Ajinomoto Co., Inc.’s First Base for Promoting Open and Linked Innovation
Client Innovation Center to Open on June 1, 2018
Introduction of the Latest ICT for Co-creation of
New Value and New Businesses with Business Partners
TOKYO, May 28, 2018 – Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (“Ajinomoto Co.”) will open the Client Innovation Center (hereinafter "CIC"), its first base for promoting open and linked innovation, on the grounds of its Kawasaki Administration & Coordination Office on June 1, 2018. By utilizing the latest information and communications technology (“ICT”) to co-create new value and new businesses with its business partners, Ajinomoto Co. aims to help resolve social issues in the areas of “health and well-being,” “food resources” and “global sustainability.”

Ajinomoto Co. commercialized AJI-NO-MOTO®, the world's first umami seasoning, in 1909. Since then, it has pursued original, leading-edge bioscience and fine chemical technologies by conducting research and development starting with amino acids because the umami substance glutamic acid is an amino acid. Ajinomoto Co. has thus expanded its business fields to include healthcare, animal nutrition and specialty chemicals as well as food products. In recent years, Ajinomoto Co. has also expanded into new business fields such as cell culture media for regenerative medicine and fermentation-derived natural flavors through open and linked innovation with companies, universities and research institutes.

To promote open and linked innovation, Ajinomoto Co. established a Value Creation Group in its Research Institute for Bioscience Products and Fine Chemicals in 2014. Since then, it has been introducing the Ajinomoto Group’s various research and development technologies to business partners through individual visits with the objective of co-creating new value and new businesses by combining the technologies of both parties. The aim of the CIC is to continuously generate feasible research projects by deepening discussions for co-creation of new value and new businesses that will help resolve social issues. It features a Technology Space that introduces 37 representative technologies in 14 categories from the Ajinomoto Group’s business domains of Food Products and AminoScience, and a Digital Ideation Space that incorporates leading-edge ICT. The CIC also includes a convention hall where lectures and poster sessions can be held to promote exchanges as well as to share details of leading-edge research inside and outside Ajinomoto Co. Since the foundation of Ajinomoto Co., the Ajinomoto Group has consistently worked to create both social and economic value through its businesses and aims to become a genuine global food company group with specialties guided by its leading-edge bioscience and fine chemical technologies.

Ajinomoto Co. has positioned the CIC as a base for promoting open and linked innovation. Together with the facility that will consolidate the R&D bases of the four Ajinomoto Group companies in the Japan Food Products Business at Ajinomoto Co.’s Kawasaki Administration & Coordination Office<, scheduled for completion in fiscal 2020, Ajinomoto Co. will use the CIC to generate innovation by combining and exchanging technologies inside and outside the company in the Kawasaki area as it works to create both social and economic value through the Ajinomoto Group’s businesses.

Client Innovation Center
Overview of the Facility
(1) Name: Client Innovation Center
(2) Location:
1-1, Suzuki-cho, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
(3) Structure:
Two-story ferroconcrete building,
partial steel frame construction
(4) Building area: 1,244.60m2 (total floor area: 1,211.72m2)
(5) Opening date: June 1, 2018
(6) Total investment: Approx. JPY 1.1 billion
Main Features
(1) Introduction Space
Uses video presentations to introduce the history of Ajinomoto Co. and its efforts to help resolve social issues using Ajinomoto Group technologies, among other features.
(2) Technology Space
Introduces solutions to issues faced by society and business partners. Created through combinations with the Ajinomoto Group’s technologies, these solutions are presented in an easy-to-understand fashion using methods including illustrations, videos and hands-on exhibits.
(3) Digital Ideation Space
Incorporates the latest ICT to share issues faced by society and business partners and deepen discussion to generate research projects aimed at co-creating new value and new businesses that will resolve these issues.
(4) Convention Hall
The facility includes a convention hall where lectures and poster sessions can be held to promote exchange and share details of leading-edge research inside and outside Ajinomoto Co.


About Ajinomoto Co.
Ajinomoto Co. is a global manufacturer of high-quality seasonings, processed foods, beverages, amino acids, pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals. For many decades Ajinomoto Co. has contributed to food culture and human health through wide-ranging application of amino acid technologies. Today, the company is becoming increasingly involved with solutions for improved food resources, human health and global sustainability. Founded in 1909 and now operating in 35 countries and regions, Ajinomoto Co. had net sales of JPY 1,150.2 billion (USD 10.36 billion) in fiscal 2017. For more about Ajinomoto Co. (TYO: 2802), visit www.ajinomoto.com.

For further information, please contact:
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Public Communications Department; pr_info@ajinomoto.com
 
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