The Presidential Innovation Award, Taiwan's top accolade for innovation, held its award ceremony today (April 28) at the Presidential Auditorium. President Lai personally presented awards to five recipients, including Realtek Semiconductor, a world-leading IC provider; One-Forty, a non-profit organization championing Southeast Asian migrant workers; Chu-Chen Hsiao, filmmaker and National Tsing Hua University professor; Jung-Der Wang, National Cheng Kung University Honorary Chair Professor; and Shaw Wu, DATAYOO General Manager. Recognized for their outstanding contributions across technology, culture, public health, and social innovation, the laureates exemplify Taiwan's capacity in building national resilience through innovation.

Delivering remarks as Award Committee convener, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin noted that a total of 270 entries were submitted for this 7th edition. Following rigorous preliminary, secondary, and final rounds of review, the five laureates not only span diverse fields but also embody the depth and breadth of Taiwan's innovative energy. Behind every innovation is a story of Taiwan-a strength rooted in the pursuit of excellence, social solidarity, and resilience in the face of challenges. Above all, it reflects a shared commitment to making Taiwan a better place.

In the Group category, award winner Realtek Semiconductor Corporation, a long-standing global leader in networking and IC design, has built dominant positions in Ethernet, audio, and video chips. Its products are embedded in a vast range of terminal devices, and with an annual shipment volume of 2.5 billion chips, it continues to drive momentum in a trillion-dollar industry. Its recent foray into electric vehicle and smart cockpit chips signals the broader ambition of Taiwan's semiconductor sector to move from key components toward high-value-added applications.

The other Group category recipient, One-Forty, is dedicated to migrant worker education and talent empowerment. It has established Taiwan's largest learning platform for migrant workers and promotes talent development and social inclusion through diverse courses and cross-cultural initiatives. By nurturing migrant workers into skilled talent assets, One-Forty not only improves the lives of individuals and their families but also deepens Taiwan's talent and industry links with Southeast Asia and enhances its international image on human rights, diversity, and inclusion.

In the Individual category, award recipient Chu-Chen Hsiao has devoted more than 30 years to documentary filmmaking, through which she systematically captures Taiwan's industrial and social development through visual storytelling and creates a shared cultural memory across generations. Her body of work gives Taiwan a distinctive voice in interpreting its own history and culture amid changing times-it allows the international community to rediscover Taiwan through a cultural lens and showcases the nation's soft power in the parallel advancement of technology and the humanities.

Also in the Individual category, Jung-Der Wang, Honorary Chair Professor at National Cheng Kung University, has identified over 20 occupational diseases and established scientific systems for their recognition and prevention over the course of more than forty years in occupational medicine. He promoted the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) system and the development of preventive medicine, all of which steered Taiwan from a period of neglecting workers' health toward institutionalized prevention aligned with international standards. His application of big data models to quantify health benefits has helped optimize the allocation of National Health Insurance resources, safeguard workers' health, and fortify the foundation for sustainable industrial development.

Youth category award recipient Shaw Wu, General Manager of DATAYOO, has advanced hardware-free crop monitoring models powered by artificial intelligence and satellite technology, delivering a precise agricultural decision-making system with an accuracy rate of 98%. This technology not only blazes a forward-looking path for the transformation, upgrading, and intelligent development of Taiwan's agriculture, but has also expanded to 32 countries worldwide. It testifies to the capacity of Taiwan's younger generation to apply innovative technologies in practice and connect with global markets.

Each of this year's five award recipients has responded to national, social, and global challenges through concrete action, ultimately effecting meaningful change. Innovation begins with problem-solving, and its purpose is to elevate the nation, enrich society, and enhance people's well-being. It's in pursuit of something larger-a world shaped for the better by what Taiwan brings to it. To back this transformative momentum, each award recipient receives NT$2 million in prize money in addition to the honor. This year, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has also coordinated cross-agency resources to provide a range of support measures, including R&D assistance, international expansion, and policy alignment, to amplify the winners' innovative achievements and expand their social and industrial impact. The goal is to foster a virtuous cycle of innovation in Taiwan and reinforce the foundation for cross-domain, mutually beneficial development.