Office of Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation

Mission

More than ever before, universities are strongly desired to contribute to creating futures and tackling with societal challenges. These are also our goals at the Office of Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation (SACI), Kyoto University. We achieve our mission by sharing academic knowledge with the industry sector and creating together new values.

The traditional approach alone, such as technology transfer and collaborative research promotion, would no longer suffice to achieve our goals in this rapidly changing innovation landscape. More is necessary: We will advance open innovation dialogues and activities with various domestic and overseas stakeholders; build a world-class startup ecosystem with our local and regional communities; continue to champion innovation culture; and further promote our entrepreneurship spirits and activities, already nurtured and developed at Kyoto University

We also want to emphasize the importance of fundamental research, solidly based on inquisitive thinking and critical examinations. Fundamental research is the key to the creation of wide-ranging insights and technologies, eventually bringing benefit to society in the true sense. We strive to support further advancement of fundamental research at Kyoto University with our financial gain that SACI’s activities generate.

 We look forward to hearing from and working with you. We appreciate your continued support.

Sincerely

Koji MUROTA, Director-General for SACI

Engagement

  1. Strategy and policy development for industry-academia collaborative activities.
  2. Support and promotion of collaborative and commissioned research.
  3. Cooperation and collaboration with overseas research institutions and companies.
  4. Engagement with local and regional communities.
  5. Management and utilization of intellectual properties.
  6. Creating world-class startup eco-systems.

Organization/Sections

Office of Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation (SACI) develops strategies and policies for the comprehensive management of Kyoto University’s collaboration activities with industry, government, and academic sectors. We closely cooperate with our subsidiary group companies, and related organizations on campus.

Introduction to SACI’s Divisions

Integrated Strategic Div.

Synergy Management and Cross-Sectional Strategy Planning

This division maximizes the synergistic cooperation among SACI and the subsidiary group companies, and plans out cross-sectional and PR strategies and operations by integrating Strategic Communication Group and Strategic Controller Group.

Industry-Academia Collaboration Div.

University-Wide Promotion of Industry-Academia Collaboration

This division consists of the following three operational units and provides university-wide expert support to promote industry-academia collaborations. This division also runs and requests Academic Advisory Board by Emeritus to provide support for strategic planning, such as expansion and continuity of joint research and business, and propose from a broad perspective.

IMS Entrepreneurship Education Div.

Innovation Management Science-Entrepreneurship Education

Our activities range widely from promoting education and research in entrepreneurship to building a startup ecosystem. We develop our unique entrepreneurship educational programs for students, advance research, and provide support for startups. Our ultimate goal is to foster and support entrepreneur minds, who dare to create new values and passionately pursue their original ideas and ambitious dreams.

General Affairs & Administrative Div.

Effective Operations Supported by the University Headquarters

This division serves as the administrative office of SACI, with strong support of the University Headquarters’ Society-Academia Collaboration Division. The highly cohesive relationship with the University Headquarters enables SACI to function fully as a university-wide organization and drive Kyoto University’s vigorous industry-academia collaboration activities.

History of the SACI

1996

Established the Venture Business Laboratory (VBL).

In addition to promoting the research and development of advanced electronic devices and materials, VBL also cultivated students and researchers with a strong entrepreneurial spirit.

April 2001

Established the International Innovation Center (IIC).

The IIC created new industries by merging academic fields and/or collaborating with industry, or others, from an international perspective.

September 2003

Established the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).

The IPO established an organization for managing and using intellectual properties of the university.

April 2004

Kyoto University transformed into a national university corporation.

April 2005

Established the International Innovation Organization (IIO).

The IIO served as an organization for both comprehensively and functionally implementing industry-government-academia collaboration activities, intellectual property acquisition and utilization activities, and startup support activities from a unified university-wide perspective.

July 2007

Started the Office of Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation (SACI) and the Innovative Collaboration Center(ICC).

 SACI and the ICC were established to achieve additional growth and progress for industry-academia-government collaboration, intellectual property, and startup business activities.

April 2010

The Innovative Collaboration Center (ICC) is integrated into the Office of Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation (SACI).

This integration process further enhanced SACI’s role in carrying out industry-academia-government collaborations.

April 2012

Venture Business Laboratory (VBL) business operations were integrated into SACI.

Activities cultivated by VBL to support the incubation and launch of startup businesses were transferred to SACI.

December 2014

Established Kyoto University Innovation Capital Co., Ltd.

Wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyoto University

January 2016

Acquired about 68 % ownership of Kansai Technology Licensing Organization Co., Ltd. stock.

The acquisition was intended to strengthen intellectual property strategies by building strong collaborative relationships and further stimulate technology transfer activities.

July 2017

Established the Kyoto Academia Forum

The forum serves as a base for activities in Tokyo by Kyoto University and other universities in Kyoto.

June 2018

Established Kyoto University Original Co., Ltd.

Wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyoto University for offering consulting , training and teaching services, and so on.

July 2019

Established Kyoto University Open Innovation Institute

OI Institute houses a group of expert coordinators and provides intensive management of joint research in the competitive field.

October 2019

TLO-KYOTO Co., Ltd, renamed from Kansai Technology Licensing Organization Co., Ltd

April 2020

Established Kyoto Academia Law Office

The former internal Legal Affairs Division was separated as an independent legal office.

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Contact

Please use this form to contact the SACI.However, the response may be sent from a
department/division other than the SACI, such as from another division within
the university or from an affiliated company outside the university.