Asahi Kasei
(Source: Asahi Kasei)
A “Care for Earth” investment framework has been established by Asahi Kasei as a new initiative for carbon neutrality by investing $100 million worldwide in early-stage start-ups that aim to solve issues in environmental fields such as hydrogen, energy storage, carbon management, and bio-based chemicals over the 5-year period up to 2027.
Since 2008, Asahi Kasei Corp., Tokyo/Japan, has advanced corporate venture capital (CVC) activity in order to create new businesses by investing in start-ups and performing joint developments with them. Based in Silicon Valley since 2011, this activity has facilitated investments in over 50 start-ups in the USA, Europe, China, and Japan, resulting in numerous collaborations and 2 acquisitions which have sparked innovation.
The company is helping to solve issues in society with all of its businesses providing value from the perspectives of “Care for People” to realize active life in the new normal and “Care for Earth” to realize a carbon neutral and sustainable world.
Until now, Asahi Kasei has focused its CVC investments in the area of “Care for People” such as healthcare, IoT, and homes, which have relatively short timeframes to commercialization. The area of “Care for Earth,” in contrast, tends to have longer-term commercial prospects, while fields such as hydrogen and energy storage lack established value chains, making it difficult to invest under the conventional framework.
To achieve carbon neutrality in 2050, the company aims to reduce its own greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to contribute to reducing GHG emissions throughout society, while creating new businesses through the newly established “Care for Earth” investment framework whose investment horizons and investment decision criteria are different than before. The new investment framework is also expected to help Asahi Kasei advance the transformation of its Material sector portfolio through participation in business ecosystems for carbon neutrality.
»We are seeing a lot of passionate people leading these decarbonization initiatives and it feels good to help them on their way. The ideas and technology being innovated now will be an invaluable asset in actualizing a carbon neutral society.«
Since 2008, Asahi Kasei Corp., Tokyo/Japan, has advanced corporate venture capital (CVC) activity in order to create new businesses by investing in start-ups and performing joint developments with them. Based in Silicon Valley since 2011, this activity has facilitated investments in over 50 start-ups in the USA, Europe, China, and Japan, resulting in numerous collaborations and 2 acquisitions which have sparked innovation.
The company is helping to solve issues in society with all of its businesses providing value from the perspectives of “Care for People” to realize active life in the new normal and “Care for Earth” to realize a carbon neutral and sustainable world.
Until now, Asahi Kasei has focused its CVC investments in the area of “Care for People” such as healthcare, IoT, and homes, which have relatively short timeframes to commercialization. The area of “Care for Earth,” in contrast, tends to have longer-term commercial prospects, while fields such as hydrogen and energy storage lack established value chains, making it difficult to invest under the conventional framework.
To achieve carbon neutrality in 2050, the company aims to reduce its own greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to contribute to reducing GHG emissions throughout society, while creating new businesses through the newly established “Care for Earth” investment framework whose investment horizons and investment decision criteria are different than before. The new investment framework is also expected to help Asahi Kasei advance the transformation of its Material sector portfolio through participation in business ecosystems for carbon neutrality.
