--- title: SakanaAI receives grant from NEDO/GENIAC description: Googleの元AI研究者が参加する日本のAIスタートアップ「SakanaAI」が、日本政府からの助成金を受けて基盤AIモデルの開発を進めることが選ばれました。SakanaAIは、革新的なAIの開発を目指し、自然界のアイデアを取り入れた新しい基礎モデルの研究に取り組んでいます。 image: https://corp.aicu.ai/hubfs/o_ob_fishes_comes_to_feeding_in_the_pond_935e41ea-0bbe-4c85-ac1d-0b1caa65461a.png --- [![AICU-LogoWT](https://corp.aicu.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo/AICU-LogoWT.png?width=200&height=512&name=AICU-LogoWT.png "AICU-LogoWT")](https://aicu.ai) En Search toggle - [AICU](https://aicu.ai/) AICU - [Blog \[English\]](https://corp.aicu.ai/en) - [Blog \[Japanese\]](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/) - [note](https://note.com/aicu) - [medium](https://medium.com/@aicu) - [Products](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/products) Products - [AICU media](https://note.com/aicu/) - [X(Twitter)@AICUai](https://twitter.com/AICUai) - [日本市場向け製品](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/products) 日本市場向け製品 - [特定商取引法](https://corp.aicu.ai/jp-commercial-transactions-act) - [AI market dev solutions](https://corp.aicu.ai/products) - [LINE Chatbot \[LuC4\] 全力肯定彼氏くん](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/tag/luc4%E5%85%A8%E5%8A%9B%E8%82%AF%E5%AE%9A%E5%BD%BC%E6%B0%8F%E3%81%8F%E3%82%93) - [AICuty](https://corp.aicu.ai/aicuty) - [Lecture](https://bit.ly/AICUCEO) - [AICU Creator Union Membership](https://note.com/aicu/membership/info) - [Pricing](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/pricing) - [AICU Japan](https://aicu.jp/) - [About Us](https://corp.aicu.ai/about) About Us - [Vision](https://corp.aicu.ai/vision) - [Privacy Policy](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/privacy) - [Media Policy](https://corp.aicu.ai/media-policy) - [PRTIMES](https://prtimes.jp/main/html/searchrlp/company_id/133647) - [Become a partner](https://j.aicu.ai/Creg) - [Contact](https://corp.aicu.ai/contact) [Follow us on Facebook](https://m.me/118997804638852?ref=klE9gy8WjnrE) [Follow us on Twitter](https://www.youtube.com/@AICuty) [Follow us on Instagram](https://twitter.com/AICUai) [![AICU-LogoWT](https://corp.aicu.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo/AICU-LogoWT.png?width=200&height=512&name=AICU-LogoWT.png "AICU-LogoWT")](https://aicu.ai) - [AICU](https://aicu.ai/) AICU - [Blog \[English\]](https://corp.aicu.ai/en) - [Blog \[Japanese\]](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/) - [note](https://note.com/aicu) - [medium](https://medium.com/@aicu) - [Products](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/products) Products - [AICU media](https://note.com/aicu/) - [X(Twitter)@AICUai](https://twitter.com/AICUai) - [日本市場向け製品](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/products) 日本市場向け製品 - [特定商取引法](https://corp.aicu.ai/jp-commercial-transactions-act) - [AI market dev solutions](https://corp.aicu.ai/products) - [LINE Chatbot \[LuC4\] 全力肯定彼氏くん](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/tag/luc4%E5%85%A8%E5%8A%9B%E8%82%AF%E5%AE%9A%E5%BD%BC%E6%B0%8F%E3%81%8F%E3%82%93) - [AICuty](https://corp.aicu.ai/aicuty) - [Lecture](https://bit.ly/AICUCEO) - [AICU Creator Union Membership](https://note.com/aicu/membership/info) - [Pricing](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/pricing) - [AICU Japan](https://aicu.jp/) - [About Us](https://corp.aicu.ai/about) About Us - [Vision](https://corp.aicu.ai/vision) - [Privacy Policy](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/privacy) - [Media Policy](https://corp.aicu.ai/media-policy) - [PRTIMES](https://prtimes.jp/main/html/searchrlp/company_id/133647) - [Become a partner](https://j.aicu.ai/Creg) - [Contact](https://corp.aicu.ai/contact) En Search toggle [![AICU-LogoWT](https://corp.aicu.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo/AICU-LogoWT.png?width=200&height=512&name=AICU-LogoWT.png "AICU-LogoWT")](https://aicu.ai) - [AICU](https://aicu.ai/) AICU - [Blog \[English\]](https://corp.aicu.ai/en) - [Blog \[Japanese\]](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/) - [note](https://note.com/aicu) - [medium](https://medium.com/@aicu) - [Products](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/products) Products - [AICU media](https://note.com/aicu/) - [X(Twitter)@AICUai](https://twitter.com/AICUai) - [日本市場向け製品](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/products) 日本市場向け製品 - [特定商取引法](https://corp.aicu.ai/jp-commercial-transactions-act) - [AI market dev solutions](https://corp.aicu.ai/products) - [LINE Chatbot \[LuC4\] 全力肯定彼氏くん](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/tag/luc4%E5%85%A8%E5%8A%9B%E8%82%AF%E5%AE%9A%E5%BD%BC%E6%B0%8F%E3%81%8F%E3%82%93) - [AICuty](https://corp.aicu.ai/aicuty) - [Lecture](https://bit.ly/AICUCEO) - [AICU Creator Union Membership](https://note.com/aicu/membership/info) - [Pricing](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/pricing) - [AICU Japan](https://aicu.jp/) - [About Us](https://corp.aicu.ai/about) About Us - [Vision](https://corp.aicu.ai/vision) - [Privacy Policy](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/privacy) - [Media Policy](https://corp.aicu.ai/media-policy) - [PRTIMES](https://prtimes.jp/main/html/searchrlp/company_id/133647) - [Become a partner](https://j.aicu.ai/Creg) - [Contact](https://corp.aicu.ai/contact) [Follow us on Facebook](https://m.me/118997804638852?ref=klE9gy8WjnrE) [Follow us on Twitter](https://www.youtube.com/@AICuty) [Follow us on Instagram](https://twitter.com/AICUai) - [English](https://corp.aicu.ai/en/sakanaai-nedo-geniac) - [日本語](https://corp.aicu.ai/ja/sakanaai-nedo-geniac) En Search toggle Choose your language. What are you looking for? Search # SakanaAI receives grant from NEDO/GENIAC 3 Feb 2024 ![Picture of Akihiko Shirai](https://corp.aicu.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/ShiraiHakaseAICU20231118SQ.png?width=40&name=ShiraiHakaseAICU20231118SQ.png) [Akihiko Shirai](https://corp.aicu.ai/en/author/akihiko-shirai) ![](https://corp.aicu.ai/hubfs/o_ob_fishes_comes_to_feeding_in_the_pond_935e41ea-0bbe-4c85-ac1d-0b1caa65461a.png) [SakanaAI](https://sakana.ai/), a Japanese AI startup that includes former Google AI researchers known for developing Transformer and other products, has been selected by the Japanese government to encourage the development of foundational AI models to strengthen the capabilities of Japan's generative AI ecosystem through a supercomputing SakanaAI was selected as one of seven Japanese institutions to receive the grant. Known as the Generative AI Accelerator Challenge ([GENIAC](https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/mono_info_service/geniac/index.html)), the grant is sponsored by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization ([NEDO](https://www.nedo.go.jp/english/)) under the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Since last year, the grant has invited applications for R&D projects that will strengthen Japan’s technological base in the post-5G communication system era, and the seven institutions selected through this grant will have access for several months in 2024 to a supercomputing cluster equipped with the latest GPUs that can train the latest fundamental models. The seven selected institutions will have access to a supercomputing cluster equipped with the latest GPUs that can train the latest fundamental models. [https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/mono\_info\_service/geniac/index.html](https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/mono_info_service/geniac/index.html) SakanaAI is a new AI research company based in Tokyo, Japan, whose founding team includes Llion Jones, one of the Transformer researchers used in the GPT series and many other AI projects, and David Ha, a collective intelligence researcher with a track record of groundbreaking AI This new company has set the trend in AI development with a track record of groundbreaking developments. [https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/17/transformer-co-author-llion-jones-leaves-google-for-startup-sakana-ai.html](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/17/transformer-co-author-llion-jones-leaves-google-for-startup-sakana-ai.html) [![ComfyUI 知らないの？](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/43845236/interactive-185006873759.png)](https://corp.aicu.ai/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLIKPQQsufdKZ8NQbr3xbEUte4BcUBtWVe5tdO29GxlSk8dwkOozvnIoxJWRiPfqfNazLRCkOLDIZbrSNIvjIAe9qOqtkm4GCIzm2j9PBS4klykf5GoMp2fe0%2FDXRrmzcrCkM3mk5Chdksc7rilTCsb9Ww1RKWCxoF35%2FqE%3D&webInteractiveContentId=185006873759&portalId=43845236&hsLang=en) [![画像生成 お困りですか？](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/43845236/interactive-185263496576.png)](https://corp.aicu.ai/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLI4CWhiNmPDlg5zb10tWvFD%2F%2Bv95IX4S4DIc7GHggC8XmymvuCTLuKhPJuebkDbHqc6JErKrgEw6r6SadYK7VUA%2F61AJp7Uk4E35Be%2FKQLeRMuHDt%2FmqhNlglvU9O0nvCZ6%2B8FEol5K%2Bz3xINouq1Qku0552gOdgRkQgho%3D&webInteractiveContentId=185263496576&portalId=43845236&hsLang=en) According to SakanaAI's website, the company aims to develop innovative AI that will bring about the next paradigm. The main focus of R&D is a new kind of fundamental model based on intelligence inspired by nature. [https://sakana.ai/seed-round/](https://sakana.ai/seed-round/) The name "Sakana" is derived from the Japanese word "sakana," meaning fish. They want to apply ideas from the natural world, such as evolution and collective intelligence, to their research, and they envision a school of fish coming together and forming a coherent entity from simple rules. The red fish swimming away represents the desire to not only do what others do, but to pursue what they believe is coming next. Already placed in a seed funding round, the company has raised $30 million in a seed funding round led by Lux Capital with strong backing from Khosla Ventures. The two venture capital firms have a strong history and culture of backing companies focused on long-term R&D, particularly in the field of AI; Lux is known for its early support of companies like Hugging Face and Runway, and Khosla was an early institutional investor in OpenAI. SakanaAI is the first AI startup to be founded in Japan (or possibly almost the first in any industry in Japan) backed by top Silicon Valley VCs in the seed stage. It also has strong backing from the Japanese tech ecosystem, with investments from NTT Group, KDDI CVC, and Sony Group. It has already announced a research partnership with NTT. [![最新情報はメールニュース  ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/43845236/interactive-185006873894.png)](https://corp.aicu.ai/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLLzngAFNa1vK3xtoEa9YAMXmQ8DCa9vT8xo9i2JCQIGMd59R373ygd5QxAhhoEvRJb%2FnYltD%2Bu5qxExD04V7FDcupeYNcrvkBsj1%2FXuar5pO6stMIYaTm9Cb7b5u%2BQpHgwjSaxSdUpDm26DLs9Y%2BbIrwmkLid0t&webInteractiveContentId=185006873894&portalId=43845236&hsLang=en)   ### Share: [Share on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://corp.aicu.ai/en/sakanaai-nedo-geniac&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) [Share on LinkedIn](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://corp.aicu.ai/en/sakanaai-nedo-geniac&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [Share on X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://corp.aicu.ai/en/sakanaai-nedo-geniac&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://corp.aicu.ai/en/sakanaai-nedo-geniac&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=SakanaAI%20receives%20grant%20from%20NEDO/GENIAC) [SakanaAI](https://corp.aicu.ai/en/tag/sakanaai) ## Akihiko Shirai Akihiko Shirai / Dr(Shirai)Hakase / CEO of AICU, Ph.D. in Intelligent Systems Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology. Visiting professor at Digital Hollywood University Graduate School. D. (Engineering) with nearly 30 years of experience in image generation R&D, specializing in metaverse R&D development, VR entertainment systems, media art research, photographic engineering, image engineering, haptic technology, GPU applications, multiplexed displays, physical evaluation of experiences, and international collaboration. He is a member of the IVRC Executive Committee of the Virtual Reality Society of Japan, councilor of Laval Virtual in France, vice president of the Society of Art Science and Technology, and a Hacker author. Serialization of "Generative AI Streams" in "Windows Forest" by Impress. Since 2018, he has been in charge of the future development of the metaverse represented by REALITY at GREE VR Studio Laboratory, GREE Group. He has not only created numerous UX intellectual properties in the metaverse, but is also involved in developing workshops for children, fostering innovative human resources through advanced research, and communicating to the world as a creator and live player in the age of VTuber. He is promoting social implementation through the international startup "AICU" in order to realize "creating people who create" in the age of generative AI. [info@aicu.ai](mailto:info@aicu.ai) [Follow me on my website](https://akihiko.shirai.as) [Follow me on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/akihiko-shirai/) [Follow me on X](https://twitter.com/o_ob) ## Comments ## Related posts Search [AICU's chatbot \[LuC4\] reports  - What do they want to receive?](https://corp.aicu.ai/en/luc4-survey1?hsLang=en) [Top 10 articles in AICU media Japan, January 2024!](https://corp.aicu.ai/en/ranking-202401?hsLang=en) Search ![AICU-LogoWT](https://corp.aicu.ai/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo/AICU-LogoWT.png?width=210&name=AICU-LogoWT.png "AICU-LogoWT") AICU Inc. is AIDX company. [Follow us on Facebook](https://m.me/118997804638852?ref=klE9gy8WjnrE) [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/AICUai) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.youtube.com/@AICuty) Main Office: 830 STWART DR STE277 SUNNYVALE, CA 94085-4513 ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Akihiko Shirai", "url" : "https://corp.aicu.ai/en/author/akihiko-shirai" }, "dateModified" : "2025-03-14T20:53:38.955Z", "datePublished" : "2024-02-03T20:32:53.000Z", "headline" : "SakanaAI receives grant from NEDO/GENIAC", "image" : [ "https://corp.aicu.ai/hubfs/o_ob_fishes_comes_to_feeding_in_the_pond_935e41ea-0bbe-4c85-ac1d-0b1caa65461a.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://corp.aicu.ai/en/sakanaai-nedo-geniac", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://corp.aicu.ai/hubfs/android-chrome-512x512.png" }, "name" : "AICU Inc." } } ```