Ajinomoto has long been in the fermentation business, and a leader in amino acids, therefore it makes sense for the company to expand in other areas aside from pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and food ingredients.

Ajinomoto said it is searching for open innovation opportunities with researchers and research institutions in the area of fermentation, bio-based materials (Biotechnology, synthetic biology, metabolic engineering and bioinformatics), as well as biopharmaceutical manufacturing technology. The company started a program called Ajinomoto Innovation Alliance Program (AIAP).

The maximum research period per project is 2 years with a maximum budget of $100,000 in direct costs per year for up to 2 years in total support. The project proposal should be compatible with the company’s businesses and research fields. Ajinomoto plans to accept a project once a year.