17th June 2019
Kanematsu Corporation
WERU INVESTMENT Co., Ltd.
Kanematsu Corporation (hereinafter "Kanematsu") and WERU INVESTMENT Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "WERU") hereby announce that the two companies concluded a business alliance agreement for the purpose of connecting Kanematsu's business base and WERU's venture capital investment base to bolster the structure for finding and developing venture companies with promising advanced technologies and business models in Japan and overseas.
Established in 1998, having grown out of Waseda University Entrepreneurial Research Unit, WERU is a university-oriented venture capital firm with the longest business history among such venture capitalists in Japan. Utilizing its own research division, it has discovered a number of promising research seeds at an early stage not only at Waseda University but also at the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University and Stanford University and others based on hypotheses constructed for each theme in technology and industry. As a result, it has achieved many investment development.
Under the current "future 135" medium-term vision, Kanematsu upholds "Response to technical innovation" as one of its priority initiatives. With an eye on investment in innovation, it formed a team for Technologies and Business Collaboration for cooperation among all business divisions to take the lead in promoting and expanding new businesses, focusing on cutting-edge technologies, such as AI and IoT. In addition, Kanematsu already has a cooperative relationship with WERU in the space field.
Taking advantage of the business alliance, the two companies will explore selected areas such as space, AI, new technology, synthetic biology and quantum technology, that are expected to trigger the creation of emerging industries, innovate existing industries, and bring sustainable economic growth in the future through innovation generated from long-term research. Moreover, the two companies will leverage their networks and knowledge to identify promising seeds and provide support for the growth of venture companies that will successfully compete in global markets.
＜Profile of WERU＞URL：http://www.weruinvest.com
Company name: WERU INVESTMENT Co., Ltd.
Date of Establishment：June 1998
President& CEO：Tadashi Takiguchi (Ph.D, visiting professor at Waseda University, specially appointed professor at Shizenkan University, director of The Japan Academic Society for Ventures and Entrepreneurs)
Address： Kikuicho 65, Shinjyuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan 162-0044
Contact:
Public & Investor Relations Section, Kanematsu Corporation Tel: +81-3-5440-8000