The Tokai region boasts world-class research capabilities at institutions like Nagoya University and Gifu University, alongside a manufacturing cluster centered on the automotive, machinery, and materials industries. CJIC is a university-affiliated venture capital firm specializing in deep tech, established to maximize this potential.
At TechGALA, participating companies, startups, universities, and investors unite to challenge the creation of new industries by combining “university-spun-off technologies × field needs × growth capital.”
We engage in co-creation not only by providing funding but also by acting as a long-term partner, leveraging networks with universities, large corporations, and overseas entities to create PoC fields and design subsequent funding rounds.
Let's work together to continuously produce globally competitive deep tech companies from the Tokai region and realize “Innovation that changes the world from the heart of Japan.”


Challenges we want to solve through co-creation：
Building an industrial ecosystem to accelerate the social implementation and global expansion of deep tech originating from the Tokai region

The Tokai region boasts world-class research capabilities at universities including Nagoya University and Gifu University, alongside concentrated manufacturing clusters in automobiles, materials, machinery, and other sectors. It is essential to leverage these strengths while driving transformation of the industrial structure.
Furthermore, deep tech requires lengthy development periods and multifaceted management resources such as funding, talent, and demonstration fields. Currently, rapid commercialization is difficult for individual companies alone.
CJIC aims to increase collaborative spaces where “universities × startups × corporations × investors” unite, building an ecosystem where deep tech originating from the Tokai region can compete in the global market.

The Technology We Seek in Startups

● Materials and semiconductor technologies driving high-value-added manufacturing, including next-generation semiconductors, electronic components, advanced packaging, functional materials, and energy materials
● Core technologies and software in mobility and robotics, such as autonomous driving, logistics robots, industrial robots, and drones
● AI and information technologies advancing manufacturing, healthcare, and infrastructure, including generative AI, optimization algorithms, simulation, and data platforms
● Deep tech in life sciences/health tech, including drug discovery platforms, diagnostic/medical devices, and digital health
● Manufacturing innovation technologies, such as smart factories, industrial IoT, process automation, and high-efficiency/low-carbon production processes
● Startups and business divisions aiming to commercialize solutions using the above technologies to address industrial and societal challenges in the Tokai region

Examples of Co-Creation Ideas

・A joint project to establish a new company through a “tripartite collaboration model” where CJIC provides investment and commercialization support for deep tech seeds from university labs × participating companies' business challenges × potential entrepreneurs
・Using manufacturing bases and infrastructure facilities in the Tokai region as a field, jointly conducting PoC and pre-mass production verification using technologies from CJIC portfolio companies and candidate startups. Based on these results, exploring collaboration schemes aiming for joint ventures, capital and business alliances, and more.
・Co-creation of the “Global Tokai” model: CJIC provides investment and introduces local partners for overseas deep tech startups entering Japan/Tokai, establishing joint development and sales frameworks with participating companies
・Jointly designing an open innovation program that pairs participating companies' underutilized technologies, intellectual property, and data with university researchers and startups. This program provides end-to-end support from hypothesis validation in new business domains through to commercialization (including establishing new subsidiaries or creating business divisions).

Available resources

・Funding from VC funds specializing in deep tech fields (IT/AI, mobility, robotics, materials/semiconductors, life sciences, manufacturing, etc.)
・Access to technology seeds and researcher networks from universities and research institutions, primarily the Tokai National University Organization (Nagoya University, Gifu University), along with commercialization support expertise
・Introduction to PoC fields and early-stage customer candidates leveraging networks with manufacturing and infrastructure companies in the Tokai region
・Support for joint research, joint ventures, and overseas expansion through a global network with overseas universities, VCs, and corporations in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, etc.
・Hands-on support for portfolio and candidate startups (business strategy, fundraising, recruitment, talent introduction, partnership building, etc.)