Establishment of Private Fund Jointly With SBI Investment
Nikon to Start New Action as Part of its Own Strategies to Accelerate Open Innovation
July 4, 2016
Nikon Corporation (Kazuo Ushida, President, Tokyo) today announced that Nikon and SBI Investment Co., Ltd. (Katsuya Kawashima, President, Tokyo, hereinafter "SBI Investment"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the SBI Holdings (Yoshitaka Kitao, President, Tokyo), jointly established a new private fund "Nikon-SBI Innovation Fund" on July 1. This Fund will make investments in Nikon's current business areas, and in the latest technologies and new service areas (e.g., IT, AI and robots).
To expand new business operations, Nikon has implemented a medium-term management plan including a policy to invest approximately 30 billion yen in the CVC (Corporate Venture Capital) Program, and has already started to invest globally in venture companies through multiple VC (Venture Capital) firms including SBI Investment. The Nikon-SBI Innovation Fund is a part of the CVC Program.
Nikon's CVC Program aims to actively acquire the latest technologies and business models that venture companies have developed, while Nikon-SBI Innovation Fund's objective is to increase investments in new business areas, as well as Nikon's current business areas.
Using SBI Investment's adequate expertise and experience in investment in growing sectors, Nikon will deploy this new fund to pursue new business opportunities by making synergistic investments in venture companies.
The maximum size of the Nikon-SBI Innovation Fund is expected to be 10 billion yen, and is expected to operate for a period of eight years.
Nikon will also start a Corporate Accelerator Program by which Nikon will provide funds and mentoring to venture companies that have promising technologies or business plans, and to other teams, either internal or external, in the pre-startup phase. Additionally, Nikon will promote and create business opportunities by nurturing innovators and improving how new business opportunities are pursued internally.
The first of its kind in Nikon's history, Nikon expects this action to accelerate open innovation.
Outline of new fund
| Fund name | Nikon-SBI Innovation Fund |
|---|---|
| Establishment | July 1, 2016 |
| Fund operation period | 8 years |
| Management company | SBI Investment Co., Ltd. |
| Investment target | Promising venture companies in Nikon's current business areas, and in the latest technologies and new service areas (e.g. IT, AI and robots) |
| Fund size | 10 billion yen (plan) |
About SBI Investment
SBI Investment is the core company of the SBI Group's asset management business, and it has invested an accumulated amount of 372 billion yen (as of March 31, 2016), as a "New Industry Creator", in privately held companies in growing, next-generation sectors such as the IT, bio, healthcare, environmental energy sectors.
Various companies have recently set up private funds (corporate venture funds), activating the movement for new business growth by making investments in venture companies that can create business synergy. As a result, using its expertise in venture business development, SBI Investment helps to create innovation through collaboration between business corporations and venture companies.
The information is current as of the date of publication. It is subject to change without notice.