Why I'm growing my Vancouver AI company in Taiwan and Europe instead of the U.S.

Caseway, a 15-person Vancouver AI company, is shifting new business development away from the United States and toward Taiwan and Europe. Its software automates forms using an organization’s own documents and checks them against rules; its data tools combine information into records that can be defended under scrutiny. The company’s products serve courts and more than 100 law firms, and it is also developing systems for German submarine maker TKMS. Because customers need sensitive data kept on their own hardware and under their own laws, they questioned whether Caseway could credibly sell in the U.S. while building American staff, servers and legal exposure. A U.S. directive telling agencies to remove Canadian-made products from purchasing schedules further weakened the case, despite Caseway’s supplier registrations. It will retain two existing U.S. customers but stop pursuing new ones.

Taiwan offers concrete partners and potential buyers, though not yet revenue. Caseway has announced work with MiTAC on counter-drone and maritime decision support, and partnered with Phison, Kunway and Coretronic. Kunway has specified software needs for its drones; the companies are planning a paid pilot, followed by licensing and revenue sharing. Caseway is also seeking access to Ukrainian defence footage for software testing, an expensive and logistically demanding step. In Europe, Canada’s participation in the EU’s €150-billion SAFE defence-financing program creates another procurement opportunity, though suppliers must still qualify and win contracts. The founder’s broader advice is to find a partner with a real need and buyer before choosing a market, complete procurement requirements early, and keep using Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service to build targeted relationships.