Strategic expansion through startups
March 19, 2018 − The Japanese technology group Yaskawa Electric Corporation, the parent company of Yaskawa Europe GmbH in Eschborn, Germany, is pushing ahead in the implementation of its “Vision 2025” corporate goals. The focus is on the fields of mechatronics, environmental energy and humatronics, where Yaskawa, together with startup companies, wants to establish new values for the development of society worldwide. As part of this program, the European headquarters are also actively looking for suitable startups.
For example, the Japanese parent company’s most recent international holdings include LOCIX, a US provider of wireless sensor platforms, Teraloop Oy, a Finnish company for large-capacity storage of kinetic energy, and Japanese companies XCompass Ltd., a startup focused on artificial intelligence among other things, FLOSFIA Inc., a specialist in gallium oxide power semiconductors, FOMM Corporation, a producer of small electric vehicles for the local area, and PicoCELA Inc., which implements networking technologies for the Internet of Things (IoT).
Cooperation with the exoskeleton pioneer ReWalk Robotics Ltd., with Electric Vehicle (EV) Venture GLM Co., Ltd. and with Robotic Biology Institute Inc., a technology company for laboratory automation, have also existed for some time.
Strategic background
As part of its “Vision 2025” strategy, Yaskawa is currently concluding agreements with startup companies working in the areas of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) worldwide.
The aim of the cooperation is to jointly achieve synergy and expand the previous main business areas of robotics, motion control and power conversion in a meaningful and forward-thinking manner. To this end, the company invested around 2 billion yen (EUR 14.85 million) worldwide over the last three financial years.
Further information can be found here.