2026-05-18

NanoFrontier Selected for Vietnam Startup Acceleration Program 'NIC Scale X'

NanoFrontier Selected for Vietnam Startup Acceleration Program “NIC Scale X”

NanoFrontier Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Sendai, Miyagi; Representative Director: Seiya Inoue; hereinafter “NanoFrontier”) is pleased to announce its selection for “NIC Scale X,” a startup acceleration program co-operated by the National Innovation Center of Vietnam (NIC) and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) with funding from the Japanese government, and implemented in partnership with Mitsubishi Research Institute and Plug and Play APAC.

This program is based at the “Vietnam–Japan Innovation Hub” in Hoa Lac, Vietnam, and is designed to connect startups with investors, corporations, universities, and policymakers, supporting cross-border collaboration and market development between Vietnam and Japan. Through this selection, NanoFrontier will move into full-scale promotion of the implementation and commercialization of Tohoku University-originated organic nanoparticle technologies in the Vietnamese market.

NIC Scale X

Background of the Selection

NanoFrontier is a deep-tech company established in April 2025 as a Tohoku University-born startup. Building on nanoparticle synthesis technologies developed and refined at Tohoku University over more than 30 years, the company has advanced from batch processing and small-lot production—previously limited to the pharmaceutical sector—to a scalable mass-production system based on continuous flow processes. The company is currently developing nanoparticle solutions across five domains: PFAS detection, energy storage batteries, immersion cooling fluids, hydrogen catalysts, and pharmaceuticals.

In the energy storage battery domain in particular, NanoFrontier is working to develop next-generation batteries that leverage organic nanoparticles as electrolytes, addressing the challenges of high cost, corrosion, and rare-metal dependency that have long plagued conventional vanadium redox flow batteries. Estimates indicate that by eliminating the need for vanadium and expensive Nafion membranes, capital expenditure (CAPEX) can be reduced by more than 65%.

Vietnam has dramatically raised its energy storage capacity targets toward 2030—from 300 MW to as much as 16.3 GW—and demand for long-duration energy storage (LDES) solutions to stabilize renewable energy is expanding rapidly. NanoFrontier will use this selection as an opportunity to accelerate its full-scale market entry.

Future Initiatives

Through participation in this program, NanoFrontier will prioritize the following activities.

Launching Business Operations in Vietnam

The company will accelerate proof-of-concept (PoC) projects and business negotiations with local energy operators, power utilities, and industrial parks, while building supply chains with OEM and EPC companies.

Building an Investor and Partner Network

By leveraging Plug and Play’s VC and corporate network—including overseas study tours to Singapore and Japan (funded by UNDP) and participation in demo days—NanoFrontier will expand opportunities for fundraising and business partnerships in the Southeast Asian market.

Comment from the CEO

“Vietnam is one of the most promising markets for the social implementation of our organic nanoparticle battery technology, as rapid expansion of renewable energy and development of energy storage infrastructure are progressing simultaneously. Being selected for NIC Scale X, supported by the Japanese government, marks a major turning point in taking Tohoku University-originated technology from Asia to the world. Together with our partners—UNDP, Mitsubishi Research Institute, and Plug and Play—we are committed to contributing to Vietnam’s decarbonization and energy stabilization.”

Seiya Inoue, Representative Director

About the NIC Scale X Accelerator Program

NIC Scale X is a startup acceleration program co-operated by the National Innovation Center of Vietnam (NIC) and UNDP with funding from the Japanese government, and implemented in partnership with Mitsubishi Research Institute and Plug and Play APAC. Based at the “Vietnam–Japan Innovation Hub” in Hoa Lac, Vietnam, the program supports early-stage startups over 13 weeks (May 18 – August 10, 2026), with a focus on healthcare, clean energy (ESG), environmental technology, smart factories, agritech, IoT, and cloud infrastructure.

Selected startups receive the following:

  • Access to NIC Hoa Lac’s office and joint research facilities, along with business development consulting from Mitsubishi Research Institute
  • Expert mentoring and VC introductions through Plug and Play
  • Overseas study tours to Singapore and Japan (funded by UNDP)
  • Cloud credits from Google Cloud, Microsoft for Startups, and others
  • Investor meeting opportunities and participation in demo days

Official Website: https://www.plugandplayapac.com/nic-scale-x

Company Profile

  • Company Name: NanoFrontier Co., Ltd.
  • Representative: Seiya Inoue, Representative Director
  • Address: Room 215, Material Solutions Center (MaSC), Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi Prefecture
  • Established: April 7, 2025
  • Business Activities:
    • R&D, manufacturing, and sales of reagents and functional materials using organic nanoparticle technologies
    • Contract manufacturing of organic nanoparticles and provision of related technologies
    • Technology licensing and consulting in the field of organic nanoparticle technologies
  • Website: https://nanofrontier.jp

Last updated: 2026-05-18