Canadian Women-only Business Mission to Singapore and Taiwan

Where: Singapore and Taiwan

Format: In-person

What: The mission features public conferences with high-level speakers from Canada, Singapore, and Taiwan to discuss bilateral trade issues, gender inclusion in the economy with the goal of women’s economic advancement and SME supports. The delegates will participate in personalized business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking, company pitches, and networking opportunities with conference attendees.

When: Early March 2027

Who: We encourage all women and non-binary entrepreneurs whose business is aligned with the target sectors of this mission to apply. We especially welcome applicants from traditionally under-represented groups, such as (but not limited to) members of racialized and Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ folks, newcomers to Canada, and young entrepreneurs.

Singapore and Taiwan offer high-potential and complementary markets for Canadian businesses, particularly in the agrifood, cleantech, defence, energy, healthtech, and ICT sectors. Both economies have placed strategic emphasis on these industries and offer attractive incentives to foster growth and collaboration. By capitalizing on these dynamic markets, Canadian businesses can establish a strong foothold and tap into the potential for long-term success and mutually beneficial partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.  

Singapore consistently ranks as one of the world’s most open economies for trade and investment and is one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic and wealthiest markets. With a GDP of roughly C$919 billion (International Monetary Fund, April 2026) and world-class infrastructure, the island nation is a leader in smart city development, clean energy solutions, and digital technologies. Recognized for its business-friendly regulatory environment, Singapore offers Canadian businesses excellent access to a highly developed, innovation-driven market with strong growth prospects.

In 2025, Singapore was Canada’s 7^th largest Asian export destination, with merchandise exports totalling C$3.2 billion. Top exports to Singapore include machinery, mineral fuels and oils, electronics, aircraft, and scientific and precision instruments. As members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), both countries benefit from favourable trade terms and enhanced market access, further deepening commercial ties. 

• Agrifood: The Singaporean government is acutely aware of the threat climate change, disease, and geopolitical disruptions pose to food security. Through its Singapore Food Story 2 (SFS2) policy, the island nation has identified diversifying food imports, among other items, as key to mitigating supply chain disruptions. Additional opportunities lie in value-added products and technologies that can help expand Singapore’s domestic food production, including vertical farming, precision agriculture, and aquaculture technologies.
• Cleantech & Energy: Singapore outlines its sustainable development targets in its Green Plan 2030, which highlights market opportunities for businesses in renewable energy, circular economy, and low-carbon solutions. Furthermore, the country aims to position itself as a hub for emerging sectors like green finance, as well as carbon services and trading.
• Defence: As a small yet highly connected nation, Singapore faces immense security challenges in both the physical and digital realms. While big procurement projects may be difficult for companies to secure, those working in cybersecurity, aerospace manufacturing, and defence R&D may find niche partnership opportunities.
• Healthtech: Singapore’s guiding health initiative, Healthier SG, emphasizes preventive health anchored around healthy lifestyles and regular visits to a family doctor. Opportunities centre around tech-enabled health platforms and AI-driven clinical tools.
• ICT: Singapore strives to be a world-class, high-tech society, as demonstrated through its Smart Nation 2.0 and National AI Strategy 2.0 policies. Singaporeans are seeking partnerships with companies that can leverage technology to transform domains like advanced manufacturing, education, financial services, infrastructure, and logistics.

Taiwan is one of Asia’s most advanced economies, with a strong reputation for its advanced manufacturing, information and communication technology, and healthtech industries. With a GDP of about C$1.36 trillion (International Monetary Fund, April 2026), rigorous intellectual protection laws, world-class digital infrastructure, and strong industrial policy make Taiwan an excellent market for Canadian exporters.

In 2025, Taiwan was Canada’s 9^thlargest Asian export destination, with merchandise exports totalling C$2.0 billion. Canada's priority sectors for business development in Taiwan include aerospace, information and communications technology, agri-food and seafood products, biotechnology and life sciences, clean technologies, education, and energy. On December 22, 2023, Taipei and Ottawa inked a foreign investment promotion and protection arrangement (FIPA) to help protect and promote bilateral investments between the two economies. Canada and Taiwan also have a Science, Technology, and Innovation Arrangement and a Collaborative Framework on Supply Chains Resilience, both of which aim to strengthen bilateral collaboration.

• Agrifood: Taiwan's agrifood policies prioritize food security, quality control and safety, and sustainable agricultural development. Government initiatives emphasize organic agriculture while promoting smart farming, agritech innovation, and low-carbon production that strengthens domestic food systems and enhances food safety and resilience.
• Cleantech & Energy: Taiwan’s Net-Zero Roadmap and Second Energy Transition Policy commits the island to net-zero emissions by 2050 through a resilient renewable energy transition. As a heavy importer of energy, Taiwan is actively exploring methods to diversify green energy sources, accelerate industrial decarbonization, and promote clean technology innovation to achieve net-zero emissions while maintaining economic competitiveness.
• Defence: Evolving conflict over the Taiwan Strait has influenced Taiwan’s recent defence aspirations. By actively deepening security cooperation with democratic and likeminded partners, Taiwan’s National Defense Strategy (2025) enhances whole-of-society resilience and increases defence readiness through streamlined and connected response networks, such as through unmanned systems. Opportunities in aerospace and maritime capacity have been highlighted by the government, as well. 
• Healthtech: Taiwan consistently ranks first in the world for its healthcare quality. Its recent Healthy Taiwan Cultivation Plan expands the integration of smart medical technology, AI, and precision medicine to improve healthcare quality and sustainability for an aging population while supporting biomedical innovation and digital technologies. Taiwan is actively seeking methods to strengthen digital health infrastructure and advance the commercialization of health technologies. 
• ICT: Taiwan's world-leading semiconductor industry has fostered a robust ICT ecosystem. Driven by the Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, initiatives on digital inclusivity, AI’s cross-discipline application, as well as cybersecurity provide ample opportunity for collaboration.

• To mutually showcase technology innovations from Canada, Singapore, and Taiwan. 
• To provide networking opportunities for Canadian women in business with counterparts in Singapore and Taiwan. 
• To provide an opportunity to share insights and best practices on women’s economic advancement. 
• To facilitate business partnerships between Canadian delegates and their Singaporean and Taiwanese counterparts. 

Benefits for selected entrepreneur delegates include individualized B2B matching, curated networking, promotional opportunities, and access to CIAC2027, CanWIN’s invite-only investor forum, and the CanWIN Global Summit (2027). There is no fee to participate as an entrepreneur delegate. This APF Canada program is supported in part by the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy Ecosystem Fund and our Official Airline Partner, Air Canada.

Expenses covered by the program:  

• One round-trip economy class airfare to/from Asia, with travel between Singapore and Taiwan as required for the official program for the selected delegate
• Airport tax and facility fees 
• Accommodation, ground transportation between official program events and locations, and some meals during the official program in Singapore and Taiwan
• Admission fees for scheduled activities in Singapore and Taiwan that are part of the official program  

The following expenses are not covered by the program:  

• Travel between the participant’s home and the designated airport of origin, and any excess baggage fees incurred during the program 
• Overseas travel insurance – participants are responsible for their own medical expenses in Singapore and Taiwan
• Per diems and meals not required by the program 
• Loss or damage to personal belongings 
• Travel upgrades or extensions to the official program  

Please note: Participants are responsible for all personal expenses, including a passport valid for six months after the period of travel, travel vaccinations (as required), travel to/from the designated Canadian airport, accommodation and meals in Canada (as required), data plans and/or other telecommunications charges, and purchase of personal items/souvenirs prior to or during the program. 

Successful applicants are required to participate in all components of the mission, including:  

•    Pre-mission training meeting(s) 
•    All scheduled B2B meetings 
•    All official program events as scheduled by the organizer 

Eligible applicants must operate: 

• A Canadian headquartered company
• A women-owned and/or women-led business* (founders of the company applying must retain some portion of ownership)
• A for-profit organization such as an individually operated business; a partnership; a social enterprise; an incorporated company, corporation, co-operative, or an Indigenous organization
• A small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) with fewer than 500 employees

Eligible businesses must 

• Be export-ready and have demonstrated potential to succeed in Asian markets
• Have a commercialized product or service or one close to being commercialized
• Have conducted research on foreign markets and opportunities
• Have allocated resources (human, material, time, and financial) toward internationalization 

The following are ineligible to apply as entrepreneur delegates: 

• Not-for-profit organizations, and
• Government entities 

Priority will be given to entrepreneurs who: 

• Have generated revenues (sales, capital investment, etc.) exceeding C$100,000 per year for the past three years
• Have made efforts to localize their product or service for an international market (not necessarily in Asia)
• Have developed proprietary technology with the potential for long-term competitiveness
• Are defining their primary product/market fit and establishing reasonable pricing models with a sales strategy/pipeline

* For the purposes of this program, please note: 

• “Women-owned” is defined as an enterprise where one or more women own and have owned the majority of the company (more than 50%) for at least two years. 
   
• “Women-led” indicates an enterprise with at least one woman founder or co-founder in an executive leadership position who, for at least two years, has had ownership in the company and has been in a position to control and manage the operation and daily business of the entity and play an active role in strategic decision making. “Active role in strategic decision making” indicates said woman is involved in decision-making relating to the establishment of priorities, objectives, and goals for the overall operations of the business.   

A.W. Lee, PhD 

Director, Inclusive International Trade

Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Central Canada Office 

205-375 University Ave. 

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 2J5 

canwin@asiapacific.ca