Booster Technology Inc. joins the construction of STATION Ai's physical AI ecosystem

Booster Technology Inc. (President: Natsuo Nagai (Monozukuri Taro), hereinafter referred to as "Booster Technology") is pleased to announce its participation as a partner for on-site issue analysis and task selection in the manufacturing industry for the "STATION Ai Data Foundry" (hereinafter referred to as "the Center"), a data collection center for physical AI being promoted by STATION Ai Inc. (Headquarters: Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, President & CEO: Hirotaka Sahashi, hereinafter referred to as "STATION Ai").

This initiative is part of the "Post-5G Information Communication System Foundation Strengthening Research and Development Project / Research and Development on Data Ecosystem Construction, etc. (GENIAC)" adopted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization), and Booster Technology will promote the project in collaboration with manufacturing companies in the Aichi and Tokai regions, aiming for the Center's operation to commence in December 2026, serving as a specialized partner for on-site knowledge and ROI evaluation in the manufacturing sector. (※)

※Reference

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Announcement (https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2026/07/20260702001/20260702001.html)

NEDO Announcement (https://www.nedo.go.jp/koubo/CD3_100430.html)

Background and Problem Recognition

In Japan's manufacturing industry, labor shortages and the succession of skilled craftsmanship are urgent issues, leading to rapidly growing expectations for automation and advancement in production sites. However, when considering the introduction of physical AI and robots, it is often difficult to discern "which process would be most effective for implementation," and many demonstration projects proceed without a clear understanding of ROI.

In particular, tasks in manufacturing sites such as assembly, picking, inspection, and parts transport vary greatly depending on the site and the diversity of objects, resulting in significantly different application effects of physical AI from one site to another. Therefore, accurately structuring on-site issues and selecting high-priority tasks from an investment-return perspective are considered crucial factors for the success of physical AI's social implementation.

Booster Technology's Role in This Initiative

Leveraging its consulting expertise in manufacturing and its deep network with manufacturing sites, Booster Technology will play the following roles in this project:

1. Selection of Target Tasks in Manufacturing Sites

In collaboration with manufacturing companies in the Aichi and Tokai regions, we will prioritize the selection of tasks in processes such as assembly, picking, inspection, and parts transport where the return on investment (ROI) from physical AI introduction is expected. The selection process will emphasize not only technical feasibility but also alignment with management issues such as productivity improvement, labor saving, and quality stabilization.

2. Structuring On-site Issues and Specifying Demonstration Themes

We will systematically organize and structure the on-site issues faced by manufacturing companies from the perspectives of data collection, AI model development, and robot implementation. By visualizing these issues, we will promote matching with AI and robotics startups gathered in the STATION Ai community and support the specification of demonstration themes.

3. Support for ROI Evaluation in Physical AI Introduction

We will provide ongoing support for the evaluation and verification of return on investment at each phase, from the demonstration stage to on-site implementation and mass production deployment. Our goal is to enable manufacturing companies to introduce physical AI "with confidence" through continuous on-site follow-up.

About STATION Ai Data Foundry and the Physical AI Ecosystem

STATION Ai Data Foundry is a data collection center necessary for the implementation of physical AI for the manufacturing industry, which is being developed with the aim of commencing operations in December 2026. We are building an environment that supports the selection of tasks with expected ROI in manufacturing sites, collection and processing of real-world data, development and verification of AI models, and robot utilization demonstrations in an integrated manner.

Starting from this Center, STATION Ai aims to form an ecosystem where diverse players involved in physical AI, such as AI model development companies, robot manufacturers, parts and materials manufacturers, data infrastructure and data providers, SIers, and user companies, can gather, meet companies with challenges and companies with solutions, and co-create. Booster Technology will promote this project as a key partner responsible for organizing issues and specifying needs from the perspective of manufacturing user companies within this ecosystem.

Furthermore, the technical validation of robots, AI models, and data for the tasks and challenges of manufacturing user companies will be carried out in cooperation with TRON Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, President: Kei Wajima), a physical AI integrator.

Future information will be released on this site: Physical AI by STATION Ai (https://stationai.co.jp/physicalai)

Representative's Comment

Natsuo Nagai (Monozukuri Taro), President, Booster Technology Inc.

"I have been involved in the manufacturing industry for over 10 years, and even since I started disseminating information through YouTube, I have visited factories across the country multiple times a month and witnessed the realities of dozens of sites. Productivity varies greatly from factory to factory; some sites are constantly evolving into resilient organizations through improvement, while many others remain stuck in the Showa era.

Japan is a country where manufacturing accounts for about 20% of its GDP and more than half of its annual export value is related to manufacturing. If the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry weakens, our ability to earn foreign currency will decline, and the very lives of our citizens could be shaken. That is precisely why we have set forth the vision of "Towards a country that can win in manufacturing even in 2100" and have made it our mission to deliver optimal solutions to the field. Among these, I am convinced that physical AI is one of the most important technologies to transform sites that have stopped in the Showa era.

I am deeply honored to participate in the construction of this ecosystem with STATION Ai. I have entered more manufacturing sites than anyone else and have faced the challenges of each site. I will leverage this experience to play the role of a discerning eye, accurately connecting on-site issues with AI and robot technology. Because I love manufacturing, I will spread successful examples of physical AI implementation from the Tokai region nationwide, in order to make it an industry where young Japanese people can work with pride."

Future Developments

Booster Technology will continue to deepen its collaboration with manufacturing companies in the Aichi and Tokai regions and accelerate preparations for the commencement of STATION Ai Data Foundry's operations in December 2026. We will prioritize the identification of high-ROI tasks for common manufacturing issues such as assembly, picking, inspection, and parts transport, and contribute to the creation of physical AI implementation case studies.

In the future, we aim to expand the knowledge and know-how gained through our initiatives in the Tokai region to manufacturing industries nationwide, contributing to the creation of a physical AI industry originating from Japan. Booster Technology will strive to strengthen the competitiveness of the manufacturing industry and accelerate the implementation of physical AI while playing the role of a discerning eye connecting on-site issues with cutting-edge technology.

About STATION Ai Inc.

STATION Ai is one of Japan's largest open innovation hubs located in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture. It brings together startups, corporations, universities, local governments, and financial institutions to provide programs, events, matching, and open innovation support for new business creation and business growth. By connecting the industrial base of Aichi Prefecture and the Tokai region with the technology and business ideas of startups, it promotes the creation of new businesses and the advancement of industry.

About TRON Inc.

TRON Inc. is a startup engaged in data collection, robot AI model development, and robot implementation in the physical AI domain. In this initiative, the company will drive the project from a technical perspective, focusing on the collection and processing of worker multimodal data, integration with robot data, and model verification.

About Booster Technology Inc.

Booster Technology Inc. is a company dedicated to updating Japan's core manufacturing industry, with the mission of "Making Japan's backbone, the manufacturing industry, a job that everyone envies." Starting with information dissemination through the YouTube channel "Monozukuri Taro" (over 370,000 subscribers), which specializes in manufacturing, the company offers a wide range of on-site-based services, including factory analysis and operational support, PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) implementation support, exhibition marketing analysis, and web marketing support.

Natsuo Nagai (Monozukuri Taro), the representative, has been involved in the manufacturing industry for over 10 years, and in parallel with his information dissemination on YouTube, he has personally visited and analyzed factories across the country. He has been involved in structuring on-site issues related to productivity improvement, automation, and quality improvement at hundreds of manufacturing sites.

Location: 288 Takaraga-dori, Meito-ku, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture Representative: Natsuo Nagai Established: March 15, 2024 URL: https://boostbytechnology.com/

Inquiries regarding this matter

Booster Technology Inc. Contact: Nagai E-mail: monozukuritarou@moriagetai.jp