On September 5, RIKEN established a fully-owned subsidiary, RIKEN Innovation, Co., Ltd., which will work to improve communication between private industry and RIKEN, and to support collaborative projects. This move was made possible by a new law passed in January of this year which allows National Research and Development Institutes such as RIKEN to establish subsidiaries to carry out work related to licensing technologies and conducting joint research with the private sector. Starting on December 1, the new company began carrying out business on behalf of RIKEN. Simultaneously, RIKEN's Cluster for Innovation, which previously handled such work, was shut down.
The new company is working in four major areas: strategic management and transfer of RIKEN’s intellectual property, support for RIKEN start-ups working for the commercialization of RIKEN technologies, support for large-scale collaboration, and co-creation with industry using RIKEN’s vast knowledge.
Regarding the establishment of the new company, RIKEN President Hiroshi Matsumoto says, “The image of RIKEN is that we are an institute focused on theoretical research, but the reality is that many of our breakthroughs are being used by industry, and our papers are frequently cited in patent applications by private companies.”
“Thanks to the efforts of many people,” he continues, “a law was enacted giving us the ability to invest in an innovation company. I believe that this will help strengthen our ties with industry. We will work with the new company to further accelerate the application of our research findings with the goal of contributing to Japan’s development as a Designated National Research and Development Institute.”
For inquiries about the new company, please send an email to contact [at] innovation-riken.jp.