Universal Materials Incubator

Universal Materials Incubator (UMI) operates as an investment and incubation platform dedicated to fostering new businesses within the specialized materials and chemical sectors. The firm creates value by connecting established chemical and material companies with diverse user industries, providing strategic guidance and financial expertise. UMI's technical approach focuses on developing and deploying innovative technologies and talent to address pressing global challenges through targeted business creation.

UMI was established in October 2015, with Shosuke Kiba serving as Representative Director and Managing Partner, having previously spearheaded a materials/chemicals team at The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ, Ltd.). The founding insight recognized the critical need for new business models and industrial restructuring in the materials and chemical industries, spurred by environmental demands like decarbonization and intense international competition. This foundation was built to cultivate resilience and innovation.

The firm's beneficiaries include the burgeoning startups and established companies within the materials and chemical fields that receive UMI's strategic and financial backing. UMI's overarching vision is to transform the world through advances in materials and chemistry, by creating and supporting businesses that deliver sustainable solutions to societal challenges. It strives to build a lasting value-creation ecosystem by connecting knowledge, capital, and people.