Entrepreneurship

Source: https://en.nagoya-u.ac.jp/research/corporate/entrepreneurship/ Parent: https://en.nagoya-u.ac.jp/research/

Driving innovation

Nagoya University is expanding its social impact by fostering innovation and entrepreneurship through strategic partnerships. Domestically, it partners with STATION Ai, Japan’s leading startup incubator, granting students, researchers, and university spin-offs access to cutting-edge resources and a network of industry experts. Internationally, Nagoya University’s Singapore office at BLOCK71, established as the first Japanese partnership with the National University of Singapore (NUS) Enterprise, serves as a node in Asian and global innovation networks. These partnerships create pathways for translating research into solutions with social impact and connecting local innovation with global opportunities.

Educating entrepreneurs

Nagoya University’s commitment to encouraging innovation begins with the Deep Tech Serial Innovation Center (D-center), which takes an interdisciplinary approach to entrepreneurial education. Rather than focusing only on creating future entrepreneurs, D-center develops the innovative thinking and problem-solving capabilities essential for all students seeking to launch startups or lead innovation within existing organizations. Nagoya University students can also participate in Tongali, a consortium of 26 universities and research institutions in the Tokai region of central Japan. Through Tongali’s programs, including workshops, business competitions and international training, participants can develop ideas. IdeaStoa, a co-working space located within the National Innovation Complex of Nagoya University’s Higashiyama Campus, is the venue for many of these events. The GAP Fund program offers financial support and expertise, transforming innovative ideas into market-ready products and providing students and researchers with business skills and industry connections to launch ventures.

Success Stories

As of October 2024, among 168 startups, we have officially recognized 79 companies as Nagoya University-based startups. For example, TOWING Co., Ltd., founded in 2020, develops and sells a high-performance biochar product called Soratan. Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced by heating organic biomass such as agricultural and forestry waste in a low-oxygen environment. Soratan is created using advanced microbiology technology, combining biochar with organic fertilizers to enhance soil quality. By leveraging the activity of microorganisms, Soratan improves nitrogen production ability in the soil. This transforms soil into high-quality farmland in just one month, compared to the multiple years required by traditional methods, thereby contributing to sustainable agriculture.

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