Taiwan is famous for AI hardware, not AI startups. Most AI money funds servers and chips. Software AI VC is a smaller, newer pool. Here are 11 investors backing Taipei AI in 2026.
Taiwan builds most of the world's AI servers, yet its software AI startups still get far less attention. The capital that flows here mostly funds hardware capex, leaving the software side comparatively thin.
That gap is starting to close as a handful of real AI funds lead the way. Several of them also act as a bridge to Silicon Valley, giving founders a path to global scale.
To raise from these backers you need the right investors and clean, well-organised files. Ellty keeps all your data behind one tracked link, so nothing slips through the cracks.
| Type | Check size | Sector focus | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hive Ventures | AI-software VC | US$100K-$500K | Enterprise AI, ML infra | hiveventures.io |
| Cherubic Ventures | Cross-border VC | US$250K-$1M+ | Applied AI, robotics | cherubic.com |
| Cornerstone Ventures | AI-software VC | US$100K-$1M | Applied AI, SaaS | cornerstonevc.tw |
| SparkLabs Taiwan | Accelerator + fund | ~US$100K | AI-first, deeptech | sparklabstaiwan.com |
| NDF AI Program | Government fund | Co-invest, varies | AI startups, digital economy | df.gov.tw |
| Acorn Pacific Ventures | Cross-border VC | Early to growth | AI, IoT, Industry 4.0 | acornpacific.ventures |
| Anchor Taiwan | Cross-border VC | Small early checks | Applied AI, cross-border tech | anchortaiwan.com |
| iD SoftCapital | Cross-border VC | Early to growth | Software, AI, IT services | idsoftcapital.com |
| Palm Drive Capital | Cross-border VC | Seed to Series A | SaaS, AI, fintech | palmdrive.vc |
| 500 Global Taiwan | Accelerator + fund | Program checks | AI, deeptech, SaaS | 500.co |
| Hardware Club | Edge-AI / hardware VC | Seed to Series A | Edge AI, robotics, vision | hcvc.co |
Keep your AI data room ready before the call
AI investors study your models, data, and traction. Ellty logs every view so you know who is serious.
Start free 14-day trialWhat an AI investor backs
An AI investor backs real models and real data, and they want to see a clear, defensible edge. They look for paying users early on, because polished demos alone rarely convince them.
Your data and IP also need genuine protection before any serious conversation. A clean due diligence file makes that case for you without extra back-and-forth.
Ellty gives each fund its own tracked link to your materials. That way you can see who reads your deck first and where their attention lands.
Taiwan recorded 601 AI-related startup deals between 2015 and mid-2025, totaling US$2.12 billion, with vertical AI applications drawing the largest share.
11 Taipei AI investors
1. Hive Ventures
Hive is Taiwan's main AI-focused seed fund.
Recent Activity: Closed a US$13.5M AI seed fund
Sector Focus: Enterprise AI, ML infra, automation
Stage Focus: Seed, early stage
Check Size: US$100K-$500K
Location: Taipei
Website: hiveventures.io
2. Cherubic Ventures
Cherubic is a US-Asia fund backing applied AI.
Recent Activity: Launched Fund VI in 2024
LinkedIn: Cherubic Ventures LinkedIn
Sector Focus: Applied AI, robotics, healthcare
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: US$250K-$1M+
Location: Taipei / San Francisco
Website: cherubic.com
3. Cornerstone Ventures
Cornerstone backs applied-AI and SaaS startups.
Recent Activity: Early backer of AI SaaS firm Aiello
Sector Focus: Applied AI, SaaS, internet
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
Check Size: US$100K-$1M
Location: Taipei
Website: cornerstonevc.tw
4. SparkLabs Taiwan
SparkLabs runs an AI-first Taipei accelerator.
Recent Activity: Backed by a US$50M 2024 AI fund
LinkedIn: SparkLabs Taiwan LinkedIn
Sector Focus: AI-first, deeptech
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: ~US$100K
Location: Taipei
Website: sparklabstaiwan.com
5. NDF AI Program
This is Taiwan's new government AI fund.
Recent Activity: Runs a NT$10B AI startup program
Sector Focus: AI startups, digital economy
Stage Focus: Early to growth, co-invest
Check Size: Co-invest, varies
Location: Taipei
Website: df.gov.tw
6. Acorn Pacific Ventures
Acorn Pacific is a US-Asia cross-border fund.
Recent Activity: Backed AI CRM startup GoSky
Sector Focus: AI, IoT, Industry 4.0
Stage Focus: Early, growth
Check Size: Early to growth
Location: San Mateo, USA
Website: acornpacific.ventures
Share one link with every Taipei AI fund
Ellty shows when a fund opens your deck. Follow up at the right moment, not days later.
Start free 14-day trial7. Anchor Taiwan
Anchor backs founders with Taiwan ties.
Recent Activity: Runs cross-border founder programs
Sector Focus: Applied AI, cross-border tech
Stage Focus: Early stage
Check Size: Small early checks
Location: Taipei
Website: anchortaiwan.com
8. iD SoftCapital
iD SoftCapital is Acer founder Stan Shih's fund.
Recent Activity: Invests in software and AI startups
Sector Focus: Software, AI, IT services
Stage Focus: Early to growth
Check Size: Early to growth
Location: Taiwan / Silicon Valley
Website: idsoftcapital.com
9. Palm Drive Capital
Palm Drive backs seed AI and SaaS startups.
Recent Activity: Runs a Taipei office for Asia deals
Sector Focus: SaaS, AI, fintech
Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
Check Size: Seed to Series A
Location: New York, USA
Website: palmdrive.vc
10. 500 Global Taiwan
500 Global runs a Taipei AI accelerator.
Recent Activity: Runs a Taipei AI and deeptech program
Sector Focus: AI, deeptech, SaaS
Stage Focus: Pre-seed, seed
Check Size: Program checks
Location: San Francisco, USA
Website: 500.co
11. Hardware Club
Hardware Club backs edge-AI and robotics.
Recent Activity: Closed Fund II at US$75M
Sector Focus: Edge AI, robotics, vision
Stage Focus: Early stage
Check Size: Seed to Series A
Location: Paris / San Francisco
Website: hcvc.co
Why hardware shapes AI money here
Taiwan's real AI strength sits in hardware, and servers and chips draw the bulk of the capital. That leaves comparatively less for software AI, where the VC pool is small but steadily growing.
Those hardware ties still work in a founder's favour. They open doors to startups and partners well beyond the island.
Ellty lets you share your materials cleanly with each fund on your list. For the hardware side of the story, see our semiconductor investors guide too.
Working with cross-border AI funds
Many of the top AI funds here bridge straight to the US, and they want to see global scale early. That means you should pitch in English and frame the story for a worldwide market.
It also helps to show traction that reaches beyond Taiwan itself. A strong pitch deck shared cleanly across borders opens far more doors.
Ellty shows you exactly who is studying your raise and when. You can set granular permissions per fund so each one sees only what it should.
Getting noticed by AI funds
AI funds open many decks each week, so yours has to stand out fast. Most of them never tell you they looked, which leaves you guessing about real interest.
That is where pitch deck tracking earns its place by showing you what actually happened. Strong demos and hard data are still what win the meeting in the first place.
Lead with real model results rather than promises, and let the numbers carry the pitch. Ellty shows every open and reread so you can track interest with document analytics.
How to pitch an AI investor
Show a real model edge.
- 1.Show a real model edge.Point to a specific advantage your model holds over off-the-shelf tools. Back every claim with data the investor can check for themselves.
- 2.Prove users pay for it.Show paying customers and real usage, not just sign-ups or a waitlist. Concrete traction beats hype and tells a fund the demand is genuine.
- 3.Name your raise and runway.State the exact amount you are raising and how long it lasts. Tie that spend to clear milestones so the path forward is easy to follow.
- 4.Send one Ellty link to your data.Share a single tracked link instead of loose email attachments. Then watch who digs in so you know which funds to follow up with first.
How Ellty helps you land an AI investor in Taipei
You have your Taipei AI list ready. Set up a data room before the first call.
- 1.Upload your deck, model data, and metrics.Set access per fund.
- 2.Share one trackable link per fund.Each fund gets a unique link.
- 3.Watch opens and reply on time.Use analytics to time each nudge.
Taipei AI investor questions
- A few AI VCs like Hive and Cherubic. Cross-border funds too.
- Yes, servers and chips lead. Software AI VC is smaller.
- Seed runs US$100K to a few million. Bigger funds write more.
- Yes, a NT$10B program backs AI startups. It co-invests with VCs.
- Some are, like Hive and Cornerstone. Others bridge the US.
- Before your first AI investor call. Track who opens your numbers.
