Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has decided to make a donation of 600 million yen to Kyoto University to support the establishment of a new start-up support program, which will implement the research findings of Kyoto University. MC will promote the development and commercialization of the technological capabilities and research findings of Kyoto University in a wide range of fields to address various societal and industrial challenges.
Societal and industrial challenges such as climate change or the spread of infectious diseases become more diverse and complex. The need to commercialize research finding possessed by educational institutions and to speed up implementations of technologies in society is also increasing. Kyoto University has been conducting highly specialized research in a wide range of fields for many years. Also, Kyoto University is continuously working to expand its support for business start-ups. In support of its philosophy, MC has decided to make a donation to the incubation program to be newly established by Office of Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation, Kyoto University.
The “Kyoto University-Mitsubishi Corporation Startup Catapult” will utilize the research achievements of Kyoto University and provide financial support for research projects aiming to start businesses. We will shortly start accepting applications for specific projects and provide support for starting businesses for the projects in question after they are reviewed within Kyoto University.
In the Midterm Corporate Strategy 2024 announced in May 22, MC has set “Creating a New Future through Fostering New Industries/Regional Revitalization” as a pillar of its growth strategy. The increased number of start-ups using the research results of universities and other institutions will not only solve social issues but also improve Japan’s technological capabilities and industrial competitiveness. MC is also confident that the emergence of new industries in the region will contribute to the revitalization of the regional economy.
In addition, it is essential for the sustainable growth of MC or other private company to secure opportunities to reach various technological and innovation trends and link them to business over the medium to long term. MC will continue to focus on creating a framework for addressing various societal challenges through business, while strengthening industry-academia collaboration.
Topic: Press release summary