Yissum, the Technology Transfer Company of the Hebrew University, announced today a strategic partnership with Universal Materials Incubator Ltd. (UMI), a 16.5B JPY Investment Fund from Japan. The partnership will focus on commercialization of cutting-edge technologies from Hebrew University (HU) to Japanese corporations. As specialists in materials and chemical industries, UMI has also invested in Yissum's Racah Nano Venture Fund, an investment vehicle founded this year to focus on Hebrew University innovations in advanced materials and nanotechnology.
The strategic partnership allows Yissum and UMI to grow their international presence and facilitate the adaptation of HU technologies to the Japanese market as well as create joint investment opportunities.
CIO of UMI, Dr. Shosuke Kiba said, "Through this collaboration, we aim to strengthen our network in Israel and improve our position as a new business creation platform in the materials and chemical industries in Japan. Israel is a global leader in the startup ecosystem and one of our top international targets for finding investment projects that contribute to the development of the Japanese materials and chemical industries."
Yissum's Senior VP of Business Development and Alliance Management, Dr. Itzik Goldwaser said, "The partnership with UMI advances Yissum's efforts to bring Hebrew University innovations to global markets and furthers our international strategy of global outreach that already includes similar partnerships in China and South America."
The Racah Nano Venture Fund completed its initial closing in July and has now raised over $7 million from top international and strategic investors. The fund's Chief Operating & Technology Officer Avi Voldman said, "The Racah fund aims to leverage Hebrew University's core strengths in advanced materials and nanotechnology. UMI's investment will help ensure the elite status of our technologies in the growing global nanomaterials markets."
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