2015.11.25

RBI raises funds including private equity placement.
– Full start towards commercialization of Maholo, an all-purpose humanoid robot-

The Robotic Biology Institute Inc. (RBI; President, Representative Director, Eiji Takagi) is a start-up venture of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST; President, Ryoji Chubachi).
RBI raised funds through means including private equity placement with Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST; President, Michinari Hamaguchi) and Yaskawa Electric Corporation (Representative Director, Chairman of the Board, Junji Tsuda).
RBI’s mission is “to develop a robot system to improve precision and reproducibility of life science experiments.” AIST and Yaskawa Electric Corporation jointly developed Maholo, an all-purpose humanoid robot by applying the fruits of research and development achieved with JST’s support.
RBI was founded in June 2015 as an AIST start-up vent+C3ure, for the purpose of commercializing Maholo. Using the funds raised, RBI will conduct empirical research focusing on Maholo and will prepare to open and operate robot facilities for the development and validation of peripheral technologies.

Overview of the Robotic Biology Institute Inc. and　the capital increase
Company Name： Robotic Biology Institute Inc.
Representative： Eiji Takagi (President, Representative Director)
Establishment： June 22, 2015
Business Activities：
Operating and managing robot facilities for conducting life science and biomedical experiments
Development, sales and maintenance of robots and their peripheral devices
Management and utilization of data and intellectual property relating to life science and biomedical experiments
〇Shares allocated to (new shareholders):
・Japan Science and Technology Agency (location: Kawaguchi city, Saitama prefecture, Japan)
・Yaskawa Electric Corporation (headquarters: Kita-kyusyu city, Fukuoka prefecture, Japan)
〇Purpose of financing
To promote empirical research in aid of the commercialization of Maholo, and to prepare for the opening and operation of robot facilities for the development and validation of peripheral technologies.
○About Maholo, an all-purpose humanoid robot
AIST, in collaboration with Yaskawa Electric Corporation, developed Maholo, an all-purpose humanoid robot in 2012 in order to automate bench work in the biomedical sector. Unlike conventional robots that can only manage specific operations, Maholo is an adaptable all-purpose robot. It offers high reproducibility in operations that had been difficult for humans to achieve.
AIST will continue research and development to encourage innovation by introducing Maholo into the biomedical sector where complex and highly precise operations are required.

Reference│Press release by AIST (Japanese only):

http://www.aist.go.jp/aist_j/news/pr20151125.html