Under the guidance of the Ministry of Sports and executed by the Center of Industry Accelerator and Patent Strategy (IAPS) at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, the 2026 ASPN Global Forum officially opened today on the TaiSPO main stage at Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 2. The forum brought together Olympic legends, parliamentary leaders, Paralympic technology experts, and AI data pioneers to explore how sports can transcend competitive boundaries to become a core driver for gender equality, social inclusion, and technological innovation.
- Michael Huang, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Sports
The New Era of Smart Sports: How Technology Is Reshaping the Fan Experience and the Global Sports Industry
Iris Cordoba, Managing Director of Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft (GSIC), delivered a keynote address at this year’s summit, exploring how artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and big data analytics are disrupting traditional sports event management — and creating entirely new interactive experiences for fans, athletes, and league administrators alike.
Cordoba highlighted that technology is comprehensively reshaping the global sports industry’s value chain — from real-time athlete biometric monitoring and AI-driven tactical analysis systems to immersive augmented reality (AR) viewing platforms. Drawing on examples from European professional football leagues, the NBA, and Formula 1, she illustrated how digital transformation is not only elevating athletic performance but also unlocking new commercial frontiers in brand sponsorship, media rights, and global fan economies.
- Iris Cordoba, the Managing Director of GSIC gave a keynote speech
Olympic Gold and Parliamentary Power: Deepening Sports Diplomacy
The opening session was moderated by Chen Yi-an, Chair of the Gender Equality Committee of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee. The panel featured Huang Jie, Legislator and President of the Taiwan Women in Sports Association; Liu Po-chun, Ambassador-at-large; Hsu Hsiao-tzu, Secretary General of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee; and Professor Chiang Ying of Chihlee University of Technology. They engaged in a deep dialogue on “Breaking the Mold: The Influence of Women in the Sports World.”
The speakers highlighted Taiwan’s international practices following the signing of the Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration on Women and Sport. They discussed implementing institutional reforms through the elevation of the Ministry of Sports and using “Sports Equality” as a universal language to align with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) trends in female leadership, thereby expanding Taiwan’s international diplomatic space.
- Yi-an Chen, Chair of the Gender Equality Committee of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (Left), Jie Huang, Legislator and President of the Taiwan Women in Sports Association (Right)
- Sophiyah Liu, Ambassador-at-large
- Hsiao-tzu Hsu, Secretary General of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee (Left); and Professor Ying Chiang of Chihlee University of Technology (Right)
Tech Empowerment: Entering the Inclusive World of Powerchair Football
Focusing on disability equality and sports technology, the forum invited Hidenori Suzuki (Dino), President of the Japan Powerchair Football Association (JPFA), to deliver a keynote speech. Powerchair Football is a mixed-gender sport with high technological affinity, currently campaigning for inclusion in the Paralympic Games. President Suzuki shared how assistive technology can eliminate physical limitations, making sports a key to achieving social inclusion.
- Hidenori Suzuki (Dino), President of the Japan Powerchair Football Association (JPFA)
Data-Driven: AI Transformation and Reshaping the Sports Ecosystem
The final segment, moderated by Huang Ching-yao, Deputy Associate Dean of the Office of Industry-Academia Co-Creation at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, featured startup leaders from PointFit Technology, FastPong, and Spot. The session, “Data Empowerment: How Sports Tech Reconstructs Training and Competition,” covered:
- Precision Training: Transforming physiological data into real-time training insights via ultra-thin sweat-sensing patches.
- Reaction Optimization: Using smart ICT equipment to quantify reaction speeds and decision-making for systematic performance enhancement.
- AI Decision Support: Discussing how AI image recognition converts match footage into tactical analysis, influencing real-time officiating and fairness standards.
- The panel discussion was chaired by Dr. Hank Huang, bringing together the founders of PointFit Technology, FastPong, and Spot for a sharing session.