3 October 2019
JFE Engineering Corporation
JFE Engineering Corporation (President and CEO: Hajime Oshita, Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) recently acquired 100% of the shares of AnyTech Inc. (President: Yoshiki Shimamoto, Head Office: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter, AnyTech).
AnyTech is a startup company that owns a water quality judgment AI called "DeepLiquid", which the company developed independently utilizing knowledge of fluid dynamics. DeepLiquid is the world's first technology that enables immediate detection of anomalies in water quality by video analysis using a monitoring camera and AI.
AnyTech has already supplied solution businesses utilizing DeepLiquid to companies in a wide range of industries, including water treatment facilities, plants producing biopharmaceuticals, cosmetics and beverages and automobile-related companies, and has received a high evaluation.
At present, the mainstream approach to water quality monitoring is sensors or human inspection. However, in addition to the high cost and time required to discover anomalies, accuracy is also unstable in some cases. Introduction of DeepLiquid in monitoring work improves accuracy in water quality monitoring and reduces trouble such as interruptions of plant operation due to water quality problems and the spread of water pollution.
Through cooperation with AnyTech, JFE Engineering will create new businesses that utilize its assets in existing business areas, for example, by combining its ESP *2 business and water quality judgment by AI. JFE Engineering has also established a system which provides a full range of support to startups and venture companies that possess innovative technologies, like AnyTech in this case, and plans to create a completely new business model starting with this acquisition.
- *1 Water quality: Here, "water" is used as a general term for fluids and liquids.
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*2
ESP (Energy Service Provider): Package contracting business that provides energy-related services,
such as supply of heat and electricity, to client companies.
Outline of AnyTech Co., Ltd.
| (1)Company name | AnyTech Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| (2)Head office | 2-25-5 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo |
| (3)Date established | June 5, 2015 |
| (4)Representative director | Yoshiki Shimamoto |
| (5)Vision | Worldwide collection of data on fluids, and protection of the health of the planet by utilizing AI |
| (6)Businesses | Development of AI engines and supply of systems to corporate clients |
| (7)Membership | Regular Member, Japan Deep Learning Association |
| (8)Main awards | 2016 Application Award, IBM AI development contest "Watson Hackaton" 2017 Selected by AI specialty accelerator "AI.Accelerator" 2018 Selected by Hong Kong-based AI specialty accelerator "Zeroth" 2018 Selected by Kawasaki City R&D venture specialty accelerator"Kawasaki ZENTECH Accelerator" 2019 Tokyo Global Startup Accelerator "X-HUB TOKYO" 2019 Selected as Regular Member of "Japan Deep Learning Association" 2019 2nd Place in "IVS LaunchPad" |
For inquiries regarding this press release, please contact:
- Public Relations Section, General Administration Department, JFE Engineering Corporation