South African innovators with bold ideas to improve healthcare, wellness and community wellbeing now have an opportunity to turn those concepts into real-world solutions through international collaboration.
Following its global launch in Taiwan on 27 May 2026, the Go Healthy with Taiwan 2026 campaign is officially accepting proposals from innovators, startups, researchers, universities, institutions and organisations around the world, including participants from South Africa.
Building on the remarkable success of its inaugural edition, this year’s campaign introduces a brand-new Top 20 Mentorship Programme, giving finalists direct access to industry experts who will help refine their ideas, strengthen business models and accelerate the journey from concept to market-ready solution.
A bigger platform for global health innovation
Organised by the International Trade Administration (TITA) under Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs, and implemented by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the 2026 campaign is built around the theme “Designing Healthier Futures Together.”
The initiative encourages participants to harness Taiwan’s expertise in:
- Smart healthcare
- Medical devices
- Sports and fitness technology
- Healthy ageing
- Wellness innovation
Applicants are invited to integrate Taiwanese products, technologies, services and business models into scalable solutions that can improve communities, workplaces, schools and cities worldwide.
For South African innovators, the programme presents an opportunity to address local healthcare and wellness challenges while benefiting from international collaboration and technical expertise.
Building on a record-breaking first edition
The inaugural Go Healthy with Taiwan campaign exceeded every expectation.
Originally targeting 100 submissions, the initiative attracted an impressive 638 proposals from 55 countries, highlighting the growing global demand for collaborative health innovation.
The newly introduced Top 20 Mentorship Programme builds on that momentum by helping finalists:
- Refine business models
- Validate commercial opportunities
- Accelerate market readiness
- Build international partnerships
The programme is designed to ensure that promising ideas receive practical support long after the proposal stage.
Real-world success already making an impact
The campaign has already demonstrated its ability to create meaningful international partnerships.
In Ukraine, the winning team successfully deployed Taiwanese medical equipment in healthcare facilities and reinvested its entire prize money into expanding equipment procurement and hospital donations.
In Switzerland, Perovskia partnered with Everlight Chemical, leading to research published in Nature, with pilot production expected during 2026.
Meanwhile, in the United States, Ideas Lab collaborated with the Taiwan Institute of Sports Science (TISS) to deploy AI-powered motion analysis technology, helping broaden access to professional-level sports training.
These examples illustrate how innovative concepts can evolve into practical solutions with measurable social and economic impact.
A valuable opportunity for South Africa
South Africa continues to face significant challenges around healthcare accessibility, preventative care, healthy ageing, active mobility and community wellness.
At the same time, the country has established itself as a growing centre for entrepreneurship, innovation and social impact.
The campaign invites South African participants to leverage Taiwan’s strengths in digital health, smart healthcare technologies and systems integration to develop scalable solutions that can improve lives locally while creating opportunities for global collaboration.
Whether the focus is improving healthcare access in underserved communities, enhancing workplace wellness, advancing sports science or designing healthier cities, the initiative provides a platform for ideas with lasting impact.
Prizes, mentorship and international exposure
Successful entrants will compete for substantial rewards and unique global opportunities.
The top three winning proposals will each receive US$30,000 (approximately R500,000).
In addition, the Top 20 finalists will benefit from personalised mentorship from industry experts, while the six finalists will be invited on a fully sponsored visit to Taiwan. During the visit, participants will engage with leading Taiwanese enterprises, explore the country’s health innovation ecosystem and compete in the final round of the competition.
How to apply
Eligible participants can submit their proposals through the official Go Healthy with Taiwan website.
Applications must:
- Be submitted in English
- Explain the proposed solution
- Outline its expected impact
- Demonstrate how Taiwanese products, technologies, services or business models are integrated
The submission deadline is 5 August 2026 (23:59 GMT+8).
Applications cannot be modified once submitted.
With global healthcare increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, preventative medicine and longevity-focused innovation, Go Healthy with Taiwan 2026 offers South African innovators a unique opportunity to transform ambitious ideas into practical, market-ready solutions while building valuable international partnerships.
