Key Points

• A comprehensive partnership agreement was signed in September 2026, and a Co-creation Research Center was established in October.

• Combining Tohoku University’s space system development and operation expertise with Solafune’s AI analytics, the partners aim to develop, launch and demonstrate in orbit a satellite that analyzes data on board and feeds the results back into its observation planning, dramatically improving the efficiency of satellite data utilization. In the future, the results will lead to the development of more advanced satellites.

• The partners will jointly pursue the social implementation of research results and human resource development, aiming to contribute to environmental conservation, resource management and disaster prevention.

Overview

The Space Cross-Tech Research Center of the Green Goals Initiative, Tohoku University (Director: Toshinori Kuwahara; hereinafter “Tohoku University SXT”) and Solafune, Inc. (CEO: Ren Uechi; hereinafter “Solafune”) signed a comprehensive partnership agreement in September 2026 and, on October 1, established the “Solafune x Tohoku University Space Integrated Intelligence Co-Creation Research Center” within Tohoku University SXT.

(Left) Ren Uechi, CEO, Solafune, Inc.; (Right) Hiroo Yugami, Executive Vice President, Tohoku University

Leveraging Tohoku University’s know-how in satellite development and operation and Solafune’s AI analytics technology, the two parties will conduct research and development of technology that analyzes and integrates information on board a satellite and reflects the results in its observation planning. Through the development, launch and in-orbit demonstration of a satellite, they aim to bring research results into social implementation and achieve a dramatic improvement in the efficiency of satellite data utilization.

Figure 1: Conceptual diagram of the demonstration (concept stage)

Purpose of the Partnership

By combining Tohoku University SXT’s space system development and operation technologies with Solafune’s AI analysis of satellite imagery and its technology for generating intelligence through information integration, the partners will conduct joint research spanning everything from R&D to the use of information. They will also work on human resource development, and in the future aim to provide information that supports decision-making by governments and companies in fields such as environmental conservation, resource management and disaster prevention in countries around the world, starting with Asia.

About the “Solafune x Tohoku University Space Integrated Intelligence Co-Creation Research Center”

Figure 2: Organizational structure of the “Solafune x Tohoku University Space Integrated Intelligence Co-Creation Research Center”

We are pleased to announce that, as of October 2026, Ren Uechi, CEO of Solafune, has been appointed Specially Appointed Associate Professor (Visiting) at Tohoku University SXT, and Takaomi Yukawa, Head of Business Development at Solafune, has been appointed Specially Appointed Associate Professor (Administration) and General Manager of Operations of the Co-Creation Research Center.

Name
Solafune x Tohoku University Space Integrated Intelligence Co-Creation Research Center

Activities
Research and development of satellites and in-orbit technology demonstration

General Manager of Operations
Takaomi Yukawa, Specially Appointed Associate Professor (Administration) / Head of Business Development, Solafune, Inc.

Operations Support Manager
Toshinori Kuwahara, Professor; Director, Space Cross-Tech Research Center, Green Goals Initiative

Location
2F, Aobayama Universe, Aobayama Campus, Tohoku University

Period
October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2029

Comments from Representatives and Research Leaders

Hiroo Yugami, Executive Vice President, Tohoku University

“To bring our university’s space system development and operation technologies into social implementation, we have welcomed Solafune, a company with a proven track record in AI-based satellite data analysis and global business development, as our partner. With the Co-Creation Research Center as our base, we aim to build an industry-academia co-creation model that returns research results to society.”

Toshinori Kuwahara, Director, Tohoku University SXT

“By combining Tohoku University’s space system technologies with Solafune’s AI analytics, we will pursue joint research that spans from satellite development to the use of information. Through in-orbit demonstration and human resource development, we aim to contribute to both regional and international society.”

Ren Uechi, CEO, Solafune, Inc.

“For a long time, humanity has treated space as something to look up at. From now on, however, space will become a foundation of intelligence for understanding the Earth. Simply gathering observation data does not change the world. Only when that data is integrated, turned into meaning and connected to decision-making does space become a force for society. By bringing together the space engineering knowledge Tohoku University has accumulated and the intelligence technology Solafune has refined, we will create here the intelligence infrastructure that will become the standard of the next era. Together with Tohoku University, we will pioneer the new field of Space Integrated Intelligence.”