Special Issue

Collaborations for New Business Creation

Collaboration Opportunity Creation
Hirokazu Nagai*, Kouki Sato*

UNIVERSITYTOKYO:OPENINGOF
OF
UNIVERSITY
OFOFTOKYO:OPENING
1.1.THETHETHESOCIALSOCIALCOOPERATIONCOOPERATION PROGRAMTHE
PROGRAMIn February 2018, Furukawa Electric and the University ofTokyo, opened the Social Cooperation program “Creationof the Next-Generation Signal and Power Transfer
Technologies” at the University of Tokyo Graduate Schoolof Engineering with the aim of creating new business andof improving productivity with the new ideas by integrating the new material technologies and the production
technologies of the Group with the academic expertise ofthe University of Tokyo (Figure 1). The program will run forthree years until the end of January 2021.
The Research & Development Div. has been conducting
necessary studies in industry- academia collaborations toobtain higher results sooner for the purpose of profit creation by launching products in a timely manner responding to the rapidly and dramatically changing external
environment such as the market.
The Social Cooperation program is a comprehensive
collaborative research framework designed to solve
social (corporate) issues based on the corporate investment. In this scheme, diverse and innovative technologies
to solve the issues are developed by integrating theunique technologies and know-hows owned by the company with the advanced technologies and the broad
range of discernment by the University of Tokyo.

Unlike a joint research conducted with a specific laboratory, the program has an advantage that the optimum
human resources can be flexibly and systematicallyassigned depending not only on the content of the theme
but also in response to the development phase and to
newly emerging technical issues. Currently, a total of four
themes are being offered in this program, two themes for
new materials such as carbon nanotube electric wires
and the thermoelectric conversion element, and twothemes for development of production technologies using
IoT, AI and Robotics as keywords.
As a result of the efforts to date, in the new material
themes, it has led to clarification of issues to be solved by
the deeper elucidation of the principle, and in the production technologies themes, it has greatly contributed to theprogress of the technological development for labor-saving applicable to labor-intensive factories that exist manyin the Group.
In addition, by actively assigning young human resources as develop members, we are planning to develop professional human resources not only by getting them into
touching with the advanced academic knowledge of theUniversity of Tokyo but also by getting them into learning
the development processes and into establishing personal relations.
For now, further joint research themes are being considered, and R&D in a wide area will be promoted bystrengthening the cooperation with the University ofTokyo.

2.2.FunFun
LabLabFigure 1 The Social Cooperation Program Greetings at theOpening. (February 8, 2018)
The University of Tokyo, President Gonokami (left)
Furukawa Electric President Kobayashi (right)*

Planning Department, R&D Division

In August 2016, an open laboratory named Fun Lab was
newly established in Yokohama Works as a venue to create new values by informing our capability of technological development, and by exchanging and discussing withexternal parties. By utilizing this facility, Furukawa Electric
will further strengthen the open innovation through collaborations with customers and other companies, universities, public research institutions and others1).
The concept 2) of Fun Lab consists of “The laboratorythat expands the possibility of technologies through communication with people outside the company” and “[Thevenue] for knowing each other”. In particular, “[ The venue]for knowing each other” is strongly intended to be a place
Furukawa Electric Review, No. 51 2020

7Collaboration Opportunity Creationfor open innovation with visitors by designing a spacethat enables creative communication under the three keywords shown below that have the meaning of “Co-” inJapanese.
“COMPREHENSION” Recognize each other’s strength.
“COOPERATION”	Propose and share new sensesof values utilizing each other’sstrength.
“COLLABORATION 3) ”	The place to jointly expands andrealizes the shared senses ofvalues.
Based on this concept, regarding the technologies andthe exhibited objects on display, the technologies androadmaps being researched and developed in our laboratories are also being exhibited. Based on the intention ofvisually expressing the “Function = Customer value” realized by the technology, products are in principle not displayed (however, the products may be displayed to present functions realized by the technology). And we do not
aim for products sales.
Figure 2 shows the Fun Lab logo and the QR code on
the dedicated website. We would welcome your visit andwould like to discuss with you about the possibility of collaboration.

Figure 2 Fun Lab logo (left) and the QR code on the dedicatedwebsite (right).

The utilization result as of the end of September 2019,
for about three years from the establishment, are as follows.
(1) Actual numbers of visitors (from August 2016).	Accumulated total: 480 teams, of which 381 teams
are externals. (Figure 3)
Total of 1,590 visitors.

(2)	Wide range of visitors from industry, government
and academia.	I.e. experience learning of junior high school students, contribution to local education, etc.
(3) Internal / Group companies: 99 teams	Strengthening cooperation between internal / Groupcompanies.
(4) “Collaboration” theme: 15 or more.
In response to the large numbers of visitors and toaccelerate open innovation activities, Fun Lab was newly
renovated in June 2019 4) (Figure 4).
By doubling the floor space, the sensory samples andvideos were added to the exhibited objects and the meeting space were enhanced, and the facility it was reborn tobe more attractive.
The renovated Fun Lab is a space equipped with devices that induce idea, such as whiteboards to quickly write
down ideas that visitors think up, a mechanism thatallows visitors to make presentation casually. Thus, communication can be born and deepened spontaneously
through these various devices. In addition, the exhibited
technologies focused on Furukawa Electric’s core technologies in “metals”, “polymers”, “photonics” and “highfrequency”, are displayed with ingenuity in a manner that
visitors are able to have better understanding how thesetechnologies are useful for social infrastructure construction.
In particular, the exhibition stand at the center isdesigned so that topics are displayed depending onguests. For example, as shown in Figure 5, on the occasion of the Group technology exchanging meeting where
Furukawa Electric Group companies gather, an illustration of the city was posted and it was used to a visitors'
participation type of workshop in the manner that the visitors to write in their ideas that would have be nice to have
similar thing in the city. Another example is to use thisexhibition stand as the place for the dynamic demonstration of newly launched products.

Group companies

10%Internal11%Others

10%480Groups

Industry

53%

AcademiaGovernment

10%

4%

Figure 3 Breakdown of Fun Lab visitors in 3 years
since establishment.

Figure 4 Inside the newly renovated Fun Lab.

Furukawa Electric Review, No. 51 2020

8Collaboration Opportunity Creation

Figure 5 Usage examples of the exhibition table at the center of Fun Lab.
(Left) F urukawa Electric Group technology exchanging meeting.
(Right) D ynamic demonstration of the newly launched products.

PARTICIPATIONTHE
YOKOHAMA
3.3.PARTICIPATION
ININ
THE
YOKOHAMAINNOVATORSCOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYINNOVATORSAs described in the press release by Yokohama City(December 21, 2018) 5), in recent years, corporate R&D
bases have been opening one after another in Yokohama
City and many venture companies have been located inKannai area and other areas. Yokohama is a land that has
been producing many innovators who have been creating
new businesses for 160 years. Yokohama has a plan, forthe modern innovation, to create the “Yokohama
Innovators Community” as a daily place where corporate
employees, entrepreneurs and students can learn andinterplay. Furukawa Electric has agreed with the intent
and decided to participate in this plan 6).
At New Year Yokohama Innovator festival in Kannai(Figure 6), held at the Yokohama Media Business Center
on January 7, 2019 sponsored by Yokohama City, Mayorof Yokohama City Fumiko Hayashi made a declaration
statement of “Innovation City Yokohama” and called forfurther participation to this program.

the Yokohama Innovators Community.
More specifically, a base to support growth will be set
up in Kannai area by gathering venture companies andentrepreneurs from Japan and abroad who will lead innovation and economic growth. And, with support fromsuch as the “Venture business supporters from Japanand abroad and domestic companies/ managers ”, creation of new business from Yokohama will be promoted
and attract companies and investment from inside andoutside the City then lead to the employment creationand further development of the business area. In addition, Yokohama City aims to be a business area that creates next-generation industries addressing new social
issues such as the SDGs, by taking the advantage of thestrength of the gathering of the “innovators” such as
entrepreneurs, researchers and students in the City andby promoting the exchange of the human resources
between corporation and the private companies 7). It has
been announced that the project will be implemented incorporation with the “SDGs DESIGN CENTER” in Climate
Change Policy Headquarters that is the crosscutting project of Yokohama City.
As shown in Figure 7 7), presently, companies such as
Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and KYOCERA Corporation
have established or are planning to establish R&D basesin Minato Mirai district.
Minato Mirai

京浜東

北線

R&D bases, etc.
Exchange of innovatorsin the City.

線

本鉄道海東相From inside andoutside the City

そごう本線

横浜駅

臨港パーク
線
いらみとなみ新高島駅

高島町駅

ンライールブ

行本線
京浜急

From inside andoutside the City

クイーンズスクエア横浜

赤レンガ倉庫線

馬車道駅

横浜港大さん橋
国際客船ターミナル

横浜税関

野毛山動物園

野毛山公園

横浜海上保安部Exchanging

岸

桜木町駅

Kannai

Venture support utilizing
横浜ハンマーヘッド resources in the town.

横浜ランドマークタワー
横浜ワールドポーターズ
根7)Figure 6 New Year Yokohama Innovator festival in Kannai .

パシフィコ横浜

みなとみらい駅

戸部駅

横浜港

展示ホール

開港記念会館
大岡川

県庁

日本大通り駅

山下公園

Oﬃce/ Place for Place forco-working informing exchanging

日ノ出町駅

関内駅

マリンタワー

横浜スタジアム

According to a press release from Yokohama City, as ofJanuary 4, 2019, it was announced that 43 organizations,including universities and companies have participated in元町・中華街駅

伊勢佐木長者町駅

黄金町駅

阪東橋駅

外人墓地

石川町駅

フェリス女学院

Figure 7 A part of the plan “Innovation City Yokohama ”.

Furukawa Electric Review, No. 51 20209Collaboration Opportunity Creation

By participating in this community, Furukawa Electric isplanning to participate in “Innovators Meeting” wherepassionate innovators, beyond the industry and business
type, gather and share the ideal imagination of initiatives
in Yokohama, also to participate in initiatives for innovations to solve social issues in SDGs, in cooperation withthe SDGs DESIGN CENTER in Yokohama City.
As a part of this activity, the “Innovation Space StudyGroup” with an innovation center was set up, hosted byProfessor Seiji Manabe of Yokohama National Universityof Business administration Department. About 10 companies from different industries gather to discuss topics
such as innovation issues out of the Innovation Center.
The second meeting was held in the Fun Lab of Furukawa
Electric. Opinions for the innovation issues and others
were exchanged through such as the group work, andmore vitalized innovation activities are aimed by sharing
successful examples and failure examples of each company.

REFERENCES
1) Furukawa Electric HP > News Release > Furukawa Electric to Newly
Construct an Open Lab in Yokohama (Referred on Jan. 22, 2020)		https://www.furukawa.co.jp/en/release/2016/kenkai_160817.html
2) K.Sato, T.Ijichi: “Reorganization of R&D system and how to structure a laboratory to create innovation, 5-2 New business creationby collaboration in Fun Lab”, Technical Information Institute Co.,
Ltd, 2017. (in Japaese)
3) T.Sasaki: “Hypothesis existed in the beginning, The world of“Engineer spirit” open up tomorrow.”, CREST, 1995. (in Japanese)
4) Furukawa Electric HP > News Release > Open Lab "Fun Lab"
renewal open (Referred on Jan. 22, 2020)		https://www.furukawa.co.jp/release/2019/kenkai_190704.html(in Japanese)5) City of Yokohama HP > City Administration Information > Public
Relations > Press Release > Economic Affairs Bureau > Press
Release FY 2018 > Mayor Fumiko Hayashi made a declaration
statement of “Innovation City Yokohama” (Referred on Jan. 22, 2020)		https://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/city-info/koho-kocho/press/keizai/2018/20181221-024-28760.html (in Japanese)
6) Fur ukawa Electric HP > News Release > Par ticipation in“Innovators Community” hosted by City of Yokohama (Referredon Jan. 22, 2020)		https://www.furukawa.co.jp/release/2019/kenkai_190125.html(in Japanese)7) City of Yokohama HP > City Administration Information >Organization > Introduction of Economic Af fairs Bureau >Budget of Economic Af fairs Bureau > Budget over view of
Economic Affairs Bureau, FY 2019 (Referred on Jan. 22, 2020)		https://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/city-info/yokohamashi/org/
keizai/yosan/31yosan.files/0001_20190318.pdf (in Japanese)

Furukawa Electric Review, No. 51 202010