Osaka University has been given the go ahead by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology to invest in its recently created university venturing unit.
Osaka University Venture Capital (OUVC) will have ¥10bn ($80m) to invest into spin-outs coming out from the university. The fund will be taking a long term view on investment, essential to spin-outs which may take the entire lifecycle of a traditional venture capital investment to fully commercialise their technology.
Unlike the recent $474m Oxford Sciences Innovation university venturing fund which was raised from multiple sources, Osaka is providing 100% of the fund’s capital, leaving it as the sole shareholder in the fund.
Formed in December last year, OUVC said it would begin investment activity immediately following the investment size approval, and will work in tandem with Osaka’s Joint Research Course and Collaborative Research Centre. OUVC are yet to discuss an overall strategy for the fund.
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