Today, when the business landscape has become cutthroat and hyper-competitive, innovation isn’t just an advantage over your competitor but a necessity to stay in the business. For this reason, corporations across Asia are collaborating with academic institutions to leverage their expertise in R&D, creating innovation pipelines that shape the industry and redefine the possibilities. These collaborations are producing breakthroughs in the field of STEM and beyond, showing just how beneficial the collaborations between corporations and academic institutions are.
Rise of Collabrorative R&D
The emerging and established economies of Asia led by China, India, Japan, and South Korea are becoming fertile grounds for strategic academic alliances. They are significantly helping industries in innovation, efficiency, and cost control. A 2023 report by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) revealed that around 50% of all AI-related patents are from China, a product of the collaboration Chinese companies have with academic institutions.
Huawei and Tsinghua University: AI for Indsutry Transformation
One of China’s biggest tech and software companies, Huawei, collaborated with Tsinghua University’s Institute for AI Industry Research to innovate AI applications across the board. However, their main focus has been on Healthcare, transportation, and IoT, which has already developed groundbreaking technologies. For example, they started a joint project in autonomous driving, which resulted in the development of an AI model that reduces computational inefficiencies by almost 30%.
Samsung and KAIST: Powering the Future of Semiconductor
In Korea, Samsung also followed suit and collaborated with the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Their collaboration has been pivotal in advancing semiconductor technologies. Samsung invested $50 million in building a joint research centre, and together, they developed high-efficiency memory chips, which led to a 35% increase in chip efficiency. This underscores Sasmsung’s commitment to becoming a leader in the global semiconductor industry, which is expected to reach a market value of over $1 trillion by 2030.
Toyota and University of Tokyo: Diving Autonomy
Once the biggest car maker in the world, Toyota is now Japan’s biggest automobile company. It has joined forces with the University of Tokyo to pioneer autonomous driving technology. The partnership’s main focus points are developing sensor technology and safety-critical AI systems. One key project involves advanced level 4 autonomous vehicles for which Toyota has invested almost $100 million since 2019. This innovation is expected to hit the Japanese markets by 2025 and potentially reduce autonomous vehicle road accidents by almost 50%.
Alibaba and Zhejiang University: Innovating with Blockchain
China’s e-commerce giant, Alibaba, has also become a beneficiary of this collaboration trend. Alibaba has made collaboration with Zheijiang University to come up with innovative use cases of blockchain technology. Their joint project is called “City Brain”, and it has transformed urban traffic management in Hangzhou, reducing congestion by almost 15% in the city. So far, Alibaba has invested over $30 million, and this collaboration is a testament to how technology can impact people’s day-to-day lives.
BASF and Fudan University: Sustainable Materials For a Green Future
German chemical company BASF collaborated with China’s Fudan University, which only goes to prove that collaboration has become a regular occurrence to stay ahead of the curve. The alliance is dedicated to developing sustainable materials for a cleaner and greener environment. Their research has led to many breakthroughs in the polymer recycling process. As a result, in 2022 alone, BASF utilised these innovations to recycle over 10,000 tonnes of plastic, reinforcing its commitment to circular economy practices.
TCS and IIT Bombay: Creating A Quantum Diamond
India’s premier technology company, Tata Consultancy Services, has collaborated with India’s most reputed institution, IIT Bombay, to develop India’s first quantum diamond imager. This will help India make their own semiconductor chips as the imager is a non-invasive and non-destructive way of mapping semiconductor chips. TCS’ CTO, Harrick Vick, said, “We firmly believe this initiative will have a transformative impact on various industries and society, with applications ranging from electronics to healthcare and beyond.” Moreover, the university has signed a contract with TCS, under which over 200 graduates get the chance to start their careers in India’s premier technology company.
The Impact on Talent and Market Dynamics
These partnerships aren’t just about technology; they’re transforming talent ecosystems. Corporations gain access to cutting-edge research by collaborating with leading universities, while academic institutions provide their students with real-world problem-solving opportunities. For instance, Tencent’s alliance with Peking University has helped train over 500 AI specialists, addressing the global talent gap in this high-demand field.
Moreover, these collaborations have significant economic implications. A McKinsey report estimates that industry-academia partnerships could contribute up to $1.5 trillion annually to Asia’s GDP by 2030.
Collaborating with academic institutions is a double-edged sword that helps universities as well as companies. Moreover, working together, irrespective of border, creates a more inclusive and accepting landscape.
