The partnership comprises the establishment of Plug and Play Seattle with SBI Holdings and SNBL as the Founding Anchor partners and Plug and Play’s future participation as co-GP in the $40M SBI US Gateway Fund

Plug and Play expands presence to Seattle, Washington, in strategic collaboration with SBI Holdings and SNBL to foster innovation and early-stage investment

SEATTLE, Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Plug and Play, the world’s leading innovation platform based in Silicon Valley that connects startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies, announced today a strategic collaboration with SBI Holdings, Inc., and SNBL to establish Plug and Play’s first presence in the Greater Seattle Region. The expansion includes two new offices in the region, with locations at the SNBL Global Gateway (SGG) business incubation facility in Everett, WA, and at CoMotion Labs technology incubator on the University of Washington’s (UW) Seattle campus, aiming to drive regional innovation and support early-stage startup growth.

This collaboration not only marks Plug and Play’s entry into the Seattle area but also includes Plug and Play’s participation as co-General Partner (co-GP) for the newly launched SBI US Gateway Fund. The $40 million fund established by SBI and SNBL focuses on early-stage startups in North America with promising advancements in sectors such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, climate technology, supply chain, and healthcare, including biotechnology and drug research and development. Through its co-GP role, Plug and Play will leverage its extensive global network and innovation expertise to guide and support portfolio companies, providing strategic growth opportunities and strengthening investment outcomes.

Strengthening the U.S.-Japan Innovation Pipeline
The launch of the SBI US Gateway Fund is a significant step in connecting North American startups with key investment and partnership opportunities from Japan. With this partnership, Plug and Play, SBI, and SNBL aim to create synergies between the U.S. startup ecosystem and Japanese investors, fostering long-term growth and sustainability in cutting-edge fields. The fund’s operations will benefit from Plug and Play’s expansive reach across five continents and its experience in corporate innovation and startup acceleration.

“We are thrilled to bring Plug and Play’s innovation platform to Seattle in partnership with SBI Holdings, SNBL, and the University of Washington,” said Saeed Amidi, Founder & CEO at Plug and Play. “The Pacific Northwest is home to a dynamic and rapidly growing tech ecosystem, and we are excited to contribute to this community by supporting the next generation of innovative companies.”

Yoshitaka Kitao, Representative Director, Chairman, President & CEO from SBI Holdings, stated, “This collaboration with Plug and Play and SNBL represents a major milestone in our commitment to fostering innovation and supporting transformative startups. By connecting Japanese investment with North American innovation, we are creating a unique bridge that will empower startups with not only capital but also strategic guidance and industry connections. Together, we are shaping the future of technology and healthcare advancements.”

Ryoichi Nagata, Representative Chairman, President & CEO from SNBL stated, “We are excited to join forces with Plug and Play and SBI Holdings in this groundbreaking collaboration. Through the combined strengths of our organizations, we aim to build a robust platform that will enhance our ability to support startups and innovation utilizing the SNBL Global Gateway business incubation facility. This strategic alliance enables us to leverage our respective expertise and extensive networks, creating unparalleled opportunities for growth and advancement on a global scale.”

This new collaboration between Plug and Play, SBI, SNBL, and UW will provide startups with capital and access to a unique blend of corporate innovation resources, strategic advisory services, and a wide network of industry leaders across key sectors. These resources are expected to amplify the value and growth of portfolio companies in the SBI US Gateway Fund, setting a strong foundation for sustainable innovation and development.

Plug and Play x SNBL Global Gateway (SGG) (Everett, WA)
SBI has partnered with SNBL, the largest non-clinical contract research organization in Japan, to operate an accelerator program and SBI US Gateway Fund at SGG business incubation facility in Everett, WA. Plug and Play plans to use the SGG business incubation facility as a hub to operate their accelerator programs.

Plug and Play x CoMotion Labs (Seattle, WA)
Plug and Play, SBI, and SNBL have agreed to partner with the University of Washington’s CoMotion Labs to help foster the startup ecosystem in the Seattle area and on campus. CoMotion Labs provides a multi-industry incubation environment for early-stage startups. While preference is given to UW spinoffs, CoMotion Labs also accepts startups from outside the UW community. From critical infrastructure to learning, mentoring, and networking, CoMotion Labs nurtures and enables success and helps startups grow without taking equity or IP.

To learn more about Plug and Play Seattle, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/locations/seattle.

About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we’re present in 60+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and manage over $1 billion in AUM across our funds, driving innovation across multiple industries where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies, including Dropbox, PayPal, Guardant Health, Honey, N26, Rappi, Turing, and more. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/.

About SBI Holdings
Established in 1999 as a pioneer of Internet-based financial services in Japan, the SBI Group is a comprehensive Internet financial group that operates globally, encompassing five core businesses: “Financial Services Business,” such as securities, banking and insurance businesses; “Investment Business,” which is engaged in private equity investment including venture capital investment; “Asset Management Business,” that provides various asset management related services; “Crypto-asset Business,” which operates crypto asset trading and exchange services; and “Non-financial Business,” which includes business activities related to biotechnology, healthcare and medical informatics, Web3, and new overseas markets. For more information, please visit https://www.sbigroup.co.jp/english/.

About SNBL
Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories, Ltd. (SNBL) is the largest and the oldest non-clinical contract research organization in Japan, with a strong focus on supporting the growth and development of the global biotechnology and drug discovery ecosystem. Founded in 1957, SNBL provides comprehensive services ranging from translational research (TR) to contract research and Medipolis, a unique blend of biomedical facilities. Headquartered in Kagoshima, Japan, SNBL is dedicated to advancing innovation in biotechnology and healthcare through its partnerships, research, and support of new and groundbreaking therapies. For more information, visit https://en.snbl.com/.

Media Contacts

Plug and Play Media Relations
Jacky Tsang
press@pnptc.com

SBI Holdings, Inc. Corporate Communications Dept.
Tel: +81 3 6229-0126

SNBL IR & Corporate Communications
ir@snbl.com

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SOURCE Plug and Play