed by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), this campaign encourages Indian public institutions, enterprises, and SMEs to propose pioneering ways to apply Taiwan’s health-focused technologies to local community needs.
The campaign is structured as an open call for proposals across three strategic sectors: Fitness & Sports Technology, Cycling, and Smart Healthcare. Participants will vie for three $30,000 cash prizes, awarded to the most impactful and innovative proposals. In addition, the top six teams will be invited to Taiwan for an exclusive ‘Go Healthy Tour’—a curated, immersive experience offering direct access to Taiwan’s health technology ecosystem.
This tour will feature hands-on demonstrations, site visits, and networking opportunities with Taiwanese companies, enabling participants to explore collaboration, product integration, and market expansion opportunities firsthand.
This international call not only highlights the strength and innovation of Taiwan’s health industry, but also encourages collaboration with global partners—such as India—to develop smart and sustainable healthy lifestyles through Taiwan’s cutting-edge technologies and solutions.
Medianews4u.com caught up with Shu-Han Lin, Director of Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) Mumbai
Q. Taiwan is looking to lead global conversations around health, wellness, and innovation through its flagship initiative ‘Go Healthy with Taiwan 2025’. How did the initiative come about?
Post-pandemic, health and wellness has become priority in consumer decision-making worldwide. People are more proactive about fitness, mental well-being, preventive care and seeking healthier lifestyles. This shift is driving demand for smart healthcare, personalised wearables, and wellness tech, especially among younger, digital-first consumers. So ‘Go Healthy with Taiwan 2025’ was launched by TAITRA and Taiwan’s International Trade Administration to showcase Taiwan’s strengths in health-tech, smart wellness and fitness innovation.
The campaign builds on the success of Taiwan’s previous global outreach and is designed to create meaningful partnerships across key markets like India. With growing demand for digital health, medical innovation, and sustainable fitness solutions, In India, our goal is to co-create impact by inviting Indian enterprises, institutions, and innovators to propose applications of Taiwanese technologies tailored to India’s unique health challenges and opportunities.
Q. Could you talk about the various legs of the campaign like the contest that positions Taiwan as a Global Leader in smart healthcare, wellness, and medical innovation?
At the heart of the campaign is a global innovation contest inviting proposals that apply Taiwan’s technologies to local health and wellness challenges. In India, the focus is on three key areas mainly smart healthcare, fitness and sports tech, and sustainable urban mobility through cycling.
Winners will be invited to Taiwan for an immersive “Go Healthy Tour” to connect with health-tech leaders, explore partnerships and experience Taiwan’s innovation ecosystem firsthand. We see this campaign as a collaborative platform for innovators to co-create the future of health with Taiwan.
Q. India has been identified as a key partner. What is the strategy involved to unlock multi-million-dollar trade opportunities in areas like fitness and sport, cycling and smart healthcare through this collaboration?
India’s fast-growing health-tech and wellness sectors, combined with its policy focus on digital health, has always put India as a priority market globally. This campaign whilst global, is also a continuation of TAITRA’s longstanding efforts to deepen innovation and trade ties with India. India’s scale, innovation ecosystem and rising demand for digital health and wellness make it a strategic partner for Taiwan.
The campaign aims to catalyse trade and tech collaborations by encouraging Indian companies, startups, and public bodies to pilot Taiwanese solutions in fitness tech, cycling infrastructure, and smart healthcare. Through the contest, we are looking for innovative, scalable proposals that localise or pilot Taiwan’s technologies in three areas: smart healthcare, fitness and sports tech and cycling for urban health.
Cross-sector collaborations and community-level impact ideas are encouraged. It’s a two-way opportunity to co-build and co-commercialize health solutions for the region.
Q. What marketing tactics will be employed to reach out to Indian public institutions, enterprises, and SMEs to propose ways to apply Taiwan’s health-focussed technologies to local community needs?
We are taking a targeted multi-channel but a digital first approach. This includes strategic media partnerships, digital outreach and direct engagement with innovation hubs, health-tech clusters, and SME networks across India. We have collaborated with Indian marketing agencies to roll out the campaign as they understand the diversity and potential touch points of our target audience.
We are interested to explore deeper regional participation and really find promising innovators who can collaborate with us so that Taiwan’s health innovations can be adapted to India’s unique community needs, from telemedicine to fitness solutions.
Q. Is Taiwan targeting the whole country or are certain areas being looked at first? Where does the opportunity lie according to data analytics?
While the campaign is open pan-India, we’re prioritising regions with active digital health missions, wellness innovation, and smart city initiatives. States like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat offer strong potential given their startup ecosystems and healthcare infrastructure.
Data indicates growing demand for telehealth, fitness tech, and cycling-friendly urban planning in Tier 1 and emerging Tier 2 cities. That’s where we see the most immediate opportunity for Taiwan’s solutions to make a local impact.
Q. Is digital media going to play a key role through things like short form content on platforms like reels?
Today, digital is an indispensable part of any idea or activity in the market, so we also have curated a digital first approach globally. India has a booming digital and social media ecosystem that is leading the social narrative.
Our Indian partner agency is actively using short-form content like Reels, YouTube Shorts, and LinkedIn snippets, to build awareness, spark curiosity and showcase real-world use cases of Taiwan’s health-tech.
The goal is to make the message accessible, especially for young innovators, startups, and SME founders. Storytelling through bite-sized videos is helping us localise the campaign narrative and drive participation beyond traditional B2B circles.
Q. Is TAITRA partnering with influencers and celebrities to spread the message?
Yes, influencer partnerships are part of the strategy. TAITRA is engaging health, fitness, and wellness creators to amplify the campaign’s message on social media.
The idea is to build authentic conversations around Taiwanese innovations and their relevance for Indian communities. While celebrity associations are under consideration, the priority is working with credible voices who can inspire participation and highlight real impact stories.
Q. How are Taiwan Excellence brands are innovating for Indian consumers and does the big challenge in innovation lie in moving at speed without making major mistakes?
Taiwan Excellence brands are combining cutting-edge R&D with a deep understanding of local needs, whether it’s smart wearables tailored for India’s climate, telehealth solutions for low-connectivity regions, or fitness tech built for compact urban spaces. The focus is on meaningful innovation, not just speed.
While agility matters, our brands prioritise reliability, safety, and user experience, especially in health and wellness. The challenge is balancing rapid deployment with long-term trust, and that’s where Taiwan’s proven manufacturing and tech ecosystem gives it a clear edge.
Q. Could you shed light on Taiwan’s broader vision in shaping Asia’s health and wellness economy?
Taiwan’s vision is to be a trusted innovation partner in shaping Asia’s next-generation health and wellness landscape. With deep strengths in medical devices, smart healthcare, fitness tech, and sustainable mobility, Taiwan is enabling scalable, affordable solutions for diverse Asian markets.
The goal is not just to export products, but to co-create value through technology transfer, public-private partnerships, and region-specific innovation. Campaigns like Go Healthy with Taiwan are part of a larger effort to position Taiwan as a catalyst for inclusive, tech-enabled wellness across Asia, whilst also seeking global outreach.
Q. What role is AI playing when it comes to Fitness and Sports Technology like AI-enabled training systems, connected workout equipment?
AI is transforming fitness and sports tech by making it hyper-personalised, adaptive, and data-driven. Taiwan Excellence brands are at the forefront developing AI-enabled training systems that offer real-time posture correction, performance tracking, and injury prevention.
Connected workout equipment now integrates AI to tailor routines, optimise outcomes, and keep users engaged through gamified feedback. For markets like India, where digital fitness is on the rise, these intelligent systems offer scalable, home-friendly solutions that bring professional-level training within reach.
Q. How are wearable technologies reshaping healthcare delivery and preventive care models? How much R&D goes in to that by Taiwanese companies?
Wearable technologies are redefining healthcare by shifting the focus from reactive treatment to real-time monitoring and prevention. From smartwatches that track vitals to patches that detect early warning signs, these devices enable more informed, continuous care especially in remote or underserved areas.
Taiwanese companies invest heavily in R&D to ensure clinical-grade accuracy, long battery life, and seamless user experience. Many collaborate with hospitals and research institutions to validate outcomes. This strong innovation backbone is what makes Taiwan a trusted source for next-gen health wearables globally and increasingly, in India too.
