Real Tech Fund Invests in Nano Frontier Technology, a startup developing the World’s best Solar Heat Absorber

Real Tech Fund, managed by Real Tech Holdings Corporation (Location: Sumida-ku, Tokyo; Representatives: Yukihiro Maru and Akihiko Nagata), has invested into Nano Frontier Technology Inc. NFT will use the funds raised to develop businesses in collaboration with solar thermal power plants, with the aim of decarbonizing the world through the widespread use of solar thermal power generation.

■Company Profile

　NFT is a company that develops coatings using ultrafine atomization technology to  maximize the performance of nanomaterials under the mission to “leverage the use of ultrafine atomization technology for the next society”.

　Heat collection coatings for solar thermal power plants reach temperatures of over 600 degrees Celsius, necessitating high coating durability. Existing paints need to be reapplied once or twice a year, incurring significant loss costs when operations are shut down each time.

　In contrast, NFT coatings have proven long-term heat resistance and need to be reapplied only once every few years.

↑NFT heat collection membrane with ↑pore structure

■Purpose and Use of Funding

　Through demonstration tests with major solar thermal power plants in Australia and China, we aim to deploy NFT paints and coatings worldwide. NFT is working on the use of drones as a maintenance application for receivers (solar thermal collectors) located at high altitudes.

↑Application of maintenance coatings to receivers (heat-collecting parts of solar power generators) using a drone

Comment from Real Tech Fund’s Growth Manager

Currently, Pyromark dominates the market for solar thermal collector coatings, and there are many areas for improvement in order to promote the spread of solar thermal power plants. In this context, I believe that NFT has the potential to lead a decarbonized society by possessing technologies that maximize the inherent potential of materials. The founder, Ms. Tsuda, is also a true scientist who decided to start a deep tech venture with no academic experience as a scientist, and I am honored to be supporting scientists and engineers who are striving to make technology the power of the future. 

(Fumiharu Muroga, Growth Manager, Real Tech Holdings Inc.)

*Official name: “Real Tech Fund No. 3 Investment Limited Partnership (commonly known as “Glocal Deep Tech Fund”)

About Nano Frontier Technology Inc.

• Date of establishment: January 2007
• Location: 3-10-6 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
• Representative: Kaoru Tsuda
• Capital: 3 million yen
• Business: Development of solar heat-absorbing membranes with high light absorption and durability
• Official website: http://www.nano-frontier.com/en/
• Investment period: March 2023

■About Real Tech Fund

A venture capital fund that invests in and fosters startups (real-tech ventures) with innovative technologies that contribute to solving issues facing the earth and humanity. Working closely with governments, companies, and local governments in Japan and abroad, the Fund provides full hands-on support to maximize and accelerate the social implementation of technology. To date, we have managed more than 20 billion yen and invested in more than 80 startups in Japan and abroad. In 2021, we established Japan’s first impact investment fund to invest in the deep tech domain.

■About Real Tech Holdings

Real Tech Holdings is a joint venture between Euglena Co., Ltd. and Leave a Nest founded with the aim of implementing innovative technologies (real tech) that contribute to solving issues facing the Earth and humanity. The company conducts businesses such as investment and development by leveraging the expertise of Euglena, which has overcome many difficulties as an R&D startup, and Leave a Nest , which provides comprehensive support from research to the social implementation of technology.

HP: https://www.realtech.holdings/en/

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