NCKU Office for Health Service and Digital Innovation and ITOCHU Forge Strategic Partnership in Kobe to Advance Smart Healthcare Innovation
Written by Amy Lin. Image credit to NCKU Office for Health Service and Digital Innovation.
To advance the internationalization of Taiwan's smart healthcare and biotechnology sectors, Health Service and Digital Innovation Promotion Office at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), in collaboration with ITOCHU Corporation, led a delegation to the Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster (KBIC) in Japan from March 12 to 15. The visit aimed to explore industrial cluster development, smart healthcare applications, and AI-driven innovation. The delegation, headed by Dr. Jing-Wei Lee, Superintendent of NCKU Hospital, engaged in strategic dialogues with key organizations, including the Kobe City Government, Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe (FBRI), Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Lab Kobe, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, and Kobe Eye Center.
NCKU Office for Health Service and Digital Innovation Partners with ITOCHU Corporation to Visit the Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe (FBRI).
Learning from Kobe's Cluster Model: NCKU Aims to Establish Taiwan's Smart Healthcare Innovation Hub
Jointly driven by the Kobe City Government and FBRI, the Kobe Biomedical Innovation Cluster has emerged as a leading hub for biotechnology and smart healthcare in Asia. The cluster has attracted over 350 biotechnology companies, medical institutions, and research organizations, specializing in critical areas such as regenerative medicine, cell therapy, AI-driven healthcare solutions, and medical robotics. Through strategic government support, collaborative academia-industry-medical partnerships, business incubation, and data-driven applications, FBRI accelerates the translation of research into clinical practice, establishing a global benchmark for smart healthcare cluster development.
During the visit, the NCKU delegation engaged in in-depth discussions with FBRI on topics such as smart healthcare applications, health data management, and strategies for cluster development. FBRI underscored that the success of a medical innovation cluster hinges not only on technological breakthroughs but also on seamless integration with clinical practice and industrial networks. NCKU Office for Health Service and Digital Innovation stated that Kobe’s success provides a valuable model for the development of its Shalun Smart Healthcare and Innovation Park. Moving forward, NCKU plans to integrate digital innovation technologies, precision health management, and strategic industrial development to build an internationally competitive smart healthcare ecosystem in southern Taiwan.
Enhancing Taiwan-Japan Medical Collaboration: ITOCHU as a Key Facilitator
The visit received dedicated support from the Kobe City Government, as the two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on smart healthcare, health data applications, cell therapy, and cluster operations, while exploring avenues for future collaboration. ITOCHU Corporation played a pivotal role in facilitating connections between the NCKU team and key institutions in Kobe, serving as an important bridge for Taiwan-Japan cooperation in the healthcare and technology sectors.
NCKU Office for Health Service and Digital Innovation emphasized that the visit not only strengthened cross-border collaboration in smart healthcare and biotechnology but also created crucial international linkages for the development of the Shalun Smart Healthcare and Innovation Park. Moving forward, the two sides will engage in further discussions on technological cooperation mechanisms, industrial synergy models, and potential investment opportunities—with the goal of driving growth in smart healthcare and digital health, and advancing Taiwan’s global presence in the industry.
Shalun Park Poised to Become Asia’s Smart Healthcare Innovation Hub
As the global smart healthcare market experiences rapid growth, Taiwan must proactively build internationally competitive clusters to attract top-tier medical talent and enterprises. NCKU Shalun Smart Healthcare and Innovation Park will leverage the momentum from this visit to drive forward technological advancement and reinforce international collaborations.
The Park will focus on precision health management, telemedicine, smart wards, cell therapy, and biotech acceleration. Through partnerships with biotech clusters in Kobe, Silicon Valley, and Europe, NCKU aims to propel Taiwan’s smart healthcare technologies into the global arena.
This visit marks the official launch of international linkages for the Shalun Smart Healthcare and Innovation Park. NCKU will continue to deepen its cooperation with the Kobe City Government, FBRI, Microsoft AI Co-Innovation Lab, Kobe City Medical Center, and Kobe Eye Center to advance the development of smart healthcare and biotechnology, positioning Taiwan as a core hub for smart healthcare innovation in Asia.
Provider:
NCKU News Center
Date:
2025-03-28
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