Kubota is establishing ‘Innovation Centres’ in Japan and Europe

By Alistair June 2, 2019 10:18 Updated

Kubota is establishing ‘Innovation Centres’ in Japan and Europe as organs for the creation of new business ventures, products and services. Working together with external partners, the centres will advance open innovation for proactive engagement with ICT, AI and other advanced technologies, and accelerate the creation of new business, products, and services.

To date, Kubota has pursued the development of products responsive to the needs of customers mainly through specialised development departments for each of its product lines, such as agricultural machinery and construction machinery, working in partnership with an in-house research and development department in charge of advanced technologies and component technologies. At present Kubota is developing and strengthening its research and development bases both within Japan and internationally to respond to business globalisation and product line expansion.

At the same time, in order to respond to changing customer needs such as the rising awareness of food safety, environmental conservation and other aspects of social sustainability, the company needs to deliver new forms of value such as ‘system solutions’ utilising ICT, AI and other advanced technologies, beyond the existing product lines. These technologies are evolving at an increasingly rapid pace, and in order to engage with them in a timely manner it is essential to pursue partnerships (open innovation) with venture businesses, companies in other industries, universities, research institutes and other external partners.

It is for this purpose that Kubota is establishing its new Innovation Centres, which will take the lead in planning and proposing new business activities, products and services that transcend existing boundaries between different product lines, promote open innovation through investment in and joint research with external partners, and seek to create new forms of value that surpass customers’ expectations.

In order to respond attentively to regional needs, Innovation Centres will be established in both Japan and Europe. The company will also consider establishing centres in other regions in the future.