1. Event Name
Waseda Open Innovation Forum 2021: WOI ’21
2. Event Overview
Aiming to realize a Waseda Open Innovation Ecosystem that integrates industry-academia collaboration, human resource development, intellectual property creation, and venture development, Waseda University will hold the “Waseda Open Innovation Forum 2021: WOI ’21” online for the purpose of providing a matching place where industry, venture, university researchers, and students can meet together, as well as introducing Waseda University research seeds, industry-academia collaboration results, successful ventures, pre-listing ventures, and researcher/student technology seeds that are being considered for starting new businesses. At the forum, there will be online booth exhibits that include the latest Waseda University research seeds, examples of industry-academia collaborations, successful venture companies, and demonstrations of student/faculty ventures in addition to online lectures and panel discussions by domestic and foreign leaders on cutting-edge research, industry-academia collaboration, and starting venture companies.
3. Date and Time
Tuesday, March 9 and Wednesday, March 10, 2021 from 09:00-18:00 (planned)
*Will be available for online streaming at a later date.
4. Event Name
Held online via a web platform
5. Event Purpose
Waseda University aims to build a “Waseda Open Innovation Ecosystem” (*1) that will secure research and development expenses by producing highly original research results through university-industry collaboration, link the results to the development of high value-added products from industry, and reinvest a portion of the profits that arise in next-generation R&D and human resource development at universities. This leads to the further development of high value-added technology, the development of human resources that understand social needs, the creation of intellectual property.
As the Waseda Open Innovation Valley Initiative’s (*2) first step to realize this ecosystem, WOI ’21 will be held with the following aims:
○Introduce Waseda University’s excellent technology seeds and match industry-academia collaborations that lead to innovation creation, human resource development, and the social implementation of high value-added technologies.
○Establish opportunities for exchanges between companies.
○Provide a place for matching venture creation and development.
○Be a place to introduce the “Waseda Open Innovation Ecosystem,” centered on Waseda University’s world-class research, fostering doctoral students, industry-academia joint research, and the creation and acceleration of ventures.
*1:「Waseda Open Innovation Ecosystem」
Creates highly original research results through industry-academia collaboration, with industry utilizing the results as high value-added products and services in economic activities. The aim is to create a virtuous cycle in which industry reinvests part of the profits generated in the university, creating even higher value-added products and services, next-generation R&D resources, and human resource development. Additionally, it promotes the establishment and development of startups by utilizing some of the intellectual property created through research and development.
*2: Waseda Open Innovation Valley Concept
In the Waseda area, industry-academia collaborations, human resource development, intellectual property creation, and venture development are advanced in an integrated manner via the concept of amassing open innovation bases, including industry-academia collaborations, and achieving synergistic effects by networking the bases with the purpose of creating new “knowledge.”
6. Event Composition
Program Content (Planned)
◆Booth Exhibition
・Technology exhibition booths by on-campus researchers (70 booths)
・Booths by industry-academia collaboration companies and venture companies (50 booths)
・Panels/booths showcasing student research results (10 booths)
◆Online Seminar
Aiming to promote industry-academia ventures, there will be video streams in the platform, utilizing Zoom and YouTube Live, etc., of lectures and panel discussions by leaders from government, universities, and the world’s most advanced domestic and overseas companies.
◆Online Exchanges
There will be online opportunities for industry-academia collaboration matching, venture seed fund accelerator matching, on-campus humanities and social sciences / science and engineering researcher matching, and interactions between companies / ventures and students.
7. Planned Online Visitors
○Business personnel with product / service development needs who are seeking technology seeds from university researchers
○Development leads and researchers from large companies
○Small business owners
○Venture personnel (students, venture entrepreneurs, venture support organizations)
○Ministry officials
○Personnel from local governments and public support projects (town development, support for local companies, support for SMEs)
○Students and alumni (Students and alumni interested in supporting the venture companies of their juniors or participating in venture management, etc.)
8. Organizer
Organizer: Waseda University
Support: Japan Business Federation (Planned)
