■ Sponsored Session:
Title: Bridging Science and Business: A Corporate Perspective on Collaboration
Speaker: Hiroyuki Kanda
Global Product Leader of Life Science Product Division, Rigaku Corporation
Hiroyuki Kanda, Global Product Leader of Life Science Product Division at Rigaku Corporation, delivered the presentation titled “Bridging Science and Business: A Corporate Perspective on Collaboration.” He emphasized the importance of collaboration between industry, academia, and government in advancing scientific innovation. Kanda introduced Rigaku Corporation, a company established in 1951, headquartered in Tokyo, and specializing in manufacturing scientific instruments, particularly X-ray technology.
Kanda highlighted the concept of “Lab to Fab,” which represents the transition from laboratory research to fabrication and commercialization. He illustrated this through a successful collaboration between Rigaku and JEOL in developing the Synergy-ED, an electron diffraction system. This system enables the determination of 3D molecular structures from nanoparticles, offering new insights into pharmaceuticals. The project, initiated on May 25, 2020, was completed and launched within a year, showcasing the efficiency of collaboration.
He acknowledged the role of academia in the early stages of research and development, citing valuable feedback from Professor Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University. The Synergy-ED prototype was used to establish a part of the early proof of concept with Kitagawa’s laboratory members. Later, the Synergy-ED prototype was installed in Kitagawa’s laboratory. Kanda noted that while the scientific level in Japan is high, the number of scientific papers submitted by Japanese researchers is relatively low compared to their European counterparts. He attributed this to challenges in budget, agility, and intellectual property management.
Kanda proposed the creation of an open innovation platform, free from biases towards academia or industry, with the government acting as a neutral facilitator. Such a platform would address the challenges of financial support and regulatory flexibility, enabling agile decision-making and activities, he said. He emphasized the need for genuine collaboration to bridge science and business, contributing to the advancement of humanity.
In response to questions, Kanda explained that the collaboration with JEOL originated from discussions between the companies’ leadership. He highlighted the importance of having opportunities for discussion to identify promising projects and products. Kanda concluded by reiterating the significance of collaboration in transforming scientific discoveries into real-world applications, underscoring Rigaku’s commitment to such initiatives.
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