News
2024.11.13
Investment in endophyte Inc., a company that uses endophytes to address environmental issues
TOKYU CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD., (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President: Mitsuhiro Terada; hereafter, the "Company"), is investing in various start-up companies through TOKYU-CONST GB Innovation Fund L.P. (Managed by: Global Brain Corporation) with the mission of transforming the construction industry and creating new businesses. This time the Company have invested in endophyte Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Toshiki Kazaoka), which is using microbial technologies at its core to take on comprehensive environmental challenges such as resolving the global food crisis and restoring soil and forests.
[About endophyte Inc.]
endophyte Inc. is a venture company founded by Ibaraki University and University of Tsukuba that is taking on the challenge of solving comprehensive environmental issues such as soil reforestation and greening by utilizing endophytes (endophytic fungi) that support plant growth in order to pass on a sustainable environment to future generations. endophyte Inc. aims to be a platform business that collaborates with companies to create green businesses.
[Investment Background and Future Outlook]
To address issues as reducing plant management costs in the greening of buildings and various civil engineering works, as well as diversifying cultivable varieties, endophyte Inc. can provide value-added technologies through the practical application of microbial "DSE"* in addition to utilizing the results of approximately 30 years of research at Ibaraki University. "DSE" is highly regarded for its large number of compatible plants, its extremely simple cultivation process, and its low introduction cost.
The Company will utilize the microbial technology of endophyte Inc. to develop technologies that enhance the ability to grow greening plants, especially plants that can be grown in soil improvements such as during embankment construction, with the aim of increasing added value in greening projects and civil engineering works.
The Company is also studying the possibility of applying this technology to a business that produces organic culture soil and greening base materials from used disposable diapers, which was selected in our new business idea contest. Going forward, the Company will continue to promote the greening of buildings and soil improvement using microbial technologies, and will accelerate initiatives in decarbonization and disaster prevention and mitigation, which are at the core of our management.
*DSE: Dark Septate Endophytes. Fungi that colonize host plant tissues (leaves, stems, and roots) without showing obvious symptoms.
