On July 30, 2025, Japan’s largest sports and health industry exhibition, SPORTEC 2025, officially opened at Tokyo Big Sight. Supported by the Sports Administration, Ministry of Education Taiwan, and executed by the Industry Accelerator and Patent Strategy Center (IAPS) of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), the ASPN Sports Tech Accelerator Program curated a delegation of 10 emerging sports tech startups from Taiwan, South Korea, and Malaysia to showcase their innovations. The exhibits spanned a wide spectrum of fields, including AI-based sports analytics, smart wearables, sports nutrition, and event media technology, drawing significant attention from international buyers and media outlets.
- SPORTEC 2025 Opening Ceremony
Spanning three days, SPORTEC 2025 gathered over 450 exhibitors and attracted more than 40,000 professionals from the global sports, health, and fitness industries, making it one of the most influential trade shows in the region. Among the honored guests at the opening ceremony was Dr. Hank Huang, VP of OIAC, NYCU and Executive Director of the ASPN Secretariat, who participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony. His presence highlighted SPORTEC’s strong commitment to supporting Taiwan’s growing sports technology sector and underscored the collaboration potential between academia and industry in advancing the broader sports health innovation ecosystem.
- Dr. Hank Huang, Executive Director of ASPN Secretariat, was honored to be invited to the opening ribbon-cutting ceremony.
- The ASPN Pavilion at SPORTEC 2025 drew considerable attention from visitors, showcasing the latest trends in sports technology across the Asia-Pacific region.
To further strengthen bilateral cooperation in sports technology and global engagement, SPORTEC and the ASPN Sports Tech Accelerator formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during the exhibition. The agreement sets the foundation for future collaboration across multiple domains, including sports tech exhibitions, international exchange platforms, startup promotion, and market development. This partnership not only reflects the mutual trust and alignment between Japan and Taiwan in the field of sports innovation but also marks a new chapter in cross-border collaboration, paving the way for deeper engagement and resource integration in the years ahead.
- Dr. Hank Huang represented IAPS in signing a MOU with SPORTEC to deepen bilateral collaboration in sports innovation.
The opening ceremony took place in an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation. It was officiated by Mr. Munehiko Harada, Chair of the SPORTEC Executive Committee and President of the Japan Sports Tourism Alliance (JSTA). Distinguished guests included Mr. Tsuyoshi Sasaki, CEO of TSO International; Mr. Ha Hyun-Joo, President of the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO); and Mr. Surasak Kerdjundtuk, Deputy Governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT). During his remarks, Mr. Kerdjundtuk announced that in addition to SPORTEC Japan, the first-ever SPORTEC Thailand 2026 will be held in Bangkok next year, marking a significant milestone in connecting Asia’s sports technology and health industries.
- Mr. Munehiko Harada, Chairman of the SPORTEC Executive Committee and President of the JSTA, delivered opening remarks, emphasizing international cooperation in sports and wellness.
- Mr. Surasak Kerdjundtuk (second from left), Deputy Governor of SAT, posed for a group photo with the IAPS delegation.
- Mr. Ha Hyun-Joo (second from left), President of the KSPO, also joined the IAPS team for a commemorative photo.
More than just a showcase of cutting-edge sports technologies, SPORTEC 2025 has become a comprehensive platform for international policy dialogue, industry-academia collaboration, and startup innovation. With strong participation from global stakeholders, the event sets a new benchmark for advancing the internationalization of the sports and wellness industries across Asia.
Through this exhibition, the Sports Administration of Taiwan aims to empower top-tier startups from the Asia-Pacific region via the ASPN Sports Tech Accelerator, helping them expand into international markets while building closer ties with sports-related public, private, and academic institutions throughout the region. This effort seeks to drive cross-border collaboration and foster sustainable growth within the global sports tech innovation ecosystem.
- The ASPN Showcase at SPORTEC 2025 attracted a steady stream of visitors interested in exploring the latest innovations in AI analytics, smart wearables, performance enhancement, and digital media technologies.