Deep-tech defense firm Shield AI has officially planted its flag in Taiwan, opening a new office in the iconic Taipei 101 tower during the 2025 Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE). The move signals a commitment to closer collaboration with Taiwan’s government, defense sector, and aerospace industry on autonomy and drone technologies.
Autonomy Meets Strategic Partnership
“One of the lessons we learned from our work in Ukraine is that if you want to be a real partner, you need to be there,” said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s President, Co-Founder, and former Navy SEAL. By establishing a permanent Taipei presence, Tseng emphasized that Shield AI can better support Taiwan’s defense ecosystem through mission autonomy and advanced aircraft that bolster deterrence.
The new office launch included a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 20 with officials from government, industry, and academia. Earlier in the week, Tseng delivered a keynote on “The Modern Battlefield: Lessons from Ukraine and Why Autonomy Matters,” while CTO Nathan Michael presented “Sovereign Autonomy: The Critical Enabler of Drone Armies,” underscoring the company’s vision for integrating autonomous systems into modern defense strategies.
Building on Local Collaboration
The Taipei 101 office strengthens Shield AI’s momentum following its Teaming Agreement with Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC). The partnership focuses on promoting, deploying, sustaining, and integrating autonomous products within Taiwan, combining Shield AI’s cutting-edge autonomy software with AIDC’s local manufacturing and defense expertise.
A senior AIDC representative attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, emphasizing the collaboration’s strategic significance and the role of industry-government partnerships in advancing national defense capabilities.
Shield AI’s expansion into Taipei reflects a broader trend of defense technology companies establishing a physical presence in key allied nations—an approach designed to foster trust, streamline collaboration, and accelerate deployment of advanced autonomous systems in geopolitically sensitive regions.
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