OPERA Solutions

What OPERA Solutions does

OPERA Solutions Inc. is a Japanese contract research firm founded on November 16, 2020 as a university spin-off from Kyushu University's Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics Research (OPERA). The company specializes in organic electronics, photonics, and soft electronics, delivering commissioned R&D services — prototyping, proof-of-concept, and proof-of-value — to technology companies, display manufacturers, and materials/device developers. Its service portfolio is organized around three core offerings (In-House Device Characterization, Organic-on-Si hybrid prototyping, and Optical Interconnects), plus a fourth regional facility — the East Japan R&D Lab in Yonezawa — focused on flexible OLED and barrier film R&D.

The company operates on a professional-services revenue model with undisclosed project-based pricing and direct B2B engagement. It employs 1-10 people, reports 8 million JPY of stated capital, and is privately held with no institutional investors disclosed. Proprietary analytical methodologies — Emission Zone Analysis, In-Situ Exposure Methodology for contamination studies, GCIB-TOF-SIMS depth profiling, and μ-PL with gradient shaping preparation — underpin record-setting OLED results including a 4,500-hour TADF OLED lifetime at 1000 cd/m², 20% EQE, and the lowest reported driving voltages for Cu(I) complex-based broadband WLEDs. The go-to-market relies on industry conference presence (SID Display Week, ICDT, OLED Korea, CEATEC), peer-reviewed publications in Advanced Materials, ACS Energy Letters, and Sensors, and direct enterprise relationships.

OPERA Solutions is anchored inside the Fukuoka organic photonics cluster (i3-opera, Fukuoka IST, Kyushu University OPERA, Fukuoka Ultra-Dense Semiconductors Solution Center) and a parallel Yonezawa cluster anchored by SOAR Corporation and INOEL/Yamagata University. CEO Dr. Kentaro Harada brings 20+ years of semiconductor and organic electronics R&D experience and was previously Program Director at Kyushu University OPERA; East Japan R&D Lab Director Dr. Toshinao Yuki is a Tohoku Pioneer veteran from the original 1997 OLED mass-production launch. Strategic alliances with Toray Research Center (May 2021) and SOAR Corporation (April 2025) extend the analytical and manufacturing capabilities the firm can offer clients without owning them in-house.

Name

OPERA Solutions

Legal name

OPERA Solutions Inc.

Website

https://opera-solutions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

OPERA Solutions is a Fukuoka-based contract research firm spun out of Kyushu University that provides prototyping, characterization, and proof-of-concept services for OLED, organic, and soft electronics devices to display manufacturers and technology companies in Japan and select international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Electronics R&D Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM)

Keywords

• Organic electronics R&D
• OLED prototyping services
• Soft electronics development
• Device characterization services
• Contract research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nishiku

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Contract Research Services: OPERA Solutions conducts commissioned R&D projects including prototyping, proof-of-concept, and proof-of-value for clients in the organic electronics industry. They provide model making and prototyping of soft electronics while pursuing highest reliability to fulfill client requirements.
2. Consulting Services: Technical consulting services for organic electronics device development, including support for technology asset utilization and new technology acquisition.
3. Joint Service Packages: Integrated service packages combining OPERA Solutions' device evaluation platform with partner Toray Research Center's instrumental analysis technologies for comprehensive R&D support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

OPERA Solutions is an innovation hub that provides R&D contract research services for organic electronics and soft electronics. The company conducts commissioned prototyping, proof-of-concept, and proof-of-value projects for industry clients, leveraging proprietary analytical methodologies such as emission zone analysis, in-situ exposure techniques, and GCIB-TOF-SIMS depth profiling to accelerate next-generation organic device development.

Product overview

OPERA Solutions is an innovation hub providing R&D contract research services for organic electronics and soft electronics. The company offers three core service offerings: In-House Device Characterization (end-to-end fabrication and testing of customized electronic devices), Organic-on-Si (prototyping and feasibility evaluation of organic/inorganic hybrid devices), and Optical Interconnects (high-speed electro-optic device prototyping). The company also operates the East Japan R&D Lab in Yonezawa, offering one-stop OLED and organic electronics R&D support including flexible device research, barrier layer formation, laser lift-off processes, and barrier performance evaluation services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-House Device Characterization End-to-end in-house fabrication and characterization of customized electronic devices for technology companies and OEMs. Includes clean room facilities, substrate patterning, vacuum thermal evaporation systems, device characterization, and lifetime measurement, providing rapid proof-of-concept validation with secure handling of confidential projects.
• Organic-on-Si Prototyping, modeling, and feasibility evaluation of organic/inorganic hybrid devices for semiconductor and electronics companies. Includes photolithography, dry-etching, DRIE, plating and via processes, and 3D wiring capabilities to validate novel device concepts and support technology business development.
• Optical Interconnects Prototyping and characterization of high-speed electro-optic devices and optical interconnect modules for technology companies. Includes RF device characterization, RF measurement, signal generation and detection, and network analyzer capabilities for emerging electro-optic materials evaluation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record TADF OLED lifetime of 4500 hours to 95% brightness at 1000 cd/m² achieved using emission zone optimization technique
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• SOAR CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025Consultancy service agreement signed April 1, 2025 for organic electronics device development support. OPERA Solutions provides business development assistance utilizing accumulated knowledge and network in organic electronics. SOAR, formerly Tohoku Pioneer, has 30 years of OLED experience since world's first OLED mass production in 1997. OPERA Solutions East Japan R&D Lab established inside SOAR building in August 2024.
• SOAR Corporation (formerly Tohoku Pioneer)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2024OPERA Solutions launched East Japan R&D Lab at SOAR facility in Yonezawa, Yamagata Prefecture. Partnership enables OPERA Solutions to expand business development in OLEDs and cutting-edge organic electronics while leveraging SOAR's manufacturing infrastructure and expertise.
• MORESCO CorporationsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Business partnership for water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) measurement services. MORESCO provides WVTR measurement equipment (Super Detect) used for barrier film performance evaluation at OPERA Solutions' East Japan R&D Lab.
• Fukuoka Ultra-Dense Semiconductors Solution Center (福岡超集積 반도체솔루션センター)supportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Collaboration for photolithography, dry-etching, DRIE, plating and via processes for Organic-on-Si hybrid device prototyping. Center provides semiconductor processing capabilities that complement OPERA Solutions' organic electronics expertise.
• imec BelgiumsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Collaboration on TADF OLED research resulting in publication in Advanced Materials demonstrating record OLED lifetime. Great collaboration between colleagues at imec Belgium and i3-opera Japan.
• Zhejiang University and China Jiliang UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Collaboration on copper iodide-based electroluminescence research published in ACS Energy Letters. Research revealed low-voltage driving characteristics of cesium copper iodide-based EL devices.
• Toray Research Center Inc. (TRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2021Strategic alliance in organic electronics including OLED technologies. Companies jointly launched integrated service packages combining OPERA Solutions' device evaluation platform with Toray Research Center's advanced instrumental analysis technologies. Services support customers from initial R&D prototyping through proof-of-value to mass production technical issue resolution.
• Innovation Center for Organic Electronics (INOEL), Yamagata UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Collaboration since 2021 on laser lift-off technologies for flexible electronics. INOEL and OPERA Solutions co-developed laser lift-off processes for making thin flexible OLED devices on PI film with excellent barrier performance. OPERA Solutions has established an INOEL branch office within the center. Technology applicable to flexible OLEDs, photovoltaic, and sensor devices.
• i3-opera (Fukuoka i³ Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics Research)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2020Ongoing collaboration with i3-opera at Fukuoka IST. i3-opera organized the 5th International TADF Workshop and 3rd i3-opera Forum where OPERA Solutions showcased business activities. OPERA Solutions continues to collaborate with i3-opera as an innovation hub for soft electronics.
• Kyushu University OPERA (Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics Research)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 November 2020University spin-off origin. OPERA Solutions was founded by scientists from Kyushu University's OPERA center. Company continues collaboration with OPERA at Kyushu University, leveraging knowledge and knowhow accumulated in organic photonics and electronics.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Universal Display Corporation: US-based leader in phosphorescent OLED IP and materials with extensive R&D operations, a benchmark for OPERA's OLED technology focus and a potential partner or competitor for advanced device work.
• Idemitsu Kosan: Japanese OLED materials supplier with deep R&D programs in organic electronics, comparable to OPERA's customer set of display and materials companies requiring device evaluation.
• JOLED: Japanese OLED display manufacturer (spun out of Sony/Panasonic) that is a potential end customer for OPERA's OLED R&D and device evaluation services within the Japanese ecosystem.
• Sumitomo Chemical: Major Japanese chemical company with significant OLED materials business; represents the type of large incumbent that OPERA's prototyping and analytical services can support as a customer.
• LG Display: Major Korean OLED display manufacturer with significant R&D investment in flexible and large-area OLED, comparable to OPERA's display manufacturer customer segment.
• Samsung Display: World's leading OLED panel maker with in-house R&D at scale; represents the largest potential customer category for OPERA's analytical services and a benchmark for organic electronics R&D depth.
• Merck KGaA: German science and technology company with a Performance Materials OLED business; operates large-scale R&D and serves as a comparable broad incumbent in the organic electronics value chain.

Direct peers

• Kyulux: Japanese TADF OLED materials and technology company also spun out of Kyushu University OPERA, directly comparable to OPERA Solutions in origin, technical focus, and organic electronics R&D positioning.
• Toray Research Center: Japanese analytical services firm that partners with OPERA on integrated OLED evaluation packages and competes in adjacent organic electronics and materials characterization services.
• CYNORA: German OLED TADF emitter specialist (now part of Samsung SDI) that, like OPERA, monetizes deep R&D expertise in organic electronic device analysis and materials for display applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OPERA_SOLUTIONS
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCy1e2dbkPVOfxYqhfAiEnxg
• Facebookfacebook.com/opera.solutions.inc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/opera-solutions-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/opera.solutions.inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OPERA Solutions