Tohoku University Venture Partners and others support the commercialisation of Tohoku Magnet Institute's soft magnetic alloy that could be a more efficient replacement for electromagnetic steel sheet.
Tohoku Magnet Institute, a spinout from Tohoku University, has raised an undisclosed amount from Tohoku University Venture Partners and others.
Tohoku University Venture Partners, the university-owned venture capital organisation that supports the commercialisation of university research, was joined in the round by Alps Electric, NEC Tokin, JFE Steel, Panasonic, and Murata Manufacturing.
Tohoku Magnet Institute, established in November 2015, aims to commercialise a soft magnetic alloy developed by Tohoku University. The alloy can replace electromagnetic steel sheet that is used in consumer products to convert the electricity in a product to a magnetic field.
The magnetic alloy is able to do this with a higher efficiency. It can reduce the energy loss in the conversion to about 25% to 50% of what steel sheet is capable of.
