PHOENIX, AZ (April 13, 2026) – To strengthen economic and international ties between Arizona and Taiwan, Arizona will host a visiting delegation of 30 Taiwanese investors and higher education leaders representing sectors including semiconductors, medical biotechnology, aerospace, and artificial intelligence on April 13-17.

Led by Johnny Tsai, President, Taiwan Aeon Corporation, the delegation will visit four cities across Arizona including Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, and Flagstaff – engaging with and hearing from local government, economic development, education and utility leaders about Arizona’s unique business and economic strengths.

Building on Arizona’s relationship with Taiwan, the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) and Sustainable Impact Capital (SIC), a Taiwan-based investor network with an emphasis on visionary founders leveraging AI, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU aims to establish Arizona as a U.S. hub for Taiwanese startups and innovative companies to enter the U.S. market.

Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority, and Amos Huang, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of SIC, signed the MOU, and Dennis Lee, Silicon Valley Partner with SIC, witnessed the signing ceremony on Friday, April 10 during Arizona Tech Week at an event highlighting Arizona’s international and innovation leadership.

“Taiwan is one of Arizona’s most important international partners, and we are proud to further strengthen our long‑standing relationship through this new partnership and delegation visit,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “Our increased connectedness is accelerating innovation, strengthening our workforce, and opening new doors for high‑tech growth – creating opportunities that will shape the future.”

“It is a profound honor to serve as the honorary lead delegate for this distinguished team of Taiwanese business leaders and scholars,” said Dr. Konrad Young, CEO in the College of Industry-Academia Innovation at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. “Having previously visited Arizona in my capacity as a Director at TSMC and a Senior Advisor to Intel, I have long been impressed by the robust ecosystem that state has cultivated over the past decades. I am confident that this visit will further strengthen the collaboration between Arizona and Taiwan, paving the way for a prosperous shared future.”

“For Taiwanese startups to achieve breakthroughs in the international market, they need more than just capital; they require institutionalized market channels and local resource networks,” said Amos Huang, Co-Founder of SIC. “The collaboration with the ACA enables SIC to provide Taiwanese angel investors and startup founders with a replicable entry mechanism into the North American market, backed by a government agency.”

Key initiatives under the MOU include:

• Global capital synergy: The MOU aims to facilitate joint cross-border investment between Arizona and Taiwan across high-tech sectors including manufacturing, R&D and more.
• Tech commercialization: The MOU will advance key R&D partnerships through connections with Arizona universities and research institutions to promote Proof of Concept and commercialization of advanced technologies within the U.S. market.
• Talent exchange: The MOU will help Taiwanese corporate leaders integrate into the U.S. business ecosystem and build local talent pool for innovation and entrepreneurship
• Market scaling: The MOU will promote Arizona as a location to test U.S. market validation, assisting Taiwanese enterprises in connecting with local supply chains, distribution channels, and strategic partners

Recent activity with Taiwan includes:

• Arizona, Taiwan, and Japan signed an MOU to strengthen semiconductor, workforce development, and supply chain collaboration
• Southern Arizona and Southern Taiwan signed an MOU to advance semiconductor, optics, and photonics collaboration
• The University of Arizona (U of A), and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) in Taiwan signed a Declaration of Collaboration to create a Talent and Innovation Hub in Arizona

In 2025, Taiwan surpassed Canada and China to become Arizona’s second-largest trading partner (behind Mexico), with more than $21.2 billion in total trade.

Arizona has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing semiconductor hubs. Since 2020, the state has attracted more than $214 billion in semiconductor investments and over 70 industry expansions, creating 27,000 new high-quality jobs, establishing one of the most complete semiconductor ecosystems in North America.