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Japan’s AgIC, circuit board printing startup, raises $1.5M for radiant heating technology

Masaru Ikeda Masaru Ikeda
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Tokyo-based AgIC, a startup born out of the University of Tokyo with the remarkable electroconductive ink technology, announced on Wednesday that it has secured 175 million yen (about $1.5 million) in January. The latest round was led by Beyond Next Ventures, which recently formed its first $44 million fund for investing in technology-focused startups, with participation from Japanese instant glue manufacturer Cemedine (TSE:4999). In an interview with TechCrunch Japan, AgIC founder and CEO Shinya Shimizu revealed that his team aims to invent electroconductive glue technology in partnership with Cemedine. For improved circuit board printing technology in preventing unexpected circuit disconnections due to printing failure, AgIC has also partnered with Mimaki Engineering (TSE:6638), a supplier of high-end inkjet printers for factory use. Setting their sights on the FlexTech sector, AgIC wants to start entering it with replacing floor heating system, conventionally passing hot water through the pipes under the floor, to a radiant electric heating circuit printed on rolled paper to be placed on the floor. To advance this idea, the company started discussing with home renovation companies in Japan as potential sales channels. In January of 2015, AgIC fundraised 60 million yen (about $500,000) from IoT (Internet of Things) focused investment fund…

agic_featuredimage

Tokyo-based AgIC, a startup born out of the University of Tokyo with the remarkable electroconductive ink technology, announced on Wednesday that it has secured 175 million yen (about $1.5 million) in January. The latest round was led by Beyond Next Ventures, which recently formed its first $44 million fund for investing in technology-focused startups, with participation from Japanese instant glue manufacturer Cemedine (TSE:4999).

In an interview with TechCrunch Japan, AgIC founder and CEO Shinya Shimizu revealed that his team aims to invent electroconductive glue technology in partnership with Cemedine. For improved circuit board printing technology in preventing unexpected circuit disconnections due to printing failure, AgIC has also partnered with Mimaki Engineering (TSE:6638), a supplier of high-end inkjet printers for factory use.

Setting their sights on the FlexTech sector, AgIC wants to start entering it with replacing floor heating system, conventionally passing hot water through the pipes under the floor, to a radiant electric heating circuit printed on rolled paper to be placed on the floor. To advance this idea, the company started discussing with home renovation companies in Japan as potential sales channels.

In January of 2015, AgIC fundraised 60 million yen (about $500,000) from IoT (Internet of Things) focused investment fund TomyK, Japan’s East Ventures, Shanghai-based IoT consulting company Yoren and other companies plus angel investors, in addition to 36 million yen (about $300,000) loans from financial institutions.

via TechCrunch Japan

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Edited by “Tex” Pomeroy

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Japan’s AgIC launches Kickstarter campaign for enhanced version of circuit pattern maker

Junya Mori Junya Mori
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This is the abridged version of our original article in Japanese. Japan’s AgIC, a startup born out of the University of Tokyo with the remarkable electrically conductive ink technology, launched a new Kickstarter campaign today, raising funds for an enhanced version of the AgIC Circuit Marker. The new product is called Erasable Circuit Marker, which allows users to erase circuit patterns that they have drawn with silver nano ink. See also: Circuit board printing startup AgIC wins pitching competition in Tokyo, advances to finals in San Francisco Through user feedback, the AgIC team learned that many users need the ability to erase circuit patterns that they have drawn. So they included an eraser in the new version. AgIC is seeking a modest sum of $10,000, planning to start shipping the new version in March 2015. In the previous Kickstarter campaign in March, they fundraised in a month about 8 million yen ($80,000) from over 900 backers for the current product version.

agic_erasable_circuit_marker_featuredimage

This is the abridged version of our original article in Japanese.

Japan’s AgIC, a startup born out of the University of Tokyo with the remarkable electrically conductive ink technology, launched a new Kickstarter campaign today, raising funds for an enhanced version of the AgIC Circuit Marker. The new product is called Erasable Circuit Marker, which allows users to erase circuit patterns that they have drawn with silver nano ink.

See also:

Through user feedback, the AgIC team learned that many users need the ability to erase circuit patterns that they have drawn. So they included an eraser in the new version.

AgIC is seeking a modest sum of $10,000, planning to start shipping the new version in March 2015. In the previous Kickstarter campaign in March, they fundraised in a month about 8 million yen ($80,000) from over 900 backers for the current product version.

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