On 26 April 2017 the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry announced the selection of a project proposal by Osaka City University’s URA Center (University Research Administration Center) to support the utilization of intellectual property rights by local small-and medium-sized companies.

The OCU URA Center submitted its proposal as part of a consortium of three public universities in the Kansai region. The project focuses on open innovation strategy, referring to the concept of using intellectual property available within as well as outside your own organization.