ITRI International Inc.,

strives to be a bridge to facilitate the international collaboration of North, Central and South Americas and Taiwan in the high-tech arena.

We provide services in technology collaboration, technology commercialization, early stage incubation and career development.

Practices

Open Labs

Open Labs

ITRI is 100% committed to helping your business grow rapidly by making use of the many unique opportunities that exist in Taiwan. There is no better example of this than the OpenLab, initiated by ITRI in 1996 and on a dramatic growth curve since then. The OpenLab is designed to help develop local industry by assisting new ventures to quickly build up to competitive strength. Read on to better understand what makes the OpenLab a great environment to help your business develop.

Overview

 

ITRI’s OpenLab brings both the benefits of proximity to the world famous Hsinchu Science Park, and access to specialized resources within ITRI. This combination of extensive human capital, outstanding access to state-of-the-art advanced technologies, and exceptionally good industry ties, make the OpenLab the clear choice as a high-tech incubator or site for research collaboration.

ITRI’s OpenLab provides a complete solution for hi-tech entrepreneurs. This includes space, access to capital, business assistance, managerial consulting & training, technical support, and a vast industrial network. All designed to increase the likelihood of success of the companies in the OpenLab.

Currently, the OpenLab has more than 850 tenants’ on-site employees in 51 companies. (The accumulated numbers are 3,700 and 151 respectively) Occupancy rate is over 71%. Originally set up just for local Taiwan companies, the OpenLab has expanded to include foreign companies as well. OpenLab tenants include many small start-ups, as well as joint ventures with Taiwan and foreign firms such as Matsushita Electric Works, Telcordia, etc. Company projects span a very wide range of technologies -- ICs and communications dominate, but there are projects in chemistry, materials, precision manufacturing, computing, environmental protection, aerospace, biotechnology, and others. ITRI is now encouraging participation by E-Commerce companies.

ITRI’s OpenLab provides private office and lab space, plus facilities that are shared with other hi-tech companies. It also provides a wealth of services to tenants, either Collaborators or Incubates. These include access to the R&D and human experiences inside ITRI, but also the equally important business services, such as legal, administrative, information, training courses, business consultation, and capital investment. As a tenant, your company benefits from these directly, leading to shortened learning curves, and highly cost effective development, as well as the credibility of association with ITRI. In short, the OpenLab can help turn your entrepreneurial dreams into business reality.

Companies participate in the OpenLab under one of two general programs, the Joint Research Program, or the Incubator Center. In both the case of the Incubator Center and the Joint Research Program, tenants are expected to "graduate" after three years, a step that nearly sixty firms have taken since the OpenLab’s inception. Altogether, OpenLab occupants have invested more than US$790 million -- a remarkable measure of its success.

Joint Research (Collaboration) Program

 

This is designed for companies that have joint R&D projects with ITRI. Each project can operate inside the OpenLab for up to three years at very reduced rental, approximately US$1/square foot. Domestic companies as well as allied foreign organizations can apply for this program, which is also available for educational associations, universities, government institutes, and other research organizations. General facility lab & training courses for specific industry or liaison offices of allied international organizations are also welcomed.

Matsushita Electric Works (Japan) has joined the OpenLab under the joint research program. They are working with ITRI’s Materials Research Laboratories on advanced IC packaging materials. Likewise, Microsoft (US) is in the OpenLab, collaborating with ITRI’s Computer and Communications Research Laboratories on Chinese language Windows CE development.

Hi-Tech Incubator Center

 

This is designed for small new companies, not more than 18 months old with initial capital of less than US$2.35 million, who want to develop in-house innovative or advanced technology (at least in Taiwan). Rental rates for incubates are highly discounted and begins with a 25% discount based on rental charge of Collaboration Program for the first year, 15% for the second year, and 5% for the third year. The admission process involves committee review of a business plan, which is examined for feasibility, as are the capabilities of the management team.

One example is King Mechatronics. This began as a project that involved Taiwan local companies and Toshiba Mechatronics. ITRI helped in the negotiation phase that eventually resulted in joint R&D and equity participation by both local companies and Toshiba. Now, King Mechatronics, an OpenLab graduate, is the first wire-bonder and die-bonder company in Taiwan.

Two other examples of successful graduates include TrueLight Corporation, the first company in Taiwan producing Vertical Cavity Service Emitting Lasers, key components of gigabit data communications equipment, and certified by the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), and Asia IC-Process Co, the first company in Taiwan producing Chemical Mechanical Polishing equipment, critical for sub-micron foundry applications, and named by Business Week as Best Product Designer.

OpenLab (from ITRI Headquarters)