— The firm also establishes a $62 million investment portfolio and begins full-scale startup investments through its new European location —
Tokyo, February 16, 2026–(BUSINESS WIRE)–DIC Corporation (Tokyo: 4631) today announced that it has established a $62 million investment portfolio to accelerate business creation in the rapidly expanding field of physical AI, including technologies such as sensors, wearables, robotics, and automation. As part of this effort, DIC has entered into a strategic partnership with Emerald Technology Ventures, a Switzerland-based global venture capital firm known for its deep expertise in industrial technology and strong presence in Europe and North America. DIC will leverage Emerald’s investment power and innovation network to begin full-scale investment and collaboration with startup companies around the world.
To strengthen these activities, DIC plans to establish a startup investment management subsidiary in Zurich, Switzerland, in spring 2026. Known as one of Europe’s leading deep technology innovation hubs, Zurich offers a highly developed ecosystem of startups, universities and industrial partners specializing in AI, robotics and advanced materials. Being in the same city as Emerald will enable DIC to accelerate deal sourcing, gather local market intelligence and collaborate more closely on joint initiatives.
The physical AI domain represents a high-growth market that spans multiple industries. Physical AI technology allows systems to sense, interpret, and respond to human movement and environmental conditions through robotics and algorithms. Solutions including smart sensing, soft robotics, wearables and automation are expected to significantly improve productivity and quality of life, working closely with DIC’s long-standing strengths in materials science.
This initiative also supports DIC’s business creation framework, Direct to Society (D2S), which focuses on anticipating future social needs and commercializing innovative ideas through practical application. Collaboration with startup companies in the field of physical AI is an important pillar of this initiative and will accelerate the creation of new value for industry and society.
Through its partnership with Emerald, DIC will benefit from the company’s extensive startup sourcing capabilities and post-investment growth support expertise. Over the next five years, DIC aims to build a diverse portfolio of innovative companies through its new investment platform, supporting the scalable growth of emerging ventures while creating strategic options for the future.
