Next-Generation Fully Enclosed Plant Factory PlantX Forms Capital and Business Alliance with KOBASHI Group
PlantX, a company developing unique "fully enclosed" plant factories, has announced a capital and business alliance with KOBASHI Holdings Co., Ltd. and a third-party allocation of shares to KOBASHI Kogyo Co., Ltd., a KOBASHI affiliate. This partnership aims to accelerate the development of plant factory equipment, establish a mass production system, and promote the global deployment of innovative food production systems.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 16, 2026 at 00:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 15, 2026 at 15:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 11:52 (92h 20m after Collected)
PlantX Inc. (Headquarters: Koto-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Koshi Yamada; hereinafter "the Company"), which develops unique "fully enclosed" plant factories, announces that it has formed a capital and business alliance with KOBASHI Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture; Representative Director and President: Shojiro Kobashi; hereinafter "KOBASHI") and simultaneously implemented a third-party allocation of shares to KOBASHI Kogyo Co., Ltd. (hereinafter "KOBASHI Kogyo"), an affiliated company of KOBASHI, to raise capital.
Through this alliance, we will integrate KOBASHI Kogyo's long-standing expertise in design, manufacturing, quality control, and mass production in the agricultural machinery field, KOBASHI's extensive network and management resources, and our precise cultivation environment control technology. Under a strong collaborative system, we will jointly accelerate the development of equipment for plant factories, establish a mass production system, and promote the commercialization of businesses for social implementation.
Expectations for plant factories are higher than ever, both domestically and internationally. By leveraging the strengths of both companies through this collaboration, we will accelerate the global expansion of our innovative food production system, contributing to the realization of sustainable and stable food supply and the diversification and sophistication of dietary lifestyles.
■ Purpose of Capital Procurement
Through the funds procured this time, we will strengthen our collaboration with KOBASHI to promote automation and mass production, establishing a model for next-generation factories that are extremely labor-saving. In addition, the funds will be utilized to accelerate the development and market testing of new value-added plants that can "only be produced in plant factories," such as high-functional vegetables with specific functional ingredients enhanced several times, rare plants that serve as pharmaceutical raw materials, and fruits that achieve the highest sugar content regardless of the season.
■ Business Progress Since Previous Funding (2023)
Since the previous funding, the Company has made significant progress in both the social implementation of technology and research and development, as follows:
- Acceleration of Medicinal Plant Cultivation Research
We are engaged in cultivation research of medicinal plants such as ginseng in collaboration with Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and the National Institute of Health Sciences and Nutrition, and cultivation research of high-value-added useful substances (cytokines) using rice as a bioreactor in collaboration with the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO). Through our precise cultivation control technology, we are focusing on solving social issues such as the domestic production of medicinal plants and the stable supply of high-quality medicinal ingredients.
- Adoption for MAFF "SBIR Phase 3"
We have been adopted for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Innovation Creation Promotion Project (SBIR Phase 3)". Through this project, we are further advancing our core technology, the environmental control system.
- Participation in Fukushima International Research and Education Organization (F-REI) Project
We have participated in the project "Development of RI Imaging Technology Contributing to Improved Crop Productivity and Sustainable Crop Production and Demonstration of Derived Production Methods" led by the Fukushima International Research and Education Organization (F-REI). We aim to establish innovative production methods by integrating cutting-edge imaging technology with our cultivation expertise.
- Simultaneous Production of Multiple Plant Varieties at "THE TERRABASE"
At "THE TERRABASE," a next-generation plant factory operated by United Super Markets Holdings Co., Ltd., we have cultivated basil and arugula and implemented "initiatives to simultaneously produce multiple plant varieties." We are promoting the realization of a flexible and multifaceted supply system tailored to market needs.
- Operation of Marketing Base in New York City, USA, by Kubota Corporation
As a foothold for global expansion, Kubota Corporation has started operating a marketing base in New York City, USA, which has introduced PlantX's "fully enclosed plant cultivation system." We are promoting the technological superiority of our company in the North American market and are fully embarking on overseas expansion.
■ Related Article Links
- Conclusion of joint research agreement on medicinal plant cultivation in plant factories (National Institute of Health Sciences and Nutrition, Rohto Pharmaceutical, PlantX) (May 31, 2023)
https://www.plantx.co.jp/yakuyoukenkyu_01/
- Adopted for Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Innovation Creation Promotion Project, with a grant of approximately 1.2 billion yen decided (December 28, 2023)
https://www.plantx.co.jp/sbir3/
- "Plant RI Imaging Consortium" research kicks off! ~Commissioned research by F-REI led by QST and 10 other organizations
Through this alliance, we will integrate KOBASHI Kogyo's long-standing expertise in design, manufacturing, quality control, and mass production in the agricultural machinery field, KOBASHI's extensive network and management resources, and our precise cultivation environment control technology. Under a strong collaborative system, we will jointly accelerate the development of equipment for plant factories, establish a mass production system, and promote the commercialization of businesses for social implementation.
Expectations for plant factories are higher than ever, both domestically and internationally. By leveraging the strengths of both companies through this collaboration, we will accelerate the global expansion of our innovative food production system, contributing to the realization of sustainable and stable food supply and the diversification and sophistication of dietary lifestyles.
■ Purpose of Capital Procurement
Through the funds procured this time, we will strengthen our collaboration with KOBASHI to promote automation and mass production, establishing a model for next-generation factories that are extremely labor-saving. In addition, the funds will be utilized to accelerate the development and market testing of new value-added plants that can "only be produced in plant factories," such as high-functional vegetables with specific functional ingredients enhanced several times, rare plants that serve as pharmaceutical raw materials, and fruits that achieve the highest sugar content regardless of the season.
■ Business Progress Since Previous Funding (2023)
Since the previous funding, the Company has made significant progress in both the social implementation of technology and research and development, as follows:
- Acceleration of Medicinal Plant Cultivation Research
We are engaged in cultivation research of medicinal plants such as ginseng in collaboration with Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and the National Institute of Health Sciences and Nutrition, and cultivation research of high-value-added useful substances (cytokines) using rice as a bioreactor in collaboration with the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO). Through our precise cultivation control technology, we are focusing on solving social issues such as the domestic production of medicinal plants and the stable supply of high-quality medicinal ingredients.
- Adoption for MAFF "SBIR Phase 3"
We have been adopted for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' "Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Innovation Creation Promotion Project (SBIR Phase 3)". Through this project, we are further advancing our core technology, the environmental control system.
- Participation in Fukushima International Research and Education Organization (F-REI) Project
We have participated in the project "Development of RI Imaging Technology Contributing to Improved Crop Productivity and Sustainable Crop Production and Demonstration of Derived Production Methods" led by the Fukushima International Research and Education Organization (F-REI). We aim to establish innovative production methods by integrating cutting-edge imaging technology with our cultivation expertise.
- Simultaneous Production of Multiple Plant Varieties at "THE TERRABASE"
At "THE TERRABASE," a next-generation plant factory operated by United Super Markets Holdings Co., Ltd., we have cultivated basil and arugula and implemented "initiatives to simultaneously produce multiple plant varieties." We are promoting the realization of a flexible and multifaceted supply system tailored to market needs.
- Operation of Marketing Base in New York City, USA, by Kubota Corporation
As a foothold for global expansion, Kubota Corporation has started operating a marketing base in New York City, USA, which has introduced PlantX's "fully enclosed plant cultivation system." We are promoting the technological superiority of our company in the North American market and are fully embarking on overseas expansion.
■ Related Article Links
- Conclusion of joint research agreement on medicinal plant cultivation in plant factories (National Institute of Health Sciences and Nutrition, Rohto Pharmaceutical, PlantX) (May 31, 2023)
https://www.plantx.co.jp/yakuyoukenkyu_01/
- Adopted for Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Innovation Creation Promotion Project, with a grant of approximately 1.2 billion yen decided (December 28, 2023)
https://www.plantx.co.jp/sbir3/
- "Plant RI Imaging Consortium" research kicks off! ~Commissioned research by F-REI led by QST and 10 other organizations