Press Release

   

May 9, 2019

Keihanna Research Complex
Public Foundation of Kansai Research Institute
Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International
Kyoto Prefecture

ATR and National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Sign a MoU
-MoU for Collaboration in the Industrial Technology Field Signed between ATR and NRC with Attendance of Prime Ministers of Japan and Canada-

 The Keihanna Research Complex project, called Keihanna RC, has been working on the creation of various joint projects and sustainable innovations, with an aim to establish a global innovation ecosystem that uses advantageous features of the Keihanna Science City.
 During the Japanese prime minister’s visit to Canada, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR), one of the core organizations of Keihanna RC in charge of the promotion of commercialization and innovation hub, and National Research Council Canada (NRC) signed a MoU, with the attendance of the prime ministers of both countries.
 Based on the MoU, ATR and NRC will establish collaborations in the field of in industrial science and technology by inviting Canadian companies to the Keihanna Global Acceleration Program Plus (KGAP+), a business support program targeting small and medium-sized companies implemented by ATR as a part of Keihanna RC.
 By adding Canada to its existing partners, the New York City, Israel, and Barcelona, Keihanna RC will develop the Keihanna Science City into a base for world-class innovations.

１　Signing Ceremony on April 28 (local time in Canada)

Dr. Hiroyuki Suzuki, Executive Vice President, ATR (Left) and Mr. Iain Stewart, President, NRC (Right)


２　Summary of the prime ministers’ remarks at the joint press conference after the signing ceremony
● Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
I am pleased that the MoU was signed to strengthen the relationship of Japan and Canada in the innovation and other fields.
● Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
I am pleased that a MoU concerning the industrial technology field was signed. This will promote collaboration between the two countries for generating cutting-edge innovations in the areas of robotics and telecommunications.

<Reference>
■Keihanna Research Complex project (Keihanna RC)
 Keihanna Research Complex project, called Keihanna RC, is promoted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). Since its start in September 2016, Keihanna RC supports the construction of a mechanism producing continuous scientific and technological innovations in the regions where universities, research institutes and companies are strategically integrated. So far, 45 organizations in the Keihanna Science City participate in this project and cooperate with other large enterprises, SMEs, start-ups, and local residents in the pursuit of world-class innovations and creation of a global innovation ecosystem.
 In 2019, Keihanna RC newly launched the Keihanna Global Acceleration Program Plus (KGAP+) for creating joint projects on a global scale. Taking the MoU with NRC as an opportunity, Keihanna RC will promote more joint projects.
  • Core organization of Keihanna RC: Public Foundation of Kansai Research Institute
  • Organization in charge of commercialization and creation of innovation hub in Keihanna RC: Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute Internationa
  • Proposer of Keihanna RC: Kyoto prefecture (local government)

URL：http://keihanna-rc.jp/en/


■Keihanna Global Acceleration Program Plus (KGAP+)
 KGAP+ is a program implemented by the Keihanna RC to support start-ups and SMEs inside and outside of Japan. The program features a support system backed by Keihanna RC’s global network, where Japanese and foreign companies can implement joint experiments together and both Japanese and foreign companies are given chances to expand globally. By promoting KGAP+, Keihanna RC aims to develop the Keihanna Science City into a global start-up hub.

■Track Record (Global Network)
 As of the FY 2018, Keihanna RC’s global network has 157 organizations in 18 prefectures in Japan, and 96 organizations in 12 countries in the world (Note: This number includes individuals).

■Track Record (MoU/MoC)
●Barcelona Activa on November 15, 2017
 At the Smart City Expo World Congress held in Barcelona, Keihanna RC and the local incubator Barcelona Activa signed a MoU for activating bilateral exchanges of start-ups between both areas.

●Israel Innovation Authority on January 15, 2019
 At the Japan Israel Innovation Network (JIIN) business forum in Jerusalem, which Japan’s Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshige Seko attended during his official visit to Israel, Keihanna RC signed a MoC with Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) for promoting innovations and coordination in research and development in the industrial field.

●Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator in April ,2019
 Keihanna RC signed a MoU with Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator (ERA), New York City’s leading accelerator, to strengthen a support system for start-ups.

■National Research Council Canada (NRC)
NRC is the primary national research and technology organization of the Government of Canada in science and technology research and development. NRC, positioned as a center of scientific research in Canada, cooperate with academic/research entities and enterprises as well as proceeding with its own researches. NRC manages over 20 approved programs at present in 19 research fields including biotechnology, IT, aerospace, architecture, and marine engineering and is dedicated to shortening gaps between early stage research and commercialization.
URL：https://nrc.canada.ca/en/

■Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR)
Location: 2-2-2 Hikaridai Seika-cho, Sorakugun, Kyoto, Japan (Kansai Science City)
Overview：Aiming to promote innovations and contribute to regional revitalization, ATR pursues world-leading, ingenious research achievements in computational neuroscience, life-supporting robots, wireless and communications, and life science as well as their business developments, in collaboration between industry, academia and government. In the Keihanna RC project, ATR promotes global business-to-business matchings and supports start-ups as one of the core organizations in charge of business development support and creation of an innovation hub. At present, ATR is working on the promotion of exchange of human resources, one of the action plans in the MoC with IAA.
President：Tohru Asami
URL：https://www.atr.jp/index_e.html

■Public Foundation of Kansai Research Institute　(KRI)
Location: Keihanna Plaza, Laboratory Bldg. 3F, 1-7 Hikaridai Seika-cho, Sorakugun, Kyoto, Japan (Kansai Science City)
Overview: KRI is a public corporation established for the purpose of promoting construction of the science city; and communication among residents, researchers, and companies there. KRI also plays a core part in Keihanna RC.
President: Yasuo Kashihara (Vice-Chairman of Kansa Economic Federation)
URL：https://www.kri.or.jp/