Local Government Subsidies: Local SBIR Programs in Tainan and Other Cities and Counties

What Is Local SBIR?

Local SBIR, usually officially called the "Local Industry Innovation R&D Promotion Program" (地方產業創新研發推動計畫), is run by each city and county government to encourage local SMEs to invest in R&D. Compared with central SBIR, local programs offer smaller subsidies and reviews that are closer to local industries, making them suitable for small businesses applying for an R&D subsidy for the first time.

Like central SBIR, it funds R&D projects, not simply buying equipment. Equipment needed for R&D can generally only be budgeted as an "equipment usage fee," as Taichung City's 2026 (ROC 115) guidelines explicitly state. For an introduction to central SBIR, see SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research).

Are There Subsidies in Tainan?

There is a local SBIR program, but the 2026 (ROC 115) round has closed.

According to an announcement reposted by Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan City's 2026 (ROC 115) local SBIR was commissioned to the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), with online applications accepted from March 20, 2026 to 12:00 noon on May 5, 2026. For subsidy caps, go by the application guidelines announced by the Tainan City Government or on the program website; no 2027 (ROC 116) announcement has been found so far.

Generally, local SBIR programs are announced and accept applications once a year in the first half of the year, and if you miss it, you have to wait for the next year. Tainan businesses that want to apply are advised to start preparing their R&D topic and project content at the beginning of the year and watch for announcements from the Tainan City Government Economic Development Bureau and the program office.

How Cities and Counties Differ

The program structure is similar across cities and counties, but they differ in several ways:

Application period: Each city or county sets its own. In 2026 (ROC 115), for example, the application periods in Tainan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung all fell between March and June.

Subsidy caps:

• Taichung City (2026, ROC 115): Paper applications accepted from May 25, 2026 to 12:00 noon on June 26, 2026; caps of NT$1 million for individual applications and NT$2 million for joint applications (NT$1 million per company); plus patent fee subsidies of NT$30,000 per domestic case and NT$100,000 per foreign case.
• Kaohsiung City (2026, ROC 115): According to media reports, applications were accepted until June 17, with caps of NT$1 million for individual applications and NT$2 million for joint applications.
• Caps and conditions in other cities and counties follow their respective application guidelines.

Eligibility: Usually requires the company's registration or main place of business to be in that city or county, with the R&D activities also carried out locally.

Application method: Some online, some on paper.

The 2026 (ROC 115) application periods above have all ended; the figures are provided only to give a sense of each program's scale, and conditions may be adjusted next year.

Choosing Between Local and Central SBIR

• Small-scale R&D, first application: Local SBIR is easier to get started with
• Large-scale R&D, longer duration: Central SBIR has higher caps, up to NT$12 million in total for Phase 2
• No double-dipping on the same project: The same R&D project can't receive two government subsidies at the same time, and this must be disclosed when applying

How Food Businesses Can Use It

Topics suitable for food businesses under local SBIR include, for example:

• Developing new products using local agricultural produce (such as Tainan's taro, sweet potatoes, and pineapples)
• Improving recipes so handmade products can be mass-produced by machine
• Improving processes and extending shelf life

If your R&D topic requires assessing the feasibility of machine forming, such as portioning sweet potato balls and taro balls, see the DY-528MS Sweet Potato Ball & Taro Ball Portioning Machine, or call Dong-Yih Machinery at 06-257-4644 or reach us through our contact information page.

FAQ

Q: Are there subsidies in Tainan?
A: Tainan City has a local SBIR program; the 2026 (ROC 115) round was commissioned to ITRI, with applications accepted from March 20 to 12:00 noon on May 5, and it has now closed; no announcement for next year has been found so far.

Q: How do subsidies differ between cities and counties?
A: Application periods, subsidy caps, eligibility (registration and place of operation), and application methods all differ. For example, Taichung City's 2026 (ROC 115) caps were NT$1 million for individual applications and NT$2 million for joint applications.

Q: Can local SBIR be used to buy machines?
A: It funds R&D projects; equipment can generally only be budgeted as an equipment usage fee, and simply purchasing equipment doesn't qualify.

Q: Can we apply for local and central SBIR at the same time?
A: The same R&D project can't receive duplicate government subsidies; different projects are subject to each program's application guidelines.