Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. has signed an Ecosystem Plus (Note 1) partnership agreement with a major US startup accelerator, Plug and Play, LLC (Founder & CEO: Saeed Amidi, Headquarters: Sunnyvale, California, USA), and commenced open innovation activities based in Silicon Valley in May. OKI plans to expand its activities centered in the US to other regions and promote collaborations with numerous startups. OKI aims to resolve increasingly serious social issues by incorporating technological innovations on a global scale and accelerating innovation.

While being a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage startups, Plug and Play is also a major global accelerator of innovation worldwide by connecting startups with advanced companies and investors around the world. With locations in over 50 regions worldwide, Plug and Play has been involved in growing over 2,000 startups through more than 1,000 programs and events annually with over 500 partner companies. Through this partnership, OKI will participate in Plug and Play?s ecosystem and establish a base at Plug and Play?s Silicon Valley office to explore technologies, focusing on startups.

OKI has also set up a dedicated organization within its Technology Division?the Global Advanced Development Office?to bridge the gaps (Note 2) that often arise with startups. This organization will accompany startups identified in the technology exploration and provide support ranging from technology evaluation and POC to business deployment. Under this arrangement, OKI will seek to efficiently incorporate technological innovations from around the world into its businesses, thereby allowing it to provide swift solutions to increasingly complex social issues.