About Elephantech
Elephantech Inc. is a startup that has achieved a significant milestone in the field of PCB manufacturing, by becoming the first company in the world to successfully manufacture PCBs using metal inkjet printing.
With the mission of “Making the world sustainable with new manufacturing technologies”, Elephantech provides their innovative inkjet printing solutions to promote their manufacturing method as the new global standard.
Origin of Elephantech
Like An Elephant
The elephant is revered in various asian cultures and religions as a remover of obstacles and a symbol of wealth and commerce — a fitting image for our desire to “continue to create novel technologies by combining our wisdom and overcoming all obstacles.”
Electronics + Fun + Technology
We are Elephantech, but also Ele-Fun-Tech. We aim to be a company where every employee enjoys developing new technologies in the field of electronics, making lasting technological contributions to the future of our world.
A Globally Recognized Symbol
Technology has no borders, and we cannot have our success limited to Japan where we were founded. From the beginning, based on the premise that we will expand our business globally, we have named our company after a well-known animal so that it is easy to remember regardless of language.
Company Overview
| Name | Elephantech Inc. |
| Establishment | January 2014 |
| Headquarters | 4-3-8 Hatchobori, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0032, Japan |
| Representative | Shinya Shimizu, Representative Director & CEO |
| Capital | JPY 100 million |
| Number of employees | 120 |
| Business description | Development of printed electronics manufacturing technology and provision of related services |
As of December 1, 2023
History
| 2014 | Jan. |
Founded as AgIC Inc. |
| 2015 | Jan. |
Series AA financing (¥100 million) for basic research on inkjet printing technology for PCB. |
| 2016 | Feb. |
Series A financing (¥175 million) for lab-scale demonstration. |
| 2017 | Sep. |
Changed the company name to Elephantech Inc. Series B financing (¥500 million). |
| 2018 | Jan. |
Built demonstrative manufacturing line for P-Flex®, inkjet printed flex circuits. |
| 2019 | Nov. |
Series C financing (¥1,800 million) to set up a mass-production plant of P-Flex®. |
| 2020 | Nov. |
EIZO Corp. adopted P-Flex® for FlexScan® EV3895. |
| 2021 | Jan. |
Started the operation of the mass-production plant. |
| Oct. |
P-Flex was certified to UL94 V-0, a U.S. safety standard. |
|
| Nov. |
Fukuda Corp. adopted P-Flex® for MSQ-2000. |
|
| 2022 | May |
Opened Shinkiba R&D Center. |
| Oct. |
Series D financing (¥2.15 billion) to accelerate global expansion. |
Team
Board Directors and Auditors
Prior to founding Elephantech, Shinya joined McKinsey & Company and provided consulting services mainly to manufacturing companies.
He holds a Master of Engineering degree from the Graduate School of Information Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo.
He holds a Master of Science degree from the Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo.
Founder and CEO of TomyK Ltd.
Co-founder and former CEO of ACCESS Co., Ltd.
Director and Partner of Beyond Next Ventures Inc.
General Partner at ANRI
Appointed as Director, Member of the Board of Directors of Toyota Fleet Leasing Co., Ltd. (currently Toyota Mobility Service Co., Ltd.) in 2013.
Appointed as Audit & Supervisory Board Member of Toyota Fleet Leasing Co., Ltd. in 2017.
Executive Officers
Satoshi started his career in management consulting at EY Strategy and Consulting Co., Ltd. in 2013, where he advised manufacturing companies on operational transformation and management system implementation.
In 2016, he joined Industrial Growth Platform Inc (IGPI), a Japanese management consulting firm, where he provided consulting services mainly to manufacturing companies.
In 2020, he conducted research on growth strategies of Japanese companies as a visiting researcher at Columbia University Business School.
He holds a Master's degree in International and Development Economics from the Graduate School of Arts and Science, Yale University.
Keisuke started his career in management consulting at McKinsey, where he advised manufacturing companies and investors on implementing strategy and operational transformation, and managing investment portfolios.
In 2019, he was appointed COO of APB Corporation, where he led the business development of the lithium-ion battery business.
He graduated from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Engineering.
Hiroaki started his career in 2012 at JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, where he was involved in R&D of functional materials.
In 2017, he joined IGPI and supported companies in operational transformation and strategy development.
In 2021, he joined Microwave Chemical Co., Ltd. where he was involved in overall operations and business development.
He holds a Master’s degree in Molecular Engineering from the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University.
Keita started his career at SMBC in 2012, where he was involved in marketing for domestic corporate clients and project finance and credit at SMBC NY branch.
In 2019, he joined IGPI, where he provided consulting services mainly in the areas of strategy implementation, global PMI and turnarounds.
In 2022, he joined USEN-NEXT HOLDINGS as an M&A and business development specialist.
He graduated from Hitotsubashi University with a Bachelor's degree in Economics.
Naohiro joined IBIDEN Co., Ltd. in 2005, where he was involved in setting up rigid substrate production lines in Japan and overseas.
In 2013, he joined Goodman Co., Ltd. as a manufacturing technology team leader in the manufacturing department.
In 2019, he joined NGK SPARK PLUG Co., Ltd. where he was engaged in setting up a spark plug production line.
He graduated from Gifu University, Faculty of Engineering.
Hatchobori office
Address: 4-3-8 Hatchobori, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0032, Japan
Access
- 4 min. from Takaracho Station on the Toei Asakusa Line
- 6 min. from Hatchobori Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line or the JR Keiyo Line
- 7 min. from Kyobashi Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line
- 8 min. from Shintomicho Station on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line
Shinkiba R&D center
Address: 1-3-14 Shinkiba, Koto-ku, Tokyo 136-0082, Japan
URL：https://www.elephantech.co.jp/press/en/press_release_20220530/
Access
- 6 min. from Shinkiba Station on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line, the JR Keiyo Line or the Rinkai Line
AMC Nagoya
Address: c/o Mitsui Chemicals Inc. Nagoya Works, 2-1 Tango-dori, Minami-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 457-0801, Japan
Access
- 10 min by cab. from the JR Kasadera Station
List of bases
| Head office | 4-3-8 Hatchobori, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0032, Japan (Google Map) |
| Shinkiba R&D Center | 1-3-14 Shinkiba, Koto-ku, Tokyo 136-0082, Japan (Google Map) |
| AMC Nagoya | c/o Mitsui Chemicals Inc. Nagoya Works, 2-1 Tango-dori, Minami-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 457-0801, Japan (Google Map) |
Press Release
2021
2020
Elephantech completes capital reduction procedures
Regarding incorrect unit for resource saving effect
Changes to the P-Flex® PET soldermask color
2019
Elephantech completes capital reduction procedures
Opening of a satellite office in the Tohoku region
Changes to our Outside Directors
2018
Historical Products
We used to offer various products and services with another ink until July 2017. Here is a collection of these discontinued products and services.
These products below are unavailable.
Technical support of these products will also end at the end of 2017. Meanwhile, please contact us atContact.
Printer & Marker
Elephantech started with a printer which prints silver ink on paper. Then the same technology was applied to a marker that you can draw circuits on paper with.
Kits
Printing and drawing circuits are great, but you need various components at the end. Our next challenge was to build the environment, so we designed some kits.
Manufacturing Service
It was a big decision to focus on the industrial services. Improving the quality to spread our circuit printing technology requires customized facilities, which led us to build our own factory and offer a PCB manufacturing service.
