Nikon Invests in New Venture Fund – aims to accelerate innovation and inorganic growth

TOKYO - Nikon Corporation (Nikon) today announced that Nikon and Geodesic Capital have established NFocus Fund, a new private fund, on August 6, with Nikon as the anchor limited partner. As set forth in its Medium-Term Management Plan (FY2022 - 2025), Nikon aims by 2030 to become a key technology solutions company in a global society where humans and machines co-create seamlessly. In order to achieve this goal and further the growth of Nikon, NFocus Fund will invest in early to mid-stage startups and collaborate with partners to enhance Nikon's technological innovation in several fields of strategic interest.

• PRESS RELEASE

Nikon Completes Acquisition of US Cinema Camera Manufacturer RED.com, LLC

Nikon Corporation (Nikon) hereby announces that as of April 8th, it has successfully acquired 100% of the outstanding membership interests of RED.com, LLC (RED), which offers revolutionary digital cinema cameras and award-winning technologies.
Upon RED becoming a wholly owned subsidiary, RED's President Jarred Land became a close Advisor to the company, along with RED's founder James Jannard. Keiji Oishi, of Nikon's Imaging Business Unit, assumed the role of CEO and Tommy Rios, Executive Vice President of RED, moved into the role of Co-CEO.
There will be no changes to RED's current product lineup, partners, and relationship with the dealers. RED will continue to support its policies with warranties, repair services, customer services, and overall product support.
Nikon and RED will merge the strengths of both companies to develop distinctive products, while leveraging the business foundations and networks of both companies to expand the fast-growing professional digital cinema camera market.

• PRESS RELEASE

Nikon to Acquire US Cinema Camera Manufacturer RED.com, LLC

Nikon Corporation (Nikon) hereby announces its entry into an agreement to acquire 100% of the outstanding membership interests of RED.com, LLC (RED) whereby RED will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nikon, pursuant to a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement with Mr. James Jannard, its founder, and Mr. Jarred Land, its current President, subject to the satisfaction of certain closing conditions thereunder.

• PRESS RELEASE

Mirrorless goes to the Moon: Nikon enters into a Space Act agreement with NASA for Artemis mission support with the Nikon Z 9 camera

Nikon Corporation (Nikon) is pleased to announce that Nikon Inc. has entered into a Space Act agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to support the agency's Artemis campaign with Handheld Universal Lunar Camera (HULC) development.

• PRESS RELEASE

Joint Establishment of a Second Corporate Venture Capital Fund with SBI Investment

Nikon Corporation (Nikon) today announced that Nikon and SBI Investment Co., Ltd. (Yoshitaka Kitao, President, Tokyo, hereinafter “SBI Investment”), a wholly owned subsidiary of SBI Holdings (Yoshitaka Kitao, President, Tokyo), jointly established “Nikon-SBI Innovation Fund II” on November 1. This Fund will make investments in the latest technologies and services such as aerospace, energy, carbon neutral which are considered as new areas looking beyond Nikon's Medium-Term Management Plan.
The size of “Nikon-SBI Innovation Fund II” is 5 billion yen and is expected to operate for a period of seven years.
Nikon is seeking collaboration with venture companies and actively developing human resources through employee secondment. Nikon will incorporate the cutting-edge technologies and business models of venture companies, while promoting the creation and nurturing of new businesses and realizing business synergies.

• PRESS RELEASE

Nikon Announces Investment in Ai Build Limited

Nikon Corporation (Nikon) today announced an investment in Ai Build Limited, based in U.K., which specializes in 3D printing software, through the Nikon-SBI Innovation Fund (investment amount undisclosed). This investment will expand the range of value delivered to our customers in additive manufacturing (AM) and accelerate Nikon's business expansion.

• PRESS RELEASE

Acquisition of SLM Solutions Group AG, Germany as a Consolidated Subsidiary

Nikon has acquired the SLM Solutions Group AG (hereinafter "SLM") as a consolidated subsidiary. SLM is one of the world's leading global providers specializing in integrated metal additive manufacturing (hereinafter "metal AM") solutions. Together with SLM, Nikon aims to become a leading global player in the metal AM field by providing speedy and innovative solutions to customers in various industries around the world. Nikon aims to further promote its current Medium-Term Management Plan, which positions the digital manufacturing business as a strategic business.

• PRESS RELEASE

Started Procedures for the Acquisition of Avonix Imaging, LLC

Nikon Corporation ("Nikon") is pleased to announce that its US subsidiary, Nikon Americas Inc. (Ryota Satake, Director & President, "NAI"), has executed an equity purchase agreement with Avonix Imaging, LLC (Jeffrey Diehm and Brian Ruether, Co-Managing Directors, "Avonix") which engages in manufacturing, sales, and services relating to X-ray and CT Systems, and has commenced the procedures to acquire Avonix as its subsidiary, subject to applicable regulatory clearances and customary closing conditions. NAI is anticipated to acquire all shares of Avonix in Summer 2023, following the clearance of the acquisition by relevant regulatory authorities and satisfaction of the other applicable closing conditions.
Nikon has positioned digital manufacturing business as its key strategic business in its Medium-Term Management Plan targeting FY2022 to FY2025. In the area of X-ray and CT inspections, Nikon aims to provide innovative solutions to various inspection/measurement needs and challenges at manufacturing sites.

• PRESS RELEASE

Nikon Announces Investment in Unistellar SAS, France

Nikon Corporation (Nikon) today announced an investment in Unistellar SAS, France (hereinafter Unistellar),a company that handles smart telescopes, via the Nikon-SBI Innovation Fund.
Nikon announced a master joint development agreement for smart telescopes with Unistellar, and has been advancing innovative solutions to be provided for the consumer astronomical observation field. By combining the technologies and know-how of both companies, Unistellar released a smart telescope, the eVscope 2.
Nikon is taking advantage of its extensive range of optical technologies and knowledge to contribute to the development of science by delivering the excitement of astronomical observation and raising people's interest in the universe together with Unistellar, which is generating remarkable growth.

• PRESS RELEASE

Establishment of Nikon Optics and Precision Frontiers Research Department in the Institute of Industrial Science at the University of Tokyo

Through a sponsorship from Nikon, The University of Tokyo's Institute of Industrial Science (Director General: Toru Okabe, Meguro-ku, Tokyo) has established the Nikon Optics and Precision Frontiers Research Department^*1 on April 1, 2023. In addition to contributing to the development of human resources who will lead the next generation of the optical industry, the department aims to create research themes that can lead to social implementation by providing values that the society of the future will demand.
The optical industry is an area in which Japan is extremely competitive, but due to the speed of technological innovation as well as the increased participation of emerging countries, it has become more difficult to maintain the highest competitiveness at a global level. Moreover, as cutting-edge research and technology are sophisticated and diverse, the gap between university optical science research and industrial optical technology is now being addressed. It is with this background that Nikon established an endowed research department at the University of Tokyo's Institute of Industrial Science in 2006 to provide optical education directly related to industry and to promote the development of human resources.
The newly established Nikon Optics and Precision Frontiers Research Department, which will replace the existing endowed research department, will not only continue to offer lectures with the same existing features while developing human resources, but also make new efforts to create research themes.
In response to diversifying social issues, it is essential to create new values by combining technologies in a synergistic manner and to implement them in society. To effectively realize this, we will promote the integration of Nikon's accumulated optical and precision technologies with technologies from other fields, based on the extensive knowledge of the Institute of Industrial Science of the University of Tokyo. We will also create new research themes through industry-academia collaboration to explore the values that are likely to be demanded by the society of the future.

• *1Sponsored Research Department: Research departments are established for the purpose of advancing and enriching education and research at the University of Tokyo, to respond to changes in social demands and other requirements related to academics, as well as to promote mobility, internationalization, interdisciplinarity, and openness in the education and research system, with basic expenses covered by funds endowed by individuals or organizations.
  For more information, please visit:
  https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/about/corporate_sponsored.html

JAL, JAXA, O-Well, and Nikon Conduct Flight Test with Aircraft for which the World's First Riblet Shape was Applied over External Paint

Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “JAL”), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (hereinafter “JAXA”), O-Well Corporation (hereinafter “O-Well”), and Nikon Corporation (hereinafter “Nikon”) have been aiming to reduce CO2 emissions by improving aircraft fuel efficiency since July 2022. The four companies are conducting flight tests using the world's first^*1 aircraft with riblets^*2 applied over the aircraft's external paint. Although there are cases such as processing riblets to decals and films and attaching them to the airframe, in this case, weight reduction and improved durability are expected as a result of applying riblets directly over the coating.
Riblets, where a skin friction reduction effect*3 was confirmed by JAXA, were applied locally to the bottom of the fuselages of two Boeing 737-800 aircraft. For one aircraft, O-Well's processing technology was used, and for the other, that of Nikon was used.
Durability tests are currently being carried out by performing repeated inspections, measuring the changes in the shapes of the riblets incurred during test flights.
As of now, more than 1,500 flight hours have been accumulated in the O-Well method aircraft, and more than 750 hours in the Nikon method aircraft, and the riblets applied by both O-Well and Nikon have been confirmed to have sufficient durability.

• *1In the operated aircraft as of February 28, 2023. According to JAL, JAXA, O-Well, and Nikon.
• *2Riblet: Fine groove structure inspired by the shape of shark skin which reduces water resistance. The skin friction can be reduced by forming a fine groove structure on the aircraft exterior panel along the air flow during flight of the aircraft.

• PRESS RELEASE

Heartseed announces first patient dosed in a phase 1/2 LAPiS Study with HS-001 – a cell therapy designed to restore heart function in people with advanced heart failure
HS-001 is manufactured by Nikon CeLL innovation

Nikon CeLL innovation Co., Ltd. (Nikon CeLL innovation), a subsidiary of Nikon Corporation (Nikon), manufactures iPSC derived purified heart muscle cells and their clusters (HS-001), under contract to Heartseed Inc. (CEO: Keiichi Fukuda, head office: Tokyo, hereinafter "Heartseed").
Heartseed announced that it has successfully dosed the first patient in a phase 1/2 clinical study (LAPiS Study) with HS-001 – an investigational iPSC-based therapy for heart failure.
Nikon and Nikon CeLL Innovation will contribute to this effort towards the practical use of regenerative medicine in Japan and to the improvement of QOL (Quality of Life).

• PRESS RELEASE

Nikon Announces Investment in RF Solutions Provider Optisys, Inc

Nikon has made an investment in Optisys, Inc. (investment amount not disclosed). Optisys is a company that designs and manufactures antennas for the aerospace industry and other industries using additive manufacturing (AM), a processing method that stacks metal layers, commonly referred to as “3D printing.” Through this investment, we will accelerate innovation in the material processing field and contribute to the development of the aerospace industry by combining Nikon’s optical technology and precision technology with Optisys’ antenna design and manufacturing technology.

• PRESS RELEASE

Nikon Announces Investment in Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Global, Inc.

Nikon has made an investment in Hybrid Manufacturing Technologies Global, Inc. (hereinafter “HMT”) (investment amount not disclosed). HMT is a company that develops, manufactures, and sells head units^* for machine tools, such as equipment for additive manufacturing (AM), a processing method that stacks metals, generally called “3D printing,” and provides related solutions. By combining Nikon’s unique optical technology and precision technology with HMT’s head unit-related technology for machine tools and processing know-how for large parts, we will accelerate innovation in the material processing field and create new value.

• *Head unit: Equipment that performs processing in machinery such as machining tools

• PRESS RELEASE

Sendai Nikon signs comprehensive partnership agreement with Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture

We would like to announce that Sendai Nikon, a subsidiary of Nikon, today concluded a comprehensive partnership agreement with Natori City, Miyagi Prefecture, in order to cooperate and work together to promote regional vitality in the city. Sendai Nikon will continue to work toward revitalizing the region through this agreement in order to develop sustainably together with society and the region.

Regarding business collaboration with Cellusion to commercialize iPS cell-derived corneal endothelial replacement cells

Nikon Cell Innovation, a subsidiary of Nikon, and Cellusion entered into a business partnership in March 2022 regarding manufacturing method development and contract manufacturing for the commercialization of regenerative medicine product CLS001, which is an iPS cell-derived corneal endothelial substitute cell. Nikon and Nikon Cell Innovation will contribute to the early realization of practical regenerative medicine in Japan and to improving people’s QOL (Quality of Life).

Nikon and DeepEyeVision jointly develop Japan’s first AI-based fundus camera program that displays differences from a normal eye in color

Nikon and DeepEyeVision Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “DeepEyeVision”), a venture company originating from Jichi Medical University, have jointly developed and obtained medical device certification for “DeepEyeVision for RetinaStation,” a fundus camera program^*2 that uses deep learning, a type of AI, and is the first in Japan^*1 to use color displays to indicate aberrations from a healthy eye.

• *1As of February 8, 2022, in a fundus camera program using deep learning that uses color displays to indicate aberrations from a healthy eye and is a certified medical device. According to research by both companies.
• *2Medical device certification number: 303ADBZX00110000 (Sales name: “DeepEyeVision for RetinaStation Fundus Camera and Eye Imaging Device Program”)

Nikon to Acquire Majority Ownership of Morf3D Inc.

Nikon has acquired majority ownership of Morf3D Inc. (hereinafter Morf3D), which is a top-class company in the U.S.A. for contract manufacturing of aerospace and defense industries-related components. One of the new growth businesses that Nikon will focus on, based on the Medium-Term Plan, is the Material Processing Business. By combining the business and customer base of Morf3D with Nikon's precise processing technologies, Nikon aims to further expand the Material Processing Business.

• PRESS RELEASE

Osaka University Nikon Imaging Center

On October 1, 2020, Nikon and National University Corporation Osaka University (hereinafter “Osaka University”) opened the Nikon Imaging Center on the Osaka University campus. As an open facility, we support researchers in a wide range of fields, including the use of cutting-edge optical microscopes, the provision of educational programs aimed at improving image analysis techniques, and the promotion of collaborative research among researchers. This facility is the 10th Nikon Imaging Center to open, but for the first time, in vivo imaging (a type of microscopic imaging method that captures biological phenomena inside a living body in real time) is the main focus. We will contribute to the development of science and technology by supporting research that utilizes Nikon products.