The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) has received the Japan Industrial Location Center President Award, as part of the Innovation Net Award Program for 2022. The award was given to OST in recognition of its Innovation Square Startup Accelerator Program, a startup support initiative launched in 2018.
The award ceremony was held in Ochanomizu, Tokyo on June 14, 2022.
The award, which was sponsored and hosted by the Innovation Initiative Network Japan for the 11th time, aims to promote the creation of new businesses and industries across Japan, by recognizing and promoting outstanding initiatives that support companies in ways that take into account the unique characteristics of the region.
OIST received high acclaim for its global research resources and business networks, its ability to attract entrepreneurs from around the world, and the practical support provided by its staff, who are experienced in international research and business.
OIST’s Innovation Square Startup Accelerator Program is run by the university with financial support from Okinawa Prefectural Government, and leverages OIST’s international competitiveness in research and its state-of-the-art facilities to attract the most promising entrepreneurs from around the world to incubate their companies in Okinawa. OIST provides comprehensive support to groups of entrepreneurs who are seeking to establish their companies in Okinawa with their unique technology seeds. So far, seven teams have participated in the program and are being incubated around OIST. "EF Polymer", one of the start-up companies created through this program, has been working on R&D programs in Japan and abroad. The company has already achieved many accomplishments, winning awards in various competitions and successfully completing an initial round of fundraising.
Ms. Anna Nagamine, Manager at the Technology Development and Innovation Center (TDIC) at OIST, said, "This award is a testament to the team's wholehearted support for the entrepreneurs, to help them realize their visions of establishing their companies in Okinawa with the support from the Okinawa Prefectural Government. We will use this award as an opportunity to further deepen our ties with the local community and promote activities that will contribute to the further development of the innovation ecosystem in Okinawa."
Gil Granot Mayer, Executive Vice President of TDIC, commented, "We are very pleased that our efforts in fostering entrepreneurship have been recognized in this way. OIST will continue our initiative to help the development of entrepreneurs from Okinawa and to promote the recognition of the prefecture as one of the innovation hubs in the Asia-Pacific region.”
