{"id":2773,"date":"2025-11-17T11:45:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T02:45:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oihen.hogehogecojp.com\/?post_type=event-report&amp;p=2773"},"modified":"2025-11-17T11:45:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T02:45:10","slug":"carbon-part2","status":"publish","type":"report","link":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/en\/report\/carbon-part2\/","title":{"rendered":"HeCNOS AWARD Winners Featured at Expo 2025: Carbon Neutral Startups to Watch (Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n<p>\tstrong{font-weight: bold;}<\/p>\n<p>\t.mt-50{margin-top: 5rem;}<\/p>\n<p>\t.mt-25{margin-top: 2.5rem;}<\/p>\n<p>\t.mt-30{margin-top: 3rem;}<\/p>\n<\/style>\n<section class=\"section-container\" >\n<p>A carbon-neutral future is taking center stage at Expo 2025 Osaka. In the Reborn Challenge\u2014part of the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion\u2014startups and SMEs are unveiling technologies with the potential to transform industries and reduce environmental impact on a global scale.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/report\/carbon-part1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\">Following our previous initiative<\/a>, we now introduce three HeCNOS AWARD-winning companies pioneering novel approaches to sustainability:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u30fb<strong>miibio: <\/strong> a University of Tokyo spin-off using light-controlled bio-manufacturing to produce sustainable materials at scale.<\/li>\n<li>\u30fb<strong>Photo-on-Demand Chemical: <\/strong> developing a world-first photochemical process that transforms waste biogas into high-value chemicals.<\/li>\n<li>\u30fb<strong>Eight Knot: <\/strong> autonomous navigation system to improve safety in maritime transport and cut emissions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\n\tFrom deeptech labs to open seas, their innovations demonstrate the diversity and ambition of Japan\u2019s carbon-neutral technology ecosystem.\n\t<\/p>\n<hr size=\"1\" color=\"#737373\" noshade class=\"mt-30\">\n<h2 class=\"mt-50\">miibio<\/h2>\n<div class=\"report-img mt-25\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/oih2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/en_img\/img\/event-report\/20250701-07-carbon-part2\/2.jpg\" alt=\"HeCNOS AWARD Winners Featured at Expo 2025: Carbon Neutral Startups to Watch (Part 2)\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Photo: Kensho Hayamizu, CEO of miibio<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><i class=\"fa-solid fa-link\"><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mii-bio.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/www.mii-bio.com\/en\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What does miibio do?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: We\u2019re a University of Tokyo startup leveraging Professor Sato\u2019s unique light-switch protein technology to advance sustainable manufacturing. Our goal is to drive decarbonization and move away from petroleum by using bio-manufacturing\u2014transforming plant-based biomass into materials.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What\u2019s unique about your approach?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: We use light to control the process. By combining light-switch protein technology with bio-manufacturing, we can make production cheaper and more scalable than conventional methods. Light allows for more precise control of genetic activity compared to temperature, pH, or nutrient-based systems, enabling high-efficiency manufacturing at lower costs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: Are you targeting global markets?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: Absolutely. Sustainable manufacturing is a global challenge. Japan alone can\u2019t achieve decarbonization\u2014it requires participation from the U.S., China, Europe, and beyond. From the outset, global expansion is part of our strategy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What stage are you at, and what are your next steps?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: We&#8217;re in the exciting early phase, approaching the final steps toward a market-ready product. Our next focus is forming strategic partnerships with chemical companies in Japan and overseas to scale our process and accelerate its real-world impact.<\/p>\n<hr size=\"1\" color=\"#737373\" noshade class=\"mt-30\">\n<h2 class=\"mt-50\">Photo-on-Demand Chemical<\/h2>\n<div class=\"report-img mt-25\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/oih2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/en_img\/img\/event-report\/20250701-07-carbon-part2\/3.jpg\" alt=\"HeCNOS AWARD Winners Featured at Expo 2025: Carbon Neutral Startups to Watch (Part 2)\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Photo: Akihiko Tsuda, CEO of Photo-on-Demand Chemical<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><i class=\"fa-solid fa-link\"><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/photo-od-chem.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/photo-od-chem.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What does Photo-on-Demand Chemical do?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: We\u2019ve developed the world\u2019s only technology to produce \u201cbio-phosgene\u201d from just air, methane (from sewage or food waste), and seawater\u2014using light to drive the reaction. This enables us to create high-value chemicals, from pharmaceutical ingredients to polymers and adhesives, without fossil fuels.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What makes your approach unique?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: Conventional phosgene production uses toxic carbon monoxide from coal or natural gas. Our process is powered by light\u2014solar or other low-energy sources\u2014eliminating the need for high heat. The reaction starts and stops instantly with light, making it safer and more energy-efficient.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: How are you planning to scale this technology?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: We\u2019re developing modular container-sized systems for small, high-value applications like pharmaceutical ingredients, and large reactors for major polymer and chemical markets. While we can produce around 10 kg\/day now, scaling to tons\/day will require partnerships with large chemical manufacturers to ensure safety and efficiency.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What kind of partners are you seeking?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: At Expo 2025, we\u2019re looking to connect with plant manufacturers of all sizes and trading companies with overseas networks\u2014especially in countries like India, a major pharmaceutical producer.<\/p>\n<hr size=\"1\" color=\"#737373\" noshade class=\"mt-30\">\n<h2 class=\"mt-50\">Eight Knot<\/h2>\n<div class=\"report-img mt-25\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/oih2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/en_img\/img\/event-report\/20250701-07-carbon-part2\/4.jpg\" alt=\"HeCNOS AWARD Winners Featured at Expo 2025: Carbon Neutral Startups to Watch (Part 2)\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Photo: Fuchiwaki Munetaka and Joo Masafumi from Eight Knot<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><i class=\"fa-solid fa-link\"><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/8kt.jp\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/8kt.jp\/en<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What does Eight Knot do?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: We develop an \u201cAI Captain\u201d autonomous navigation system that can be retrofitted to existing vessels\u2014something few competitors can offer. This requires deep knowledge of both hardware and software.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: What\u2019s your market focus?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: We\u2019re targeting the North American market by 2027, where pleasure boats account for 30% of global usage.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: How will you enter the North American market?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: Our North America strategy is to build win-win collaborations with Japanese and major local players. We focus on a software-centric model: partners make the boats, while our AI Captain provides autonomous navigation. With deep hardware expertise, our software can even retrofit existing vessels\u2014a unique strength.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: Who are your competitors, and how do you differentiate?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: There are autonomous navigation companies in China, Korea, and Europe, but our retrofit capability is unique\u2014enabling faster, more cost-effective adoption.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q: Any results from participating in the Reborn Challenge at Expo 2025?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\tA: Many are surprised that autonomous navigation is already a maritime reality. Even on the first day, Expo participation has led to multiple media inquiries and raised our profile with potential partners.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section-container\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<h2 class=\"h2\">About the Event<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/osaka-startup.com\/program\/rc\/CN\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Technology for a greener tomorrow Carbon Neutral Treasure Hunt<\/a><br \/>Exhibition period at the Osaka-Kansai Expo: July 1st Tue \u2013July 7th Mon, 2025<\/p>\n<p><strong>Article Source<\/strong><br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/newsletters\/osaka-startup-digest-7231557447553798144\/?lipi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Osaka Startup Digest<\/a><br \/>Exploring the startup ecosystem of Osaka &amp; Kansai.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A carbon-neutral future is taking center stage at Expo 2025 Osaka. In the Reborn Challenge\u2014part of the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion\u2014startups and SMEs are unveiling technologies with the potential to transform industries and reduce environmental impact on a global scale. Following our previous initiative, we now introduce three HeCNOS AWARD-winning companies pioneering novel approaches to sustainability: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":2774,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"","footnotes":""},"report-category":[107],"report-tag":[],"class_list":["post-2773","report","type-report","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","report-category-107","en-US"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/report\/2773","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/report"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/report"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/report\/2773\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2774"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"report-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/report-category?post=2773"},{"taxonomy":"report-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.innovation-osaka.jp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/report-tag?post=2773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}