News

Genics Co., Ltd., a research and development startup founded in 2018 based on robotics technology cultivated in the Hiroyuki Ishii and Atsuo Takanishi Laboratory* at Waseda University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Creative Science and Engineering, Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering*, has launched a crowdfunding campaign for the general sale of its innovative robotic toothbrush, “g.eN.” Having achieved its initial goal, the company is now seeking further support to continue its efforts toward mass production.

g.eN is a new oral care product that completes brushing in as little as one minute simply by placing it in your mouth. Based on over a decade of research and development, it aims to create a society where everyone—including young children who find toothbrushes difficult to use, seniors, those with physical limitations, and busy professionals—can easily receive high-quality oral care.

The project was led by Genics Co., Ltd. CEO Gen Sakaeda, who at the time was a graduate student at Waseda University engaged in robotics research. Ten years after research began, the project achieved miniaturization through deepening research and accumulating results, including being selected for the Program for Creating STart ups from Advanced Research and Technology by JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency). It is now finally being delivered to society through general sales.

This challenge embodies Waseda University’s philosophy of “Practical Application of Scholarship,” which means returning research outcomes to society and putting them to use for the benefit of society. The Waseda University Center for Entrepreneurship* will continue to provide ongoing support to Genics toward achieving mass production, while also focusing on nurturing startups that follow in Genics’ footsteps.

We remain committed to enriching people’s lives by steadily delivering the knowledge and technologies developed through our university’s research activities to society. We look forward to your continued support.

For crowdfunding details, click below*. We sincerely appreciate your support.
https://kibidango.com/projects/2875

*Websites in Japanese only

Genics Co., Ltd., Gen Sakaeda, Representative Director and CEO Comment

I launched a project during my first year of graduate school with the goal of not just completing my research as a thesis but also achieving practical application and societal implementation. My fundamental motivation stems from a desire to give back to society through my research and solve problems faced by many people. I concluded that the doctoral program environment was best suited for seriously pursuing practical application while continuing my research. Concurrently with deciding to advance my studies, I established a company to swiftly deliver research outcomes to society. Balancing research and social implementation has not been easy, involving repeated prototyping and failures. From this process emerged “g.eN,” a robotic toothbrush that completes brushing in as little as one minute simply by biting down. Building on over a decade of research at Waseda University, we’ve evolved it into a product that makes high-quality oral care accessible and simple for everyone. While g.eN is still evolving, we aim for it to challenge the world as a Japanese innovation and become a pillar supporting the health of more people. We hope this challenge resonates and that the circle of supporters joining us to build the future continues to grow.

Overview of Genics Co., Ltd.

• Company Name: Genics Co., Ltd. (Waseda University Center for Entrepreneurship Member Company)
• Address: Room 12, Waseda University Center for Entrepreneurship, 1-22-3 Nishiwaseda, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
• Representative Director & CEO: Gen Sakaeda
• (Completed coursework for the doctoral program at Waseda University’s Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering. Specialized in Robotics. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology “Entrepreneurship Promotion Ambassador”)
• Established: April 2018
• Business Activities: Development and sales of products utilizing robotics technology
• Website: https://genics.jp/ (Japanese only)
• YouTube video featuring CEO Sakaeda: https://youtu.be/-bhtAv08JdA?si=JLzVfJTtYC-ybdpV
• Interview featuring CEO Sakaeda: https://www.waseda.jp/inst/weekly/news/2019/06/11/63912/