Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP)

NIMS promoted SIP themes
2025.08.25 Update

Research advancement of the SIP Phase 3 project "Creating a materials innovation ecosystem for industrialization".

Announcements

  • 2025.08.25

    [Event] SIP Conference on Materials Innovation Ecosystem (2025.09.26)

    We are pleased to announce that the “SIP Conference on Materials Innovation Ecosystem” will be held on Friday, September 26, 2025, at the Tokyo International Forum in Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
    This symposium will welcome incubators, investors, and leading experts in DeepTech startups from both Japan and abroad. Through keynote lectures and panel discussions, participants will explore cutting-edge startup ecosystem case studies, the current landscape of academia-originated startups, and practical strategies for leveraging data and AI.
    The goal is to collaboratively envision the future of a Materials Innovation Ecosystem.
    We look forward to your participation!
    * The linked page is written in Japanese.

  • 2024.05.31

    Website "MATESTA" is now open !

    MATESTA (Material Startup) is an information website to support entrepreneurship and business creation.
    The purpose of the website is to disseminate information for the sustainable expansion of this ecosystem as a foundation for business creation in the materials industry.
    We will continue to enhance the content of the site so that it can be used by many people in the future.

Challenge, Strategy, and Research & Development Plan for Social Implementation

Challenge:

“Creating a materials innovation ecosystem for industrialization”
SIP logo and Materials Challenge logo

Strategy and Research & Development Plan for Social Implementation

Related files

Program Director (PD)

Shosuke Kiba, Representative Director at Universal Materials Incubator Co., Ltd.

Mission

Vision for 10 years later

Establishment of an ecosystem based on a "Materials Unicorn Cultivation Foundation" fully utilizing data-driven development that gives birth to a succession of materials unicorns. Numerous materials unicorns are born in Japan (that is, impactful companies with high research and development efficiency). As a result, a situation is created where process data necessary for the social implementation of materials must pass through Japan.
Future vision for the materials industry

Scenario for achieving the mission

Phase 1: SIP deliberation period = foundation building of the ecosystem (2023-2027: building the foundation of the ecosystem)
Phase 2: Ecosystem maturation (2028-2032: accumulating achievements through practice)
Phase 3: Circular growth (around 2032-2040: the goal state)
Development stages of ecosystem formation

Three subthemes

As foundational phase 1, three tasks or subthemes are defined. Each theme is closely related and interlinked to realize "Building of the Material Unicorn Cultivation Foundation", involving not only individual technological development but also the participation of a wide range of stakeholders including humanities and social sciences to promote behavior change in companies and consumers. Using comprehensive knowledge, a system for tackling common challenges in cooperation among industry, academia, government, and the public is built under the leadership of the PD and sub-PDs.

Subtheme A "Infrastructure Development for Ecosystem Formation"
Subtheme B "Establishment of Data Infrastructure Collaboration Technology"
Subtheme C "Creation of a Materials Unicorn Reserve"
Overall composition related to research and development in this project

Subtheme A "Infrastructure Development for Ecosystem Formation"

Achievement goals during SIP period for social implementation

Construct the software infrastructure for operation concerning ecosystem formation, on which materials unicorn cultivation is based, especially the infrastructure connecting organically to Japan’s physical and cyber research and development base (platform groups),. Aim to form an ecosystem where new businesses are continuously born, allowing the platform groups to earn stable profits and expand through reinvestment based on those profits.

Post-SIP business strategy (exit strategy)

Operate sustainably using the platform interconnection rules, business design, and systems developed during the SIP period, utilizing the commercialization talents nurtured, and implement support for startups and other entities for the creation of unicorns and other new businesses.

Subtheme B "Establishment of Data Infrastructure Collaboration Technology"

Achievement goals during SIP period for social implementation

Establish the technology for data infrastructure collaboration in the materials unicorn cultivation base, especially linking organically to our country's physical and cyber research and development base (platform groups). Aim to establish platforms that give birth to new businesses in collaboration with Subthemes A and C.

Post-SIP business strategy (exit strategy)

Ongoing support for startups and other entities using the platform interconnection technology developed during the SIP period, with appropriate coordination by data linkage engineering talents, aiming to earn operational income and enhance the value of startups and as a database. By providing aggressive support, aim for substantial profits through stock market listings of startups, using them as a foundation for an independent ecosystem.

Subtheme C: Creation of a Materials Unicorn Reserve

Achievement goals during SIP period for social implementation

In Japan, alongside the construction of a materials unicorn cultivation base under Subtheme A, multiple materials unicorn candidates will be created to tackle big themes (bottleneck issues), leading to the resolution of societal issues mindful of macro trends, significantly boosting future GDP and Japan's materials industry. The goal is for several startups born from this cultivation base to become ‘decacorns’ with a market capitalization exceeding one trillion yen by 2040.

Post-SIP business strategy (exit strategy)

Based on the platform interconnection technology, business design, and systems established during the SIP period, ongoing support for startups will generate operational income and contribute to the enhancement of both the startups' corporate value and the value of the data infrastructure. Furthermore, through proactive support, the aim is to achieve significant profits from startups' listings on the stock market, using these funds as a basis for an independent ecosystem.
Calls for Proposals
Calls for proposals
Selection results
Selection results
Documents
Documents

Inquiries

For inquiries related to SIP
Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program
National Institute for materials Science (NIMS)