Shinshu Technology Licensing Organization (Shinshu TLO Co., Ltd.)

Shinshu TLO Co., Ltd. (株式会社信州TLO) is a Japanese technology licensing organization (TLO) headquartered in Ueda, Nagano Prefecture, based inside Shinshu University's Faculty of Textile Science and Technology. A TLO is an organization that transfers excellent research results from universities and similar institutions to industry; Shinshu TLO was established to energize research activity at Shinshu University and the National Institute of Technology, Nagano College, and to promote the utilization of their research results. The company was incorporated on 28 February 2003 and received TLO approval from Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on 18 April 2003, with stated capital of 10 million yen. The company positions itself as a bridge between companies and universities. Its activities cover technology transfer — including not only patents but also know-how — and comprehensive support for commercialization, such as launching new businesses using subsidies. It also operates a website introducing technologies it handles, and provides matching services that introduce researchers and technical information suited to a client's product, technology development, or research needs. Its management philosophy is to contribute to the creation of new businesses and to raising the added value of existing products by utilizing university research results, and to realize a "correct causality" in which employees' efforts lead to the joy of customers (both universities and companies) and that joy leads to employees' happiness. Shinshu TLO has offices at multiple Shinshu University campuses: the head office in Ueda (Faculty of Textile Science and Technology), and branches in Nagano (Faculty of Engineering), Matsumoto (Medical Development Center), and Ina (Faculty of Agriculture). It works with Shinshu University and Nagano College, and since 2019 has operated as a broader-region TLO in cooperation with Toyama University, Saitama University, Utsunomiya University, Tokyo Denki University, and Shibaura Institute of Technology. It participates in the PUiP (Platform for Utilization of Intellectual Property groups from Universities) initiative, which combines patents and research know-how from multiple universities and research institutes into "intellectual property groups" to offer solutions matching corporate and social needs. In 2021, Shinshu University came to hold shares in the company, and in 2024 it joined as a co-creation organization for startups under the Inland Japan Innovation Ecosystem (IJIE) platform led by Shinshu University, adopted under a JST program. Among its notable achievements, Shinshu TLO received the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award in 2010 for the development of the "Aller Catcher" product group, and a special prize at the 5th Monozukuri Collaboration Awards from Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun for building a network for managing and utilizing intellectual property groups through multi-university cooperation. It has also run projects such as the Kagayaki and Kagayaki 2 projects (2016, 2017) supporting intellectual property creation and commercialization at small and medium-sized enterprises along the Hokuriku Shinkansen line and in the region, and the Innovation Management Hub Formation Support Project (2019–2021). The company remains active, exhibiting at events such as INTERMEASURE 2026 and hosting seminars.

Shinshu TLO Co., Ltd. was established on 28 February 2003 and received approval as a technology licensing organization (TLO) from Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on 18 April 2003, with stated capital of 10 million yen. It was founded to energize research activity at Shinshu University and the National Institute of Technology, Nagano College and to promote the utilization of their research results, acting as a bridge between companies and universities. In 2004 the company began collaboration with Shinshu University, and in 2006 it began collaboration with Nagano College. In 2009 it donated Aller Catcher masks to the cities of Nagano, Matsumoto, Ueda, Ina, and Shiojiri, as well as to Nagano Prefecture. In 2010 it received the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award for the development of the Aller Catcher product group, and a special prize at the 5th Monozukuri Collaboration Awards from Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun for building a network for managing and utilizing intellectual property groups through multi-university cooperation. In 2016 the company was selected for the Kagayaki Project (Yaruki Subsidy: Subsidy for Intellectual Property Activity Support for Small and Medium Enterprises, METI), supporting commercialization for SMEs along the Hokuriku Shinkansen line through intellectual property creation and utilization. In 2017 it was selected for the Kagayaki 2 Project, supporting new development and commercialization at regional SMEs through visualization of intellectual property. In 2019 it was selected for the Innovation Management Hub Formation Support Project (MEXT, 2019–2021), cooperating with Toyama University, Saitama University, Utsunomiya University, Tokyo Denki University, and Shibaura Institute of Technology, and began operating as a broader-region TLO. In 2021 Shinshu University came to hold shares in the company. In 2024, the university-led startup creation platform "Inland Japan Innovation Ecosystem (IJIE)" was adopted under the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)'s University-Originated New Industry Creation Fund Startup Ecosystem Co-Creation Program, and Shinshu TLO joined as a startup creation co-creation organization (from February 2024). Throughout its history, Shinshu TLO has provided technology transfer covering patents and know-how, commercialization support including the use of subsidies, and matching services introducing researchers and technical information to companies. It operates a website introducing technologies it handles and participates in the PUiP (Platform for Utilization of Intellectual Property groups from Universities) initiative, which combines patents and research know-how from multiple universities and research institutes into intellectual property groups to provide solutions for corporate and social needs. The company maintains offices at Shinshu University campuses in Ueda (head office), Nagano, Matsumoto, and Ina, and remains active in exhibitions and seminars.

• Company established

• Approved as a TLO by MEXT and METI

• Began collaboration with Shinshu University

• Began collaboration with Nagano College

• Donated Aller Catcher masks to Nagano, Matsumoto, Ueda, Ina, Shiojiri, and Nagano Prefecture

• Received Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award for Aller Catcher product group development; received special prize at 5th Monozukuri Collaboration Awards

• Selected for Kagayaki Project (METI)

• Selected for Kagayaki 2 Project (METI)

• Selected for Innovation Management Hub Formation Support Project (MEXT, 2019–2021); began operating as a broader-region TLO

• Shinshu University came to hold shares in the company

• Joined Inland Japan Innovation Ecosystem (IJIE) as a startup creation co-creation organization

A regional technology licensing organization acting as a bridge between universities and industry, supporting technology transfer and commercialization.

• Technology transfer services

  Transfer of university research results, including patents and know-how, to industry.

• Commercialization support

  Support for commercialization of university-developed technology and for launching new businesses using subsidies.

• Industry-academia collaboration matching

  Introduction of researchers and technical information suited to a company's product, technology development, or research needs.

• PUiP (Platform for Utilization of Intellectual Property groups from Universities)

  An initiative combining patents and research know-how from multiple universities and research institutes into intellectual property groups to provide solutions for corporate and social needs.

• Aller Catcher product group

  A product group developed with partners, recognized with the MEXT Minister's Award in 2010.

1. 1Home | 信州TLOshinshu-tlo.co.jp
2. 2会社案内 | 信州TLOshinshu-tlo.co.jp
3. 3Shinshu Technology Licensing Organization (Japan) - Wikidatawikidata.org