To address the high power consumption challenges in the AI and big data era with innovative new materials, UntroD Capital Japan, Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Akihiko Nagata), which operates the Real Tech Fund*, has announced an investment in Material Gate Inc. (Headquarters: Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima; CEO: Yuki Nakano, hereinafter “Material Gate”), a startup originating from Hiroshima University that is developing single-molecule dielectrics. With the funds raised, Material Gate will advance R&D to apply single-molecule dielectrics to energy storage and memory devices.

Material Gate is a startup aiming to commercialize “single-molecule dielectrics” developed by Professor Nishihara of Hiroshima University Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering. Traditional ferroelectrics, used in devices like FeRAM (ferroelectric random access memory), face limitations in miniaturization due to thermal fluctuations. In contrast, Material Gate’s single-molecule dielectrics enable 1000 times greater miniaturization while offering high energy storage performance, reduced power consumption, and non-volatility (retaining memory without power).

Material Gate received the Grand Prize and the Real Tech Fund Award at the Hiroshima Tech Planter in 2024. The company raised a total of 160 million yen from the Real Tech Fund and four other investors. The funds will be used to develop mass production technologies for single-molecule dielectrics, related peripheral technologies, PoC/proof-of-concept testing, and hiring R&D staff.

From my first meeting with CEO Nakano, I was impressed by the innovation of Material Gate’s single-molecule dielectrics and decided to invest in this seed round. In today’s AI and big data era, massive power consumption is a global challenge. The single-molecule dielectrics developed by the company offer groundbreaking performance improvements for existing energy storage and memory devices and have the potential to solve high power consumption issues. We fully support the social implementation of this material, created through years of research by Professor Nishihara and brought to life by CEO Nakano’s entrepreneurship.
—So Yamaguchi, Director, UntroD Capital Japan, Inc.

*Official name: Real Tech Fund No. 4 Investment Limited Partnership

About Material Gate Inc.

• Founded: June 2023
• Location: Hiroshima University Incubation Office, Rooms 1 & 2, 3-10-31 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima
• Representative: Yuki Nakano
• Capital: 3 million yen
• Business: Manufacturing and sales of single-molecule dielectrics, licensing related to single-molecule dielectric devices
• Website: https://www.materialgate.com/
• Investment Date: July 2024

About UntroD Capital Japan Co., Ltd. and the Real Tech Fund

UntroD Capital Japan Co., Ltd. established the Real Tech Fund in 2015 to implement innovative deep-tech startups with research and development capabilities that address global and human challenges. It has led seed and early-stage investments and provided hands-on support. Managing funds including Real Tech Fund No. 1-4 (Japan funds), Real Tech Global Fund No. 1-2 (global funds), and Real Tech Growth Fund No. 1 (Japan fund), the total managed assets exceed 30 billion yen. UntroD Capital Japan aims to pioneer unexplored areas necessary for society, proving their economic viability to create a sustainable system where capital and talent continuously flow. To embody this mission, the company rebranded to “UntroD” in June 2024, symbolizing “unexplored” territories.

• Website: https://untrod.inc

Contact Information:
UntroD Capital Japan Co., Ltd.
PR Representative: Narita
https://untrod.inc/contact