Indiana Commerce Secretary David Rosenberg speaks to reporters at the Indiana Global Economic Summit in downtown Indianapolis on Thursday, May 23. Rosenberg will lead a delegation this week to Taiwan and his agency, the IEDC, will launch an office in the country with a focus on the semiconductor industry. Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz, Indiana Capital Chronicle.

By Whitney Downard
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANA — Indiana’s economic development agency has expanded its global reach with the launch of a new office in Taipai, Taiwan explicitly focused on innovation in the semiconductor industry.

A delegation led by David Rosenberg, the state’s Secretary of Commerce, will head to Taiwan this week to showcase Indiana’s economy and cultivate partnership opportunities in advanced semiconductor research and development, production as well as its applications in advanced manufacturing, technology and AI.

The new office will “further solidify new opportunities” in these sectors and “attract robust supply chains” to the state, Rosenberg said in a release.

“Indiana’s reputation as a globally engaged, future-focused economy continues to grow, and we can’t wait to share our bold vision with industry and government leaders in Taiwan this week,” he said. “The state’s strategy to cultivate a robust semiconductor ecosystem is already paying dividends for our economy and, more importantly, for Hoosiers. Partnering with economies like Taiwan that boast high-tech, high-growth economies will provide even more opportunities for innovation and industry advancement.”

The trip coincides with SEMICON Taiwan, a microelectronics event held from Sept. 4-6. The event host and industry association, SEMI, will be bringing SEMIEXPO In The Heartland to Indiana in 2025. Coordinators hope to report record attendance to the 2025 event with 1,100 exhibitors across 3,700 booths.

The Taiwan conference will showcase global collaborations “driv(ing) the unstoppable wave of AI and features critical themes focus on green manufacturing, heterogeneous integration, materials, testing, smart mobility and workforce development,” a release said.

The IEDC’s Taiwain office launched Aug. 1 and follows Gov. Eric Holcomb’s Taiwan trip in 2022, which was funded by private donations to the IEDC’s foundation.

The IEDC appointed Stewart Randall as its Taiwan advisor and he will be working to identify a Taiwan Director in the coming weeks. Stewart had an international business background that includes an “extensive knowledge” of Asia’s semiconductor industry, according to the release.

In recent years, the state has sought to grow its semiconductor industry — most notably with a nearly $4 billion deal with SK hynix to bring a chip packaging factory to West Lafayette in partnership with Purdue University. The state has a dedicated task force as well as a federal tech hub designation and said it has attracted seven total semiconductor companies.

Rosenberg’s visit will include a visit to MediaTek headquarters, which previously announced its partnership with Purdue University to create a new semiconductor design center. The delegation’s other events include meetings with the Taipei Computer Association, AmCham Taiwan and the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association.

Rosenberg will also visit National Taiwan University and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council.

Ten Taiwan-based businesses, including MediaTeck, have locations in Indiana that traded more than $1.61 billion worth of goods and services in 2023 — mostly importing and exporting computer and electronic products as well as chemicals and electrical equipment.