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From biotech to aerospace and data centres: How deep tech start-ups can leverage research partnerships at this university
Through its Singapore global campus, Nagoya University links corporates, universities and institutes with its extensive research network, backed by Nobel-winning expertise, to co-develop and scale technologies for regional markets
(From left) Professor Hiroshi Imaizumi, head of Nagoya University Singapore, Professor Seiichi Matsuo, chancellor of Tokai National Higher Education and Research System, Professor Noriyuki Kobayashi of Nagoya University, Professor Kazuya Takeda of Nagoya University and Professor Tomonaga Ueno of Nagoya University, at Tech Innovation 2025.
PHOTO: NAGOYA UNIVERSITY
In the next 20 years, unpredictable weather patterns and rising sea levels are expected to displace hundreds of thousands in low-lying coastal areas.
Meanwhile, agricultural belts are experiencing an increased frequency of both droughts and floods alike, putting the food supplies of millions at risk. But Professor Katsutoshi Hori believes that part of the solution may one day emerge from Singapore – specifically, at the Nagoya University Global Campus Singapore.
A professor of biotechnology at Nagoya University and a founder of Friend Microbe Inc, Prof Hori has dedicated almost 40 years to researching microorganisms and enzymes, and how they can be deployed at an industrial scale through advanced bioreactor technologies. His work focuses on a niche but increasingly vital field: clean biotechnology for environmental sustainability.
Professor Katsutoshi Hori has dedicated almost 40 years to researching microorganisms and enzymes. He is seen here at Marina Bay with his research displayed at Tech Innovation 2024.
PHOTO: NAGOYA UNIVERSITY
Specifically, his research centres on identifying high-performance microbes and enzymes, and scaling them up so that they function reliably at factory-level operations – enabling practical solutions for greenhouse gas reduction, resource efficiency and ecosystem preservation.
“If we want to protect food security, ecosystems and human livelihoods, we must redesign how society produces, consumes and restores resources, by harnessing biotechnology at real-world scale,” says Prof Hori.
“What we need is transformative innovation: solutions that bridge the gap between fundamental research and scalable industrial applications, to both reduce emissions and regenerate natural systems,” he adds.
Here is where Singapore comes in. The country’s strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research, public-private partnerships and global collaboration makes it a natural platform for scaling such technologies.
Professor Hiroshi Imaizumi, head of Nagoya University Global Campus Singapore, explains: “Singapore is the global gateway in Asia, which offers a world-class platform for research, innovation and higher education, supported by strong collaboration between universities, industry and government.
“Its geographical hub position, especially in South-east Asia where Nagoya University has many offices, can help integrate education, research and innovation in a truly borderless manner and extend Nagoya University’s impact far beyond Japan.”
Agreeing, Prof Hori adds: “Through the Nagoya University Global Campus in Singapore, which connects companies directly to our university-wide research base spanning all 13 faculties, we can accelerate deep-tech innovation, bridge research and deployment, and deliver climate solutions that are relevant not only to Japan, but to South-east Asia and the world.”
The Nagoya University Global Campus Singapore was officially launched in 2023 as a legal entity. Since then, it has established a unique virtual research structure comprising 38 research laboratories across all 13 faculties, enabling companies and partners in Singapore to access Nagoya University’s full spectrum of scientific and engineering expertise without geographical barriers.
The university’s Singapore hub drives joint research programmes and industry partnerships throughout the region. It also provides students overseas study and internship opportunities between Nagoya and Singapore.
Nagoya University Singapore not only serves as a hub for research activities but also provides overseas study and internship opportunities for Nagoya University students. Recently, 120 students from Nagoya University visited Singapore within a single year.
PHOTO: NAGOYA UNIVERSITY
Looking towards the future
For decades, Nagoya University has also been active in establishing partnerships with other universities, research institutes and companies all over the world. It is located in the nation’s hotbed of technological innovations – Central Japan, the birthplace of Japanese leading technologies companies like Toyota, Denso and NGK.
Most of its overseas offices are located in South-east Asia such as Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. As a key regional hub in South-east Asia, Nagoya University Global Campus Singapore has the ability to synergise with Singapore’s world-class research ecosystem, says Prof Imaizumi.
Through Nagoya University Global Campus Singapore, Nagoya University partners also enjoy a greater, more visible stage on which to showcase their innovations, opening more doors to partnerships and funding opportunities.
One such example is Polastech, a data centre thermal management technology firm founded on research developed at Nagoya University. Polastech adsorption heat pumps can reduce electric power for cooling in artificial intelligence data centres by one-third.
“Singapore provides an ideal platform where advanced academic research can be validated, commercialised, and scaled globally,” says its founder Professor Noriyuki Kobayashi.
“Following our participation at Tech Innovation 2025, alongside other Nagoya University professors, we were able to engage directly with global industry leaders and rapidly growing digital infrastructure markets,” he adds.
Professor Tomonaga Ueno, founder of ultralight materials research firm Sora Materials concurs: “Singapore has become a natural gateway for bringing our space-related materials technologies to the global stage. Sora Materials will accelerate the development and commercialisation of this revolutionary “floating” material to redefine the future of the mobility and aerospace industries.
“After presenting at Tech Innovation 2025 together with Nagoya University colleagues, we were able to connect with international partners, investors and applications well beyond Japan.”
Nagoya University’s active engagement at Singapore’s flagship innovation platforms has been a key enabler of such outcomes. At Tech Innovation 2024, Professor Hori represented the university’s biotechnology strengths, while at Tech Innovation 2025, Professors Kobayashi and Ueno showcased Nagoya University–originated deep-tech innovations spanning data infrastructure and aerospace materials.
This continuity highlights the university’s breadth – from biotechnology to data centres and aerospace – and underscores Singapore’s role as a launchpad for commercialising university-born deep tech.
Of course, the benefits go both ways. With six Nobel laureates across its faculties, Nagoya University is globally recognised as one of the world’s leading research institutions, particularly in the areas of engineering, medical, materials science, biotechnology and environmental research.
Singapore stands to benefit significantly from these resources. Having already successfully commercialised microbial oil-degradation technologies in Japan, Prof Hori’s team is now adapting them to address not just environmental challenges posed by palm oil waste across South-east Asia, but also Singapore’s critical water security issues.
“By utilising proprietary microbes and advanced microbial immobilisation technology, these bioprocesses can transform industrial waste and biomass into high-value substances, effectively turning environmental liabilities into resources for a circular economy,” says Prof Hori.
Learn more about Nagoya University Global Campus Singapore here.
