Innovation Policy
Since the emergence of the chemical industry more than 100 years ago, the scope of chemical products has become increasingly diverse, enriching and enhancing the convenience of people’s lives. In recent years, however, the chemical industry has matured, and it is becoming extremely difficult to develop new businesses simply by relying on the approach of creating new materials. We will promote innovation activities to not only develop materials but also provide solutions to issues facing society.
Our Vision for Innovation
We have developed our innovation vision for 2035 and defined the key milestones to be achieved by 2029 to realize the vision. Focusing on ever-evolving customer needs and the challenges of realizing a sustainable society, we continue to provide value to customers and society by resolving issues through chemical technology.
Today
What We Should Achieve by 2029
- Carry out innovation activities suited to our business model to provide greater value in a timelier manner.
- Make effective and synergistic use of internal and external intellectual assets.
- Ensure that individuals capable of accurately grasping the essence of issues and providing solutions are highly involved in the workplace.
What We Aim to Achieve by 2035
Our innovation activities are advancing across five business focus areas, and the value created contributes to our sustained business growth.
Four Innovation Areas and Strategies
Business models vary across markets and industries. We classify our innovation approach into four areas based on two axes: value to customers and technology. The distinct characteristics of each area form the basis of strategies that guide our business activities. To drive our efforts forward, we are accelerating R&D by leveraging computational science powered by our supercomputers alongside our established strengths in materials production and analytical techniques.
Developing New Applications
In developing new applications, we flexibly combine our existing technologies and products to promptly and effectively address customer challenges. We strive to identify customer values that evolve with the times—such as in food quality and mobility interiors and exteriors—and to expedite development by leveraging our technological strengths in material design, analysis, and product commercialization, thereby creating even greater value. These efforts will broaden the potential for new applications beyond conventional frameworks, ultimately enabling us to deliver practical and reliable solutions to customers in a timely manner.
Developing Next-Generation Products
To develop next-generation products, we are strategically advancing technologies for high-need markets, such as mobility, semiconductors, telecommunications, and regenerative medicine. We share product development roadmaps with key customers and formulate strategies based on future needs, technological trends, and our strengths. These roadmaps are updated as necessary in response to changes in market conditions and customer needs. In this area, developing new materials is the key to achieving technological breakthroughs. To this end, we fuse our strengths with new technologies and elevate them into more sophisticated capabilities to accelerate progress toward market readiness.
Exploring New Frontiers
Frontiers represent markets with strong growth potential, despite their uncertain outlook. While these markets are still in the exploratory stage, we are proactively identifying future growth domains expected to emerge around 2035 and building on our technological assets to pursue new business opportunities. This approach also serves as a response to potential threats facing our existing businesses. The key in this area is to actively draw on external resources, such as universities, start-ups, and partner companies, and foster open innovation through our own venture capital initiatives.
Existing Businesses
Our existing businesses strive to contribute to profits by enhancing production efficiency and ensuring a stable product supply. Utilizing the knowledge and experience we have accumulated to date, we continue to deliver value to customers, primarily through our business groups. The activities in this area, by optimizing both efficiency and quality, play a significant role in supporting the stable growth of our overall business.
Open Innovation—Boosting R&D and Business Creation
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation promotes open innovation by connecting its technologies and expertise with those of external parties. Our specialized teams with advanced knowledge lead collaborations with academia, industries, and start-ups, and effectively combine these partnership efforts. By incorporating a diverse array of technologies and ideas from global co-creation partners, we generate synergies between internal and external strengths to maximize value and accelerate innovation.
Activities to rapidly increase business value by developing new business models with innovative ideas and technology are a core strength of start-up firms. Collaboration and investment through corporate venture capital are key measures of open innovation.
Corporate Venture Capital
In our corporate venture capital activities, we select partner companies developing new technologies and solutions based on three evaluation criteria: alignment with our corporate vision, potential to gain a competitive advantage, and prospects for further growth. We work with these companies to complement the technological foundation we have built over the years. Through these partnerships, we aim to rapidly create value in the five business focus areas defined in KAITEKI Vision 35.
Overview of collaboration with portfolio start-ups
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Technology Platforms Supporting the Entire Technological Value Chain
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation has consolidated its technologies into seven technology platforms to meet the diverse needs of society. Each platform is designed to advance proprietary technologies for creating new businesses and products, provide technological solutions that enable new value and capabilities, and strengthen scientific research and cultivate technological talent.
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Centered on colorant technology derived from textile dyes, we specialize in molecular design and synthesis technology that control physical properties, such as light, heat, and electricity. Our capabilities span greener polymer material design and polymerization technology including biopolymers, and evaluation technology. By organically combining our technologies and conducting timely, innovative research, we aim to contribute to the realization of a KAITEKI society.
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We are developing technologies to control the shape, purity, crystal structure, and composition of inorganic materials by combining solid-phase, liquid-phase, and gas-phase synthesis with post-processing techniques such as grinding, sintering, and coating. Our focus includes materials such as zeolites, silicon materials, next-generation power semiconductors, phosphors, and catalysts. We are also working on materials that support advancements in the environmental and digital fields.
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We incorporate engineering simulation, measurement, automation, and digital technologies into chemical process technologies (e.g., reaction and separation technologies cultivated through the establishment and optimization of manufacturing plants) as well as resin processing technologies for film and fiber. We commercialize materials that meet social needs, while also developing and supporting the operation of safe, stable, and highly efficient manufacturing processes.
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We integrate computational science expertise with our technologies in product formulation, processing (including film processing, compounding, surface design, and molding), and design (including computer-aided engineering and 3D printing) to more rapidly enhance and expand our technological capabilities. By optimally combining these capabilities, we create diverse value in functional molded products and provide solutions to social issues.
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We have accumulated a wide range of analytical technologies, from chemical analysis to morphological analysis, and developed an exceptional ability to implement technology through collaboration with academia. Utilizing these strengths, we provide reliable analyses and accurate solutions to challenges in R&D and manufacturing.
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Leveraging our expertise in computational science, including AI, we make use of our high-performance computers to accelerate analysis and design processes. By integrating measurement technologies with laboratory automation, we efficiently explore advanced materials and enhance their performance, thus rapidly delivering high-value-added solutions.
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We are advancing biotechnology by focusing on microbial fermentation and enzyme technologies using genetic engineering techniques. As demonstrated by our world-first industrial application of enzymatic acrylamide synthesis, we contribute to reducing environmental impact and achieving sustainable manufacturing through the synthesis and analysis of functional materials.
Click on the items in the diagram above for an explanation of each technology platform.
