Hokkaido University received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award (Excellent Company in Utilizing Intellectual Property Rights System) at the 2026 Intellectual Property Achievement Awards hosted by the Japan Patent Office of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The "Intellectual Property Achievement Award" recognizes individuals, companies, universities, and other organizations that have contributed to the development, dissemination, and promotion of the intellectual property rights system, as well as those that have actively utilized the system and achieved remarkable results.

Hokkaido University has been strengthening its industry-academia collaboration system and advancing its intellectual property management, building an advanced model for intellectual property utilization within universities, including improving patent licensing revenue and achieving stable intellectual property management. Its strategic use of intellectual property and efforts to promote its social implementation through industry-academia collaboration were highly praised, leading to this award. In particular, its systematic and continuous efforts, such as proposal-based collaborative activities tailored to companies' business strategies, proactive intellectual property utilization including overseas expansion, and the advancement of its licensing model, were recognized.

Hokkaido University will continue to promote the creation, protection, and utilization of intellectual property in an integrated manner, contributing to innovation creation and the resolution of social issues through industry-academia collaboration.

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