JERA Co., Inc. has initiated corporate venture capital activities with the aim of accelerating innovation in the energy domain and generating new business opportunities, according to a news release.
Led by JERA Ventures, a newly established in-house organization, this initiative will make strategic investments totaling $300m in start-up companies that have leading-edge technologies or business concepts and in venture capital funds that have close connections to such companies.
JERA Ventures, as “a sandbox for people who are serious about changing the world,” aims to be a good partner for start-up companies that are taking on the challenge of changing the world in the energy domain, acting as a bridge between them and JERA, the release states.
We will contribute to accelerated technological development, preconditioned on safety and regulatory compliance, not only through capital participation but also by providing the value of our strengths as one of the world’s largest energy companies, such as our facilities and our LNG, hydrogen, and ammonia value chains, for proof-of-concept1, demo or testing projects using actual assets or facilities. The following are the three main strategic technology areas for investment:
1. Energy transformation: Decarbonization technologies including making existing energy business smart, developing hydrogen and ammonia value chains, and renewables
2. Customer-centric: Digital technologies that offer new value to customers using digital energy platforms, AI, blockchains, etc.
3. Corporate: Well-being, femtech, and other technologies that contribute to the virtuous spiral of employee happiness and corporate value creation.
JERA’s mission is “to provide cutting edge solutions to the world’s energy issues.” Overcoming issues such as climate change, resource constraints, and energy security, we will continue to deliver a stable, economically sustainable clean energy. To achieve this, JERA Ventures will, with a strong sense of social responsibility and a belief in the power of imaginative innovation, co-create with visionary start-ups that brings new ideas or perspectives as it takes on the challenge of discovering new solutions that transcend received wisdom.
