JAIST

What JAIST does

JAIST (Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology / 北陸先端科学技術大学院大学) is a National University Corporation established in 1990, headquartered at 1-1 Asahidai, Nomi, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, with a Tokyo Satellite office and a Kanazawa presence. It is Japan's only national graduate-only university dedicated to advanced science and technology, enrolling master's and doctoral students across four academic schools - Materials Science, Information Science, Knowledge Science, and Transdisciplinary Sciences - spanning ten research domains that include AI, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and digital society infrastructure.

JAIST's underlying research platform comprises specialized centers such as the Nano-Material Technology Center, Carbon Neutral Research Center, Silent Voice Sensing International Research Hub, and Biomedical DX Transdisciplinary Research Center, supported by shared research equipment accessed via the ARIM platform. Technical differentiators are largely research-stage IP rather than commercial products: the cDOPA6GT enzyme pathway for betalain pigment biosynthesis (first-in-world demonstration), ADASPEC language-adaptive LLM inference optimization (~2.3x speedup), the EleTac elephant-trunk-inspired soft robotic gripper, a Japan-first selective listening assessment tool for children, and the Hazumi multimodal dialogue dataset.

JAIST's business model is structured around four recurring revenue streams: MEXT operational subsidies as a National University Corporation, tuition and admission fees regulated by national university standards, competitive external research grants (JSPS, JST, MEXT), and fee-based industry collaboration, joint research, and contract research with corporate partners such as Kaga Electronics and Mitan industry. Distribution is delivered through residential graduate programs at the Ishikawa main campus, hybrid programs for working adults via the Tokyo Satellite and the new Hokuriku Social 人 course launching April 2027, and international academic exchanges. Customer segments are diversified across domestic graduate students, international students, working adults, and industry/corporate partners; regional ecosystem leadership is exercised through co-leadership of Tech Startup HOKURIKU (TeSH), a JST-backed platform connecting 14 universities and 3 technical colleges across the Hokuriku region.

Name

JAIST

Legal name

National University Corporation Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (国立大学法人 北陸先端科学技術大学院大学)

Website

https://jaist.ac.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Short description

JAIST is Japan's only national graduate-only university in advanced science and technology, headquartered in Ishikawa Prefecture with a Tokyo satellite, offering master's and doctoral programs across Materials, Information, Knowledge, and Transdisciplinary Sciences to domestic students, international students, and working professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technical Universities with Specialized Engineering Domains (EDAHAEAI)

Keywords

• Graduate education
• Advanced research
• Science technology
• Industry collaboration
• Doctoral programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Nomi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. National University Corporation Funding: JAIST operates as a national university corporation funded primarily by the Japanese government's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Core operational funding comes from national subsidies.
2. Tuition and Admission Fees: Revenue from graduate student tuition fees, admission fees, and certificate issuance fees from domestic and international students.
3. External Research Grants: Funding from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) research grants, competitive research funding from MEXT, and industry collaboration funding including JST and other national research programs.
4. Industry Collaboration and Contract Research: Revenue from joint research projects with private companies, technology licensing, and contract research services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

JAIST is a national graduate school university offering master's and doctoral programs across four academic domains (Materials Science, Information Science, Knowledge Science, Transdisciplinary Sciences) spanning 10 research areas. The institution delivers advanced graduate education, conducts multidisciplinary fundamental and applied research, and operates industry-academia collaboration programs including joint research, contract research, technology licensing, and the Tech Startup HOKURIKU (TeSH) regional ecosystem platform. Dedicated satellite courses serve working adults in Tokyo and the Hokuriku region.

Product overview

JAIST (Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) is a national graduate school university offering interdisciplinary research and education across four academic domains: Materials Science, Information Science, Knowledge Science, and Transdisciplinary Sciences. The institution encompasses 10 research areas and operates collaborative research centers including the Nano-Material Technology Center, Carbon Neutral Research Center, Silent Voice Sensing International Research Hub, and Biomedical DX Transdisciplinary Research Center. JAIST provides graduate education (master's and doctoral programs) with specialized tracks including a Tokyo-based professional course and industry-academia-government collaboration programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master's Degree Programs
• Doctoral Degree Programs
• Working Adult (Social 人) Course - Tokyo
• Working Adult (Social 人) Course - Hokuriku
• Industry Collaboration and Contract Research Services
• Tech Startup HOKURIKU (TeSH) Ecosystem Platform
• JAIST Festival

Quantifiable outcome

• First in Japan to establish developmental standard values for children's selective listening ability in noisy environments
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability10 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Ravensburg Villingen-Schwenningen University of Applied Sciences (ラーベンスブルク・ヴァインガルテン応用科学大学)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2026Academic exchange agreement signed for student and researcher exchanges between institutions.
• Tech Startup HOKURIKU (TeSH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2026University-startup ecosystem platform co-led by JAIST and Kanazawa University, connecting 14 universities and 3 technical colleges across Hokuriku region (Ishikawa, Toyama, Fukui). Supported by JST's University-based Startup Ecosystem Co-creation Program, fostering academic startup creation and regional innovation.
• Ishikawa Industry Support Organization (ISICO) / 公益財団法人石川県産業創出支援機構majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 July 2026Supporting organization for ISHIKAWA Interdisciplinary Fes. 2026, providing backing for regional startup ecosystem events.
• Kyoritsu Women's University and Kyoritsu Women's Junior College (共立女子学園・共立女子大学)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 July 2026Comprehensive partnership agreement for academic collaboration and recommended admission program between JAIST and Kyoritsu Women's University.
• Ishikawa Prefectural University (石川県立大学)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Collaborative partner in Tech Startup HOKURIKU (TeSH) platform and joint research on betalain pigments (cDOPA6GT discovery).
• Kanazawa University (金沢大学)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Co-lead institution of Tech Startup HOKURIKU (TeSH) platform with JAIST, main partner in Hokuriku regional startup ecosystem development.
• Ishikawa Prefectural University, Komatsu University, Kanazawa College of Art, Kanazawa Institute of Technology, Kanazawa Medical University, Hokuriku University, Ishikawa National College of Technology, Kinpara University, Kanazawa Seiryu University, Ishikawa Prefectural Nursing UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 202614 universities and 3 technical colleges participating in TeSH platform for Hokuriku regional startup ecosystem development.
• JAIST Regional Co-creation School (JAIST地域共創スクール)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2019Joint initiative with Kanazawa Station offering lifelong learning programs for regional community development and human resource training.
• Mitan industry (三谷産業)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2019Scholarship program for Vietnamese students providing opportunities for study and employment in Japan for excellent young Vietnamese talent.
• Kaga Electronics (加賀電子)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 April 2019Comprehensive industry-academia partnership agreement for joint research, technology development, and human resource collaboration.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Osaka University: Osaka University is a leading Japanese comprehensive research university with substantial graduate programs across science and engineering. It is a broader incumbent competing with JAIST for research funding, top graduate students, industry joint research contracts, and prestige in advanced research areas including AI and biotechnology.
• Hokkaido University: Hokkaido University is a comprehensive Japanese national research university with significant research output in materials science, information science, and other advanced science domains. It competes with JAIST for MEXT/JST funding, top-tier graduate students, and industry-sponsored research, while operating at significantly larger scale as a broader incumbent.
• Tohoku University: Tohoku University is another major Japanese national university with strong graduate-level research in materials science, engineering, and information science. It competes with JAIST for MEXT/JST research funding, international graduate students, and Japanese industry partnerships, particularly in materials and nanotechnology where both institutions have significant research footprints.
• Kyoto University: Kyoto University is one of Japan's top comprehensive research universities, with elite doctoral programs across science, engineering, and information science that directly overlap JAIST's strengths. As a broader incumbent with significantly larger scale, it competes with JAIST for top-tier research talent, JSPS grants, and industry partnerships in the same advanced science and technology domains.
• Kyushu University: Kyushu University is a comprehensive Japanese national research university with substantive graduate programs in science and engineering. It is a broader incumbent that competes with JAIST for government research grants, graduate students, and industry joint research arrangements, particularly in materials and information science.

Regional players

• Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH): POSTECH is Korea's specialized science and technology research university with deep graduate-level research in materials science, engineering, and AI. As a regionally separate but functionally similar institution, it competes with JAIST for international STEM talent and serves as a comparable model for industry-academic collaboration and research commercialization.
• Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST): KAIST is Korea's premier graduate STEM university, with an analogous research-intensive, graduate-focused mission to JAIST. While geographically separate, it competes with JAIST for international graduate students - particularly in AI, robotics, and nanotechnology - and serves as a comparable model for government-funded specialized science and technology institutions in Asia.

Direct peers

• Kanazawa University: Kanazawa University is JAIST's co-lead partner in the Tech Startup HOKURIKU (TeSH) platform and a fellow regional institution in Ishikawa Prefecture. While broader in scope (offering undergraduate programs across humanities, medicine, and sciences), it is a direct peer in joint research, regional startup ecosystem development, and competition for Hokuriku-region students and government funding.
• Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST): NAIST is Japan's other national graduate-only university, focused exclusively on information science, biological sciences, and materials science. It is the most structurally and functionally comparable institution to JAIST - both are MEXT-funded national university corporations offering doctoral/master's only education in advanced STEM, making it the closest direct peer in the Japanese higher education landscape.
• Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology / Tokyo Tech): Institute of Science Tokyo is Japan's premier science and engineering-focused national university and a direct competitor for top graduate STEM talent. With strong doctoral-level research portfolios across engineering, materials, and information science, it competes with JAIST for the same pool of MEXT-funded research grants, international students, and industry-sponsored research projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@JAISTChannel
• Facebookfacebook.com/jaist.ac

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about JAIST