By KHT AI Agent/Staff
Kaohsiung’s Youth Bureau is accepting applications (starting January 5, 2026) for an upgraded startup expo subsidy, offering up to NT$100,000 per case with a lifetime cap of two applications. The goal is simple: help early-stage brands afford overseas exhibitions and convert visibility into orders and channels.
A “Go Global” Budget Boost for Real-World Expo Costs
Trade shows look glamorous on Instagram, but founders know the reality: booth fees, flights, hotel nights, shipping samples, and last-minute production fixes that hit your cash flow all at once. Kaohsiung’s upgrade is designed for that exact pain point, giving teams more breathing room to focus on telling their story clearly and selling with confidence.
The program is run by the Kaohsiung City Government Youth Bureau (高雄市政府青年局) and positions local startups as a city-level “international lineup” rather than a side project. The updated rules highlight two changes that matter most to small teams: a higher ceiling (NT$100,000 per case) and a lifetime total of two applications per entrepreneur, which makes planning your global rollout feel less like a one-shot gamble.
Kaohsiung’s Track Record: 190+ Startups Already Helped
According to the city’s Youth Bureau, Kaohsiung has already supported over 190 young startup businesses in participating in overseas exhibitions across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The 2026 plan builds on that base and aims to make the process more flexible and founder-friendly, especially for teams that are just getting started and need the fastest route to international buyers.
Think of it as a runway pass: reduce the cost of showing up, and you increase the odds of being seen, remembered, and stocked.
How This Compares With Central Government Expo Support
For reference, central government guidance on overseas exhibition support often emphasizes booth-related costs, with figures commonly described around NT$40,000 to NT$60,000 per physical booth (and about NT$30,000 for online exhibitions), subject to official announcements and program rules. Against that backdrop, Kaohsiung’s NT$100,000 per case stands out at the local level, particularly when paired with the lifetime two-application design.
https://youth.kcg.gov.tw/Resource_Content.aspx?n=38&s=12378&sms=10161
Sources & References
Kaohsiung City Government news page (policy highlights; application start date stated as January 5, 2026) — kcg.gov.tw;
Kaohsiung City Government Youth Bureau plan page (2026 “115年度” implementation plan; key terms including cap and lifetime applications) — youth.kcg.gov.tw;
Ministry of Economic Affairs SME and Startup Administration (reference ranges for overseas exhibition support) — sme.gov.tw;
Ministry of Economic Affairs International Trade Administration (overview on whether international exhibitions have subsidies and how to apply) — trade.gov.tw;
Media aggregation report (cross-check of public-facing details) — tw.news.yahoo.com.
