Chinese electronic design automation (EDA) company Empyrean Technology has announced plans to buy its counterpart Xpeedic through the issuance of new shares and cash.

Unitech, a Taiwanese PCB manufacturer, remains upbeat on sustained demand for high-end AI PCs but sees lingering weakness in consumer electronics and a sluggish recovery in the automotive sector. The company is ramping up production of HDI and hybrid boards while deepening ties with AI server and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite supply chains. Revenue and gross margins are expected to remain stable through 2025.

Following TSMC's announcement of an additional US$100 billion investment in the US, President Lai Ching-te has unveiled Taiwan's new "eastward expansion" strategy, extending beyond past regional policies to strengthen ties with the Americas and global markets, with a focus on building resilient, non-red supply chains and fostering digital alliances with democratic partners.

Wiwynn, in partnership with Wistron Corporation, has introduced a new lineup of AI servers powered by Nvidia's Blackwell Ultra platform and advanced liquid cooling technology at GTC 2025 in San Jose, California. The launch underscores the increasing demand for high-performance computing and efficient thermal management in the generative AI (GenAI) era.

Foxconn showcased its next-generation GB300 NVL72 platform, co-developed with Nvidia, at the Nvidia GTC 2025 event, underscoring its leading position in AI server hardware as the GB200 enters mass production. The company holds the largest market share among global AI server manufacturers.

Enclosure manufacturer Chenbro participated in Nvidia's annual GTC conference for the first time, where it showcased its next-generation Nvidia GB300 server enclosure solutions and a full range of MGX-based AI products, including 1U, 2U, and 4U models. Chenbro not only demonstrated its strength in product development but also assisted customers and partners in displaying jointly developed servers.

The 2025 Smart City Expo in Taipei is taking place from March 18 to 21 at the Nangang Exhibition Center, where Chunghwa Telecom's 5G Accelerator will join forces with 12 startups to showcase cutting-edge smart city solutions. These innovations leverage 5G and AI technologies to support government and corporate efforts in urban transformation and net-zero applications.

Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) is transforming data center construction through its all-optical network technology, establishing itself as a leader in distributed AI data centers. This advancement enables the company to offer innovative services like AI and GPU compute leasing to fulfill various user needs.

Generative AI applications are quickly spreading across sectors. New wearables like smart glasses and AR devices using neural hand control are predicted to gain mainstream acceptance, following smartphones. Chunghwa Telecom CTO Chih-Hsiung Huang highlighted the rapid growth of generative AI, which is extending usability beyond text and images to include tactile interactions.

US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs are disrupting the automotive industry. The US imposed a 25% tariff on imported steel and aluminum on March 12, with another 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico scheduled for April 2. These measures threaten the auto sector, which depends on seamless cross-border supply chains.

Gokube, a shared micro-electric two-wheeler operator that once held a strong presence in Kaohsiung's shared mobility market, recently announced that it will officially cease operations on April 20. This underscores the intense competition in the sector, the importance of financial backing, and the critical role of data resources.

CATL, the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturer, has agreed to invest up to CNY2.5 billion (approx. US$345.5 million) in collaboration with NIO to expand China's battery-swapping infrastructure.

Formosa Smart underscores its ambitions to position Taiwan as a regional battery hub. Chairman Sandy Wang called the facility Taiwan's largest battery cell factory, with plans to scale capacity beyond 10 gigawatts to meet growing demand across Southeast Asia.

The 12th Smart City Summit and Expo (SCSE) is set to open on March 18 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 2. According to the Taiwan Smart City Solutions Alliance (TSSA) chairman Alex Chien, 2025 SCSE will focus on AI applications, smart governance, deep energy savings, virtual power plants (VPP), net-zero sustainability, and global co-creation, with participants including Tatung, Secom, Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile, Acer, Syscom, Mitac, Teco, Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET), Foxconn, Asus, and Quanta.

Formosa Smart Energy Tech has launched mass production at its NT$10 billion (US$320 million) battery cell and module factory in Taiwan's Changbin Industrial Zone. The 2.1 GWh facility, which opened to the media on March 13, 2025, is set to supply large-scale energy storage projects, electric buses, and electric logistics vehicles.

Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) is spearheading the "Taiwan Excellence Drone International Business Opportunities Alliance (Tediboa)," leveraging its connections with top-tier global aviation supply chains. AIDC Chairman Kai-hong Hu revealed that after six months of international outreach, the alliance is securing memorandums of understanding with multiple countries and developing potential orders, with results to be announced around May 20 that "will not disappoint."

As MWC 2025 concluded, industry observers are focusing on the evolution of next-generation communication technologies. This year's conference highlighted Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), with major telecom operators actively positioning themselves as related technologies continue to mature.

Taiwan's satellite ground equipment sector is experiencing robust growth, with production value reaching NT$244.1 billion (approx. US$53.4 billion) in 2024, a substantial 18% increase compared to 2023, according to the Industrial Development Administration (IDA) on May 12. As of now, 51 Taiwanese firms have made successful inroads into the supply chains of the two major global operators of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, underscoring the sector's expanding international integration.

Following the Lunar New Year holidays, the mobile panel market has officially entered its traditional off-season. While China's subsidy policies have sustained demand for end-user devices, elevated channel inventory has prevented a noticeable surge in first-quarter demand for mobile panels. Consequently, panel prices have remained stable throughout March.

Panel giant Innolux Corporation is set to return to profitability in 2024 due to the sale of its factory to TSMC. Looking ahead to the first quarter of 2025, Innolux stated that China's trade in subsidy policy will continue, and the North American tariff effects will further boost customer demand, driving shipments of TV and IT panels. Prices are expected to remain stable and may even rise.

InnoCare Optoelectronics anticipates strong shipment growth for IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) panel products in 2025, driven by increasing adoption in dental and surgical equipment, including dynamic X-ray and C-arm systems. The company expects its IGZO product revenue share to exceed 30%, according to President Eric Lee.