NanoFrontier Designated as Research Institution by Japan's Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

NanoFrontier Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture; Representative Director: Seiya Inoue; hereinafter 'NanoFrontier') announces that it has been designated as a 'research institution' under Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) Regulations by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, effective June 26, 2026 (Institution Number: 91304).

With this designation, researchers affiliated with our company can now apply for the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (hereinafter 'KAKENHI') on equal footing with researchers from universities and other academic institutions. Concurrently, we will strengthen our recruitment of researchers, including those currently conducting KAKENHI-funded projects and those aiming to secure KAKENHI grants in the future.

Overview of the Designation Application

KAKENHI is Japan's national competitive research funding program that supports academic research across all disciplines, from humanities and social sciences to natural sciences. While researchers at universities and national research institutions are the primary applicants, researchers employed by private companies must belong to an organization officially designated as a 'research institution' by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to be eligible. To qualify for designation, an organization must meet strict criteria, including being established for the purpose of research, having a dedicated research organization, and ensuring a formal system that allows researchers to independently plan and conduct research and freely publish their findings based on their own judgment.

This designation confirms that our company meets these rigorous standards and is now authorized to carry out all necessary administrative procedures related to KAKENHI.

Background of the Designation Application

The nanomaterial synthesis field in which we operate is an interdisciplinary domain intersecting materials science, chemical engineering, and information science. Numerous fundamental and academic challenges remain that cannot be fully addressed through short-term product development alone. To tackle these challenges from a medium- to long-term perspective alongside our business activities, we applied for this designation.

The research areas we aim to pursue using KAKENHI funding include:

- Elucidation of the Mechanisms for Structural Control of Nanoparticles

To precisely control the size, morphology, and surface properties of nanoparticles, it is essential to systematically clarify the relationship between reaction conditions during synthesis and the resulting product structures. We aim to systematize this field, which has traditionally relied on empirical knowledge, through rigorous academic approaches.

- Optimization of Nanomaterial Design Processes Using AI and Simulation

Building on our proprietary AI-driven R&D automation pipeline, we will conduct research with academic rigor on methods for generating and collecting materials data, feature engineering, and the construction and validation of predictive models.

- Fundamental Research for Applications in Environmental and Energy Fields

We will accumulate foundational knowledge on themes directly linked to solving societal challenges, such as high-sensitivity detection technologies for PFAS (organic fluorine compounds), applications of nanoparticles in next-generation battery materials, and elucidation of the functional expression mechanisms of nanomaterials in thermal fluid systems.

Researcher Recruitment

KAKENHI supports academic research based on researchers' free ideas and intellectual curiosity. The inclusion of corporate entities as eligible institutions signifies a formal recognition that fundamental research is not solely the domain of universities—companies can also be creators of new knowledge. We aspire to be a company that embodies this philosophy.

With this designation, our affiliated researchers can now apply for and conduct KAKENHI projects, creating an environment where academic research and business activities can coexist. In light of this, we will actively recruit researchers in the following categories:

### Researchers Currently Conducting KAKENHI Projects — Choose Your Career by Research Theme, Not Affiliation

Through prescribed procedures, it is possible to continue ongoing KAKENHI research projects at our company. The feasibility and process depend on factors such as the type and stage of the research project, so please consult with us individually.

Establishing an environment where academic research can continue within a corporate setting enhances talent mobility between universities, companies, and research institutions. We believe that a system where researchers can choose their careers based on 'what research themes they pursue' rather than 'where they are affiliated' is the true foundation of borderless industry-academia collaboration.

### Researchers Aiming to Secure KAKENHI Grants — Remain a Researcher While Being Employed by a Company

You can apply for new grants, such as for Early-Career or Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B), with our company as the host institution. Our management and administrative office will provide comprehensive support from research planning to application procedures.

We have formally codified in our internal regulations that researchers can independently plan and conduct research and freely publish their findings based on their own judgment. We are committed to creating an environment where researchers can maintain and develop their autonomy and careers while being employed by a company.

### Researchers Interested in Both Fundamental Research and Business Development — A Place Where Intellectual Inquiry Reaches Social Implementation

Leveraging our location within Tohoku University's Katahira Campus, we offer the opportunity to build a research career that involves both fundamental research and business development through collaboration with the university.

Academic research does not necessarily aim for short-term practical application. Precisely for this reason, when the results of intellectual inquiry are smoothly implemented into society through a company, they become technologies grounded in scientific principles, generating long-term benefits and sustainable technological innovation. We aim to advance fundamental research and social implementation not as separate entities but as an integrated mission.

For inquiries and applications regarding recruitment, please contact us via our careers website.

Careers Website: https://careers.nanofrontier.jp/

Message from the Representative

'We are deeply honored to receive this designation as a research institution. As a startup based on Tohoku University's nanoparticle generation technology, we have always valued the accumulation of academic research that underpins our commercialization efforts. With this designation, we have established a framework to advance fundamental research and social implementation in an integrated manner using KAKENHI funding. We will continue to enhance our research environment and recruitment efforts so that our company becomes one of the career options for researchers currently conducting KAKENHI projects and those aiming to apply in the future.'

(Representative Director, Seiya Inoue)

About the Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI)

KAKENHI is Japan's national competitive research funding program aimed at significantly advancing 'academic research'—research based on researchers' free ideas—across all fields, from humanities and social sciences to natural sciences. Administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), grants are awarded through peer-reviewed evaluation to support original and pioneering research.

MEXT KAKENHI Website: https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shinkou/hojyo/main5_a5.htm

JSPS KAKENHI Website: https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-grantsinaid/

Company Overview

Company Name: NanoFrontier Co., Ltd. Representatives: Representative Director Seiya Inoue, Director and CTO Hiroki Oka Headquarters: Room 215, Advanced Research and Development Center for Collaborative Innovation of Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture Founded: April 7, 2025 Business Activities:

- Research, development, manufacturing, and sales of reagents and functional materials using organic nanoparticle technology

- Contract manufacturing of organic nanoparticles and provision of related technologies

- Technology licensing in the field of organic nanoparticle technology