JOINT PRESS RELEASE
Singapore, 20 September 2023
NUS and JR East sign MOU to create new opportunities for entrepreneurs in Singapore and Japan
The National University of Singapore (NUS) and East Japan Railway Company (JR East) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 19 September 2023 to collaborate and advance innovation and entrepreneurial exchange between both countries. The MOU was signed yesterday at the Takanawa Gateway Station by Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President and Mr Yuji Fukasawa, President and CEO, JR East.
Acknowledging the partnership as a commitment from NUS and JR East to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the ecosystems of both countries, Professor Tan Eng Chye, NUS President said, “NUS is excited to embark on this partnership with JR East to create new opportunities for entrepreneurs in Singapore and Japan. Through our collective expertise and resources, we hope to empower start-ups, facilitate the applications of emerging technologies and enhance ecosystem building that advances societal impact and economic growth in both countries.”
Under the MOU, NUS and JR East will collaborate in three areas to enhance the innovation and enterprise ecosystems of both countries over the next five years:
1. Co-organise activities and nurture start-up communities both in Japan and Singapore by supporting start-ups expansion into each other’s market
- To develop talent in entrepreneurship and innovation in the region, NUS will organise programmes, such as immersion trips that allow start-ups from Singapore to gain first-hand knowledge of the Japanese business environment and network with Japanese companies and officials. For example, from 11 to 15 September 2023, five start-ups from Singapore and Indonesia completed a week-long immersion trip to Japan where they gained a better understanding of the Japanese business environment, enjoyed business matching opportunities with companies in Tokyo, and networked with leading Japanese businesses and government officials.
- JR East experts in the areas of railway and lifestyle business, such as smart cities and internet of things, will share their expertise and knowledge of the Japanese market in the immersion programmes organised by NUS in Japan’s Kanto area. This allows participating start-ups to become more familiar with the Japanese business environment, facilitating any potential expansion into the country.
2. Co-develop an entrepreneurial hub in Takanawa Gateway City
- JR East will facilitate partnerships with corporations and other enablers to support NUS affiliated start-ups looking to establish a presence in the Takanawa Gateway City.
- NUS will use the Takanawa Gateway City as a base from which to grow its entrepreneurial and innovation offerings. For example, BLOCK71 is exploring setting up an office in the City as a launchpad to extend its start-up ecosystem in Tokyo.
3. Create test-bedding and opportunities that encourage the adoption of innovative technologies and solutions in Japan
- Both parties will advance the development and application of technologies by exploring collaborations for knowledge-sharing and test-bedding opportunities in Japan. For a start, the key focus area will be sustainability.
Commenting on this new partnership, Mr Yuji Fukasawa, President and CEO, JR East, said, “We are partnering with the National University of Singapore to establish a global startup ecosystem based in Takanawa Gateway City. We will continue to promote industry-academia collaboration with diverse partners both domestically and internationally. Additionally, we will work towards creating value in urban development as an experimental playground for a fulfilling life a century from now.”
For media enquiries, please contact:
For NUS Enterprise
Errol George
Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications
NUS Enterprise
National University of Singapore
Email: errol@nus.edu.sg
About National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is Singapore’s flagship university, which offers a global approach to education, research and entrepreneurship, with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise. We have 16 colleges, faculties and schools across three campuses in Singapore, with more than 40,000 students from 100 countries enriching our vibrant and diverse campus community. We have also established our NUS Overseas Colleges programme in more than 15 cities around the world.
Our multidisciplinary and real-world approach to education, research and entrepreneurship enables us to work closely with industry, governments and academia to address crucial and complex issues relevant to Asia and the world. Researchers in our faculties, research centres of excellence, corporate labs and more than 30 university-level research institutes focus on themes that include energy; environmental and urban sustainability; treatment and prevention of diseases; active ageing; advanced materials; risk management and resilience of financial
systems; Asian studies; and Smart Nation capabilities such as artificial intelligence, data science, operations research and cybersecurity.
For more information on NUS, please visit nus.edu.sg
About NUS Enterprise
NUS Enterprise, the entrepreneurial arm of the National University of Singapore (NUS), plays a pivotal role in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship at NUS and beyond. It actively promotes entrepreneurship and cultivates global mind-sets and talents through the synergies of experiential entrepreneurial education, active industry partnerships, holistic entrepreneurship support and catalytic entrepreneurship outreach. Its initiatives and global connections support a range of entrepreneurial journeys and foster ecosystem building in new markets. These initiatives augment and complement the University’s academic programmes and act as a unique bridge to industry well beyond Singapore’s shores.
For more information, please visit https://enterprise.nus.edu.sg
About JR East
East Japan Railway Company (JR East) is a Japanese railroad operator that oversees areas based in eastern Japan, including the Tokyo metropolitan area. Currently, JR East is focusing on urban development and lifestyle service business (hotels, commercial facilities directly connected stations, etc.)
JR East will open Takanawa Gateway City, one of largest urban development projects in Japan, in 2025 in the Takanawa and Shinagawa areas of Tokyo. This entire city is an experimental playground with an ecosystem to produce new value through the cycle of Create, Breakthrough, and Attract. It draws people with diverse value systems, global companies, and residents of the local community and has the potential to become a unique network - a hub connecting Japan and the world.
For more information on JR East, please visit https://www.jreast.co.jp/multi/en/index.html