ASICS VENTURES CORPORATION INVESTS IN A VENTURE COMPANY DEVELOPING CONDUCTIVITY TEXTILES

ASICS Corporation (Headquarters: Kobe, Japan; President and CEO: Motoi OYAMA) announces that its investment subsidiary ASICS Ventures Corporation (Headquarters: Kobe, President: Hiroaki KAGEYAMA, hereafter called ASICS Ventures) has made its first investment, taking a stake in AI SILK Corporation (Headquarters: Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Representative Director Hideo OKANO, hereafter called AI SILK). AI SILK is a venture company affiliated with Tohoku University that develops conductive textiles.


AI SILK was founded in 2015 in Miyagi Prefecture and develops conductive textiles that are comfortable on the skin, utilizing the technology researched by Tohoku University. Many devices that gather the body’s data from the skin tend to irritate the wearer’s skin when used over extended periods of time. AI SILK has developed a proprietary silk textile conductive technology. Contact with the skin is gentle, and the fabric is highly absorbent and causes limited allergic reaction. The fabric permits high conductivity and data gathering is extremely user-friendly.

The company’s proprietary technology will be used together with ASICS Institute of Sport Science’s expertise in developing sports apparel made of high-performance materials.


One of the core strategies in ASICS’ medium-term management plan ASICS Growth Plan (AGP) 2020 is creating distinctive innovations. ASICS has been focusing on developing revolutionary products, services, and processes that change customers’ lifestyles and experiences. ASICS established ASICS Ventures investment subsidiary in November 2016 in order to pursue innovations at a faster pace, and has been collaborating with venture companies with leading-edge products, technologies, and personnel.

ASICS Group plans to pursue even further sustainable growth by working together with companies discovered by ASICS Ventures to create value and by developing new businesses.


<AI SILK Corporation>
Company name: AI SILK Corporation
Location: 6-6-40, Aramaki Aza Aoba Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi
(within Tohoku University T-Biz business incubator)
Representative Director: Hideo Okano,
Business: Manufacture and sales of conductivity silk material,
manufacture and sales of products using conductivity silk
* Adopted for NEDO Technology based Startup Support Program in FY15 and FY16
(NEDO; New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization)
URL: http://www.ai-silk.com/

<ASICS Ventures Corporation>
Name: ASICS Ventures Corporation
Headquarters address: Minatojima Nakamachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe
Representative Director: Hiroaki Kageyama
Business: Investing in venture companies, promoting business
development