Chartered Group, an Israeli investment company with headquarters in Singapore, is planning to establish an innovation hub in Japan called the Japan-Israel Innovation Place (JIIP) in early 2024. Potential locations being considered are Aichi Prefecture and Kansai region. This hub will serve as a collaborative space where Israeli startups and universities can partner with Japanese large companies, startups, and universities, fostering and promoting business alliances.
Chartered Group will cover a portion of the operational expenses, while non-startup companies participating in the hub will be required to pay membership fees. The founding members are envisioned to include five prominent Japanese companies. Alongside Israeli startups, representatives from prestigious Israeli academic institutions such as Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, and Weizmann Institute of Science, as well as officials from “MAFAT,” the research and development organization of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, will also be involved.
Israel has generated numerous startups based on scientific and technological research, and the level of investment and collaboration by Japanese companies has been on the rise. The two countries agreed to initiate joint research for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in November 2022, aiming to further enhance cooperation among industry, academia, and government.