Professor Kazuhiro Tsuruta of theFaculty of Science and Engineering and Lecturer Yoichi SanoFaculty of Life Science have each been selected for Step 1 of the PARKS Startup Program, which provides support for commercializing research results to lead to social implementation.
PARKS (Platform for All Regions of Kyushu & Okinawa for Startup-ecosystem) was established with the aim of creating a startup ecosystem that connects the entire Kyushu and Okinawa region with Asia, and in 2025, 22 institutions, including 20 universities in Kyushu and Okinawa, FFG Venture Business Partners Inc. (FVP), and Kyushu University OIP Inc., will work together to promote startup creation. The platform was selected for the Japan Science and Technology Agency's (JST) "University Ecosystem Promotion Startup Ecosystem Formation Support" initiative.
This program, which has been selected by faculty members from our university, provides support for entrepreneurial activities from discovering technological seeds that will contribute to the creation of startups to matching with entrepreneurs to found their businesses.
Professor Tsuruta is engaged in research and development into an "AI platform that puts the detection of abnormalities in machine parts into practical use," and is attracting attention as a "pioneer of physical AI" that will enhance anomaly detection in manufacturing sites and improve industrial safety and efficiency.
Meanwhile, Lecturer Sano is working on the theme of "Production and agricultural use of fulvic acid capable of chelating with any metal *1," aiming to develop a biostimulant material *2 that can be used in organic farming, which is expected to contribute to the promotion of sustainable agriculture and the reduction of environmental impact.
Through this selection, we will receive support for commercialization and further accelerate our research to solve social issues.
*1 Chelation: The process in which organic molecules pinch metal ions together like crab claws to form a stable complex.
*2 Biostimulant materials: Materials different from fertilizers and pesticides that stimulate the physiological functions of plants, helping them to withstand stress and improve quality.
[Open Innovation Center]
