Taiwan approves three A+ R&D projects worth NT$235.92 million, targeting autonomous telecom networks, cancer immunotherapy and advanced semiconductor filtration materials.
Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), through its Department of Industrial Technology, has approved three research and development projects under the A+ Corporate Innovation R&D Program, covering smart telecommunications, biotechnology and semiconductor materials. The projects involve combined investments of NT$235.92 million, with the largest allocation directed towards developing advanced filtration materials for semiconductor manufacturing.
The approvals were granted during the department's 13th final review meeting, held on November 5, 2026. The initiative aims to strengthen Taiwan's technological self-reliance, encourage domestic innovation and improve the competitiveness of local industries in international markets. The three projects involve collaborations and investments by Groundhog, Yaorui Technology, PharmaEssentia and Yuxiang Enterprise.
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The first project, led by Groundhog in collaboration with Yaorui Technology, focuses on developing an intent-driven autonomous trusted network platform. The project has an investment of NT$56.42 million. It will combine large language models (LLMs) with network digital twin technology to enable telecommunications networks to interpret operational requirements, plan management strategies and automate network configuration. The system will also incorporate artificial intelligence-based anomaly detection, cybersecurity threat analysis and security mechanisms. These capabilities are intended to reduce manual maintenance requirements and improve network management efficiency.
The second project is being undertaken by PharmaEssentia with an investment of NT$64 million. It involves research and development of a next-generation PD1-IL2v bispecific antibody fusion protein for solid tumour immunotherapy. The proposed treatment is designed to combine a PD-1 antibody with an IL-2 variant protein to strengthen anti-tumour immune responses while potentially reducing systemic side effects. The research will focus on conditions including non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer. The next stages include process scale-up, pharmacological and toxicological verification, followed by preparation for an Investigational New Drug application for human clinical trials.
The largest investment, amounting to NT$115.5 million, has been approved for Yuxiang Enterprise's semiconductor filtration technology project. It will develop liquid and gas filtration modules for semiconductor copper-processing applications, focusing on hydrophilic modification of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membranes and renewable melt-blown composite activated-carbon filter materials. The company plans to establish a liquid filtration production line and upgrade its existing gas filtration production line.
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According to the Department of Industrial Technology, the project could increase the compound annual growth rate of liquid filtration products from 6.1% to approximately 8.8%. It also aims to reduce the full-lifecycle carbon emissions of individual filter products by more than 30%. The initiative is expected to strengthen domestic supply capabilities in specialised semiconductor materials, where Taiwan has historically relied on imports.
Together, the three approvals reflect Taiwan's broader strategy to develop domestic capabilities in critical technologies, strengthen industrial supply chains and support innovation across telecommunications, healthcare and advanced manufacturing.