2026-08-18

NanoFrontier Selected for JETRO 'Global Startup Acceleration Program (GSAP) 2026' ManufacturingTech and HardTech Course

NanoFrontier Selected for JETRO GSAP 2026 ManufacturingTech & HardTech Course

NanoFrontier Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Sendai, Miyagi; Representative Director: Seiya Inoue; hereinafter “NanoFrontier”) is pleased to announce its selection for the ManufacturingTech & HardTech course of the “Global Startup Acceleration Program (GSAP) 2026”, implemented by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in collaboration with the Cabinet Office of Japan. Through this program, NanoFrontier will develop a mass-production and commercialization strategy for its nanoparticle platform in the North American market, beginning with the local deployment of its PFAS detection reagent — the platform’s first application.

GSAP Selection Image

Background of the Selection

Nanoparticles are a foundational material with broad industrial applications expected across pharmaceuticals, electronic materials, energy, and environmental sensing. The global nanomaterials market is projected to grow from approximately USD 19 billion in 2025 to approximately USD 55 billion by 2033 (CAGR: 14.4%).

NanoFrontier is working to commercialize a technology developed at Tohoku University that converts compounds into uniform nanoparticles under ambient temperature and pressure. A defining strength of the company is its ability to pursue the following industrial applications in parallel from a single manufacturing platform:

  • Sensing: Reagents that disperse organic nano-dyes in water to detect PFAS at low concentrations in the field

  • Energy Storage: Electrolyte solutions for redox flow batteries that use nanoparticles as the active material, eliminating dependence on vanadium

  • Thermal Management: Cooling fluids for data centers with enhanced cooling performance through nanoparticle dispersion

  • Lubrication: Lubricating oils that reduce metal wear without molybdenum-based additives, using safer nanoparticles

  • Pharmaceuticals: Carrier-free anticancer agents (nano-prodrugs)

Scaling this “one platform, multiple applications” model in global markets requires more than one-off product exports — it demands the design of mass-production processes, a deep understanding of local manufacturing and procurement supply chains, and the securing of partners capable of engaging in co-development across each application. The United States is the largest market where all of these elements converge, and NanoFrontier determined that participation in this course, which specializes in the manufacturing and hard tech sectors, represents the most direct path forward.

Overview of the Selected Course

The ManufacturingTech & HardTech course is a program dedicated to the manufacturing and hard tech sectors, with a core strength in leveraging networks with major manufacturers and investors to support startups through PoC, demonstration, and commercialization. Phase 1, in which NanoFrontier will participate, is themed around “Understanding U.S. Manufacturing” and will be conducted from August through September 2026.

Since its launch in 2021, GSAP has supported a cumulative total of more than 500 Japanese startups. In FY2026, 62 companies were selected nationwide (with 8 companies in the ManufacturingTech & HardTech course Phase 1). Program costs are covered by JETRO, and the program operates on an equity-free basis with no investment component.

NanoFrontier’s Activities Under the Program

Through this program, NanoFrontier will pursue the following initiatives:

① Understanding U.S. Manufacturing and Supply Chains, and Defining a Mass-Production Vision
NanoFrontier will clarify the requirements for continuous nanoparticle mass-production lines and quality assurance systems, premised on manufacturing and procurement in the United States.

② Validating Customer Needs for the First Application
Targeting semiconductor fabs, water treatment operators, and chemical manufacturers, NanoFrontier will conduct on-the-ground validation of needs and operational requirements for PFAS primary screening.

③ Developing Cross-Application Partner and PoC Candidates
Leveraging the program’s network, NanoFrontier will build connections with co-development and PoC candidates — as well as investors — in the electrolyte, cooling fluid, and lubricant sectors, following on from PFAS.

NanoFrontier will incorporate the insights gained through this program into its future international expansion plans, continuing to generate new businesses from the Tohoku University-born nanoparticle platform.

Comment from the CEO

“We are deeply honored to be selected for GSAP. What we possess is not a single product in the form of a PFAS reagent, but a platform capable of converting compounds into nanoparticles and deploying them across diverse industrial applications. We believe that scaling this globally hinges on designing mass-production processes and pursuing co-development with local partners — and our collaboration with this program, which is deeply rooted in manufacturing, aligns precisely with those requirements. We will first establish a foothold in the U.S. market through PFAS detection, where regulatory urgency is highest, and then advance into electrolytes, cooling fluids, and lubricants. Our goal is to deliver Tohoku University-born technology from Sendai to the world.”

Seiya Inoue, Representative Director

About GSAP

GSAP is an acceleration program implemented by JETRO in collaboration with the Cabinet Office of Japan and other agencies to support the international expansion of Japanese startups. Working with world-class accelerators, the program provides workshops, mentoring, investor and overseas corporate demo days, and other resources aimed at formulating market entry strategies, gaining market insights, building networks, developing sales channels, forming business partnerships, and raising capital. In FY2026, the program offers five courses: Enterprise B2B, AI, AI-CTO, Sustainability, and ManufacturingTech & HardTech.

Official Website: https://www.jetro.go.jp/services/gsap.html

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: 2026-08-18