ITRI - Taiwan's Technology Innovation Engine

ITRI - Taiwan's Technology Innovation Engine
Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute is a not-for-profit R&D organization engaging in applied research and industrial service. Founded in 1973, ITRI guided Taiwan's evolution from a low-tech manufacturer to a high-tech powerhouse. Today, ITRI is helping Taiwan move into the knowledge economy era, adding value for existing industries while building new ones from the ground up.
With almost 6,000 research and management staff, each year ITRI is granted about 1,000 patents and transfers hundreds of technologies to industry to spread economic benefits to society. In addition to its headquarters in Hsinchu, ITRI opened a branch campus in southern Taiwan four years ago and has international offices in Silicon Valley, Tokyo, Berlin and Moscow.
ITRI has aggressively researched and developed countless next-generation technologies, including WIMAX wireless broadband, solar cells, RFID, light electric vehicles, flexible displays, 3-D ICs and Telecare technologies. ITRI's Flexible Electronics Pilot Lab and Nanotechnology Lab provide international-level research platforms where R&D can be conducted jointly with partners. The Institute has also seen significant growth in intellectual property business and new ventures in recent years and is devoted to creating a model that would make Taiwan manufacturing even more competitive in the international market.
Reflecting on ITRI's successful formula, president Johnsee Lee says the Institute relies on three key principles: Working closely with the private sector to set direction (ITRI receives no government subsidies), taking risks at the exploratory level to assure that creativity can happen, and expanding international cooperation in a widening range of areas.
ITRI has been a path breaker linking major global companies with Taiwan through research partnerships and patent licensing agreements. Major corporate relationships include Corning, Sarnoff Laboratories, IBM and Telcordia. During the past year ITRI has also been a key player in the government's Bridge Building project to increase cooperation and communication with mainland China, taking the lead role in representing Taiwan at the Conference on Cross-strait Cooperation and Exchange in the Photovoltaics Industry.
As Taiwan moves beyond its core ICT industry base and becomes a more advanced economy, ITRI is identifying the next stage of industries and applications for the Island's economic success. Many of these revolve around the needs of the 21st Century economy and society.
"We have built a Creativity Lab to focus on applying Taiwan's core semiconductor strengths to address changing lifestyles," says Lee, citing the importance of new products to keep an aging population active and independent. "Medical devices are a particularly good example of combining Taiwan's strength in electronics with the boom in world health care."
One of Lee's goals is to make sure that Taiwan builds momentum and leadership in the rapidly growing field of Cloud Computing. Not only does he believe the technology will ultimately provide added security for computer users, he also hopes it will lead to a host of new devices and applications. "Cloud Computing is an amazing opportunity for Taiwan to create a real home-grown software industry because it creates a level playing field," he says.
"Going international is one of our top priorities for the next five years," says Lee. "In a global world we cannot limit ourselves to working with Taiwanese companies. We invite all major companies to partner with us."