Social Issues Everyone Hope to Solve×New Business Creation

ηProject: Converting Passion into Business

What Is the η Project?

The η Project is a new business creation project.We are working to directly solve social issues in this project with the aim of building a world that is friendly both physically and mentally.
Taking social issues as our starting point, we are looking to build creative and groundbreaking new businesses in three main fields (energy, the environment, and well-being) that may become pillars of our business in 10 to 20 years from now, pursuing a sense of Murata.

Features of the η Project

  • - 01 -Promoting social issue-solving businesses with the will of members
  • - 02 -Emphasizing creativity, groundbreaking ideas, feasibility, and a sense of Murata
  • - 03 -Developing themes over three years that will become pillars of our business 10 to 20 years from now
  • - 04 -Conducting activities with project members selected in-house with 100% man-hours

Initiative Themes

We are striving to solve social issues mainly in the energy, environment, and well-being fields.

Sympathize × New Business Creation

Introduction to the Project Members

  • Primary industry team

    Reiko Ogura

    Reiko Ogura

    Work Areas

    Forest boundary determination and timber traceability mechanism building

    Thoughts on the Initiatives

    Social issues in Japan are found in mountain forests! With that thought in mind, I am pursuing the essential issues and leaping into mountain forests in Japan.
    Under my motto of "issues are found in the field," I have also started demonstration experiments while learning about forests from those who are active in mountain forests!

    Personal Focus Themes

    Music (harp performances), well-being, high-grade sake, extremely spicy and tasty foods, handicrafts, wild game (both catching and eating)

  • Nature-positive team

    Masako Tenpaku

    Masako Tenpaku

    Work Areas

    Sensor development that will contribute to the blue economy

    Thoughts on the Initiatives

    I have given my attention to the serious problems faced by the sea with the desire to contribute to the restoration of biodiversity!
    I am promoting activities that focus on sustainable ocean development (the blue economy), especially blue carbon, as a means to solving those problems.

    Personal Focus Themes

    Tennis, watching documentaries, going outside

  • Nature-positive team

    Yoshiyuki Nishihara

    Yoshiyuki Nishihara

    Work Areas

    Microalgae culture device and medium development

    Thoughts on the Initiatives

    Microalgae is a very attractive resource that can produce proteins, amino acids, and other nutrients in addition to serving as a sustainable liquid fuel to replace fossil fuels.
    I want to spread microalgae widely throughout the world through this project!

    Personal Focus Themes

    Kitchen garden, games, tropical fish, weekend tennis

  • Primary industry team

    Yoshitaka Matsuki

    Yoshitaka Matsuki

    Work Areas

    Social innovation for local communities and organizational revitalization.

    Thoughts on the Initiatives

    We have obtained things from dramatic technological innovation. On the other hand, I feel that there are things we have lost and things that have lost their humanity.
    With an engineer's point of view, I will contribute to the creation of social mechanisms that allow people to live their lives while feeling warmth with other people imagining life 10 to 20 years from now.

    Personal Focus Themes

    Unique towns, using old things with care, communicating while drinking

  • Hydrogen Society Team

    Akira Toda

    Akira Toda

    Work Areas

    Hydrogen storage material evaluation technology construction and device design

    Thoughts on the Initiatives

    While touching on various social issues, I have turned my attention to global warming with a desire to contribute to the earth where humans, animals, and plants live.
    We will launch a business from scratch to realize a hydrogen energy based-society that is taking some time to arrive!

    Personal Focus Themes

    Table tennis, watching movies and animation

  • Diversity Team

    Michiyo Yamamoto

    Michiyo Yamamoto

    Work Areas

    Communication device development and human augmentation project

    Thoughts on the Initiatives

    I think that a society integrated with diversity is the fundamental measure to connect a sustainable earth to the future. We will remove barriers with virtual ⇔ real technology.
    We will then propose a future in which everyone can live their authentic selves with rich feelings originating from the approach of participation in society by people with disabilities.

    Personal Focus Themes

    Comedy, Japanese history, art

  • Hydrogen Society Team

    Yuri Nakayama

    Yuri Nakayama

    Work Areas

    Hydrogen storage materials development and new secondary battery development

    Thoughts on the Initiatives

    This planet is not something that we have inherited from our ancestors; it is something we have borrowed from the children of the future.
    We will aim to realize a clean energy society by evolving Murata's technologies to deliver a sustainable global environment to the future! Let's open up the future of the human race together.

    Personal Focus Themes

    Beer, piano, rugby

  • Hydrogen Society Team

    Narimichi Makino

    Narimichi Makino

    Work Areas

    Hydrogen storage materials research

    Thoughts on the Initiatives

    I had an instinct that hydrogen will grow in the context of contributing to decarbonization.
    I think that how to store and distribute hydrogen is a major issue against a background of undeveloped infrastructure.
    I am currently carrying out activities with a focus on hydrogen storage.

    Personal Focus Themes

    Carbohydrates on carbohydrates, the skipping rope

  • Nature-positive team

    Yohei Yamaguchi

    Yohei Yamaguchi

    Work Areas

    Data business project for smart cities

    Thoughts on the Initiatives

    I think it is essential to utilize data for sustainable city design and operation of the future.
    I want to help solve various social issues hidden in cities by providing valuable data that only Murata can obtain!

    Personal Focus Themes

    Parenting, reading, baseball, camping

  • Primary industry team

    Hiroaki Hasegawa

    Hiroaki Hasegawa

    Work Areas

    Elimination of poverty in developing countries utilizing intangible assets

    Thoughts on the Initiatives

    New areas of infrastructure such as electronic money have been firmly built even in poorer areas in Africa.
    We will create new value by building solutions that can only be implemented without vested interests and loss concerns.
    That will contribute to the prosperous lives of people in developing countries!

    Personal Focus Themes

    Martial arts research, coffee exploration, visiting hot springs, traveling

  • Chiharu Sakaki

    Chiharu Sakaki

    General Manager of Strategic Technology & Innovation Department

    Thoughts on the Initiatives

    I think that creating new businesses to address social issues that may exist 10 or more years from now requires extraordinary efforts.
    I will provide support with a big heart day by day so that the project members retain their enthusiastic passion even while tackling initiatives over a long period of time.
    That will lead to the success of the project!

    Personal Focus Themes

    Work out, running, dog lover, valuing family

Message from the Representative of the Project

Masamichi Ando

Masamichi Ando

Executive Officer / Director of the Business Incubation Center

Personal Focus Themes

Beach rugby, golf, prime numbers, saving the earth

Thoughts on the Initiatives

The η Project is a project that will bear the future of Murata Manufacturing. In this project, we will create new businesses with the aim of solving social issues 10 and 20 years in the future.
In general, it is said that it is not easy for a large company to create a new business. However, the members have gathered together with a strong determination to create new business with this project.
We believe that the will to dedicate our lives to new business creation will lead to the resolution of many issues.
By inspiring the passion of the project members, and with the support from experts, we hope to realize new businesses which we can proud ourselves.
We, who support this project, will do our best, believing that the creation of new businesses through the η project is our most important mission.

What's New

  • We have added an introduction to the project members and a message from the representative of the project.

  • We have unveiled the η Project website.

Inquiries

Murata Manufacturing is looking for research institutions, companies, and other organizations who are in the relentless pursuit of innovation and interested in turning ideas into unique solutions that could quite possibly shape the future of electronics and our global society.